2009 Suzuki Equator Review | Buyer Guide
Suzuki Surprises With A Pickup
When I first heard about the Equator, the thought that popped into my mind was why are they doing this? After all, Suzuki is known for building small vehicles—why not a micro- car. Well, Suzuki looked at it from a different point of view. They saw a midsize pickup as a natural complement to their motorcycle and ATV business. The outdoor enthusiast, who owns one of these vehicles, just might want a Suzuki pickup to take off-road as well, or just to haul his toys around.
Furthermore, Suzuki didn’t have to develop the Equator from scratch. They got it from Nissan. The Equator is actually a Nissan Frontier with a different grille and headlights. Nissan builds them for Suzuki at their Smyrna, Tennessee plant.
Suzuki offers the Equator in two body styles, Extended Cab and Crew Cab. It is also available with rear-wheel drive and as a four by four. Power comes by way of a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with 152 hp. and 171 lb.-ft. of torque, or a 4.0-liter V-6, which pumps out 261 horses and 281 lb.-ft. of torque. The four-banger gets either a manual or automatic with five speeds. The V6 gets only the automatic.
For the off-road enthusiast, the Equator provides a potpourri of traction systems. These include four-wheel limited slip, electronic-locking rear differential, hill descent control and hill start assist.
The gleaming black Equator Crew Cab that arrived at my house was a good-looking rig. The large chrome-framed grille gave it a more forceful presence than its twin from Nissan. The interior was attractive too, with a crisp, functional look to it. The four gauges in front of the driver were easy to read, and included smaller readouts for oil temperature and battery charge. The audio and climate controls were simply laid out and easy to reach on the center control panel.
Two-tone cloth-covered seats up front were chair-like and comfortable. The seats in the rear were not quite as good, but had acceptable legroom. Shallow storage bins are hidden beneath the seat cushions, and these cushions can be folded up, when needed, to store large items, like cargo boxes.
My test truck came with a five-foot bed, but a six-foot bed is also available. The bed features a comprehensive tie-down system that employs rails mounted on the sidewalls, channels in the floor and moveable utility cleats to secure motorcycles, or whatever you need to carry. Or if you haul a trailer, this vehicle can tow up to 6500 pounds.
Behind the wheel, the Equator handles and rides much like the Nissan Frontier. It feels solid on the road, and its movements are predictable. And like its Nissan counterpart, it delivers a stiff and choppy ride.
Equator pricing starts at $17,995 for the base model, and ranges up to $31,375 for the top-of-the-line RMZ-4 Sport. These prices include a seven-year/100,000 mile power train warranty.
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