“Quick, get me a truck!” This is how I imagine a Suzuki product planning meeting starting 24 months ago, leading to the development of the 2009 Suzuki Equator pickup. Most readers are very familiar with Suzuki for their motorcycles, ATVs and marine products. Oh, and by the way Suzuki manufacturers a strong lineup of midsize and compact cars and SUVs that have steadily gained acceptance in the marketplace.
Suzuki decided that their fun machines should be towed by trucks bearing their name instead of other manufacturers. So, without a suitable platform of their own, Suzuki worked out a deal with Nissan to produce a better looking Frontier midsize pickup and called it “Equator.”
The Equator comes in two flavors; Extended Cab and the roomier Crew Cab. I tested a pricey $25,095 2WD Crew Cab Sport model. The test truck came with cloth seats, cruise control, power windows and door locks, aluminum alloy wheels, a factory-applied spray-on bedliner and handy five-channel tie-down system for the bed.
The test truck came with a Nissan 4.0-liter, V-6 DOHC engine producing 261 horsepower with 281 pound-feet of torque, which sounds great on paper. On pavement, the engine is very “breathy,” huffing and puffing when you step on the gas. Speaking of gas, oh boy. The paper work says 15/20 mpg. The reality was about 17 mpg in a 40/60 mix of city/highway driving. I wasn’t wearing my heavy shoes, nor was I pulling a trailer or driving in 4WD. Towing, by the way, is rated at 6,500 pounds with the five-speed electronically controlled automatic.
Along with the “old school” mileage numbers, Suzuki/Nissan employs a traditional body on frame design. The step-in height, ride quality and handling are definitely in keeping with a traditional truck. The “textbook” ladder frame means the cabin is narrow, rear-seat legroom is very tight, and the rear seats are very thin and upright. The Crew Cab came with flip-up rear seats, a cargo friendly fold-flat front passenger seat and removable storage containers under the rear seats. Additional convenience features include a dual glove box with lock and center console storage that hides an additional power outlet. Actually, there are several power points located in the cab as well as numerous cupholders and storage pockets.
Should you want to venture off road, the Equator 4x4 should be able to handle just about everything short of the Rubicon Trail. The Equator features a part-time four-wheel drive system with advanced dynamic off-road handling systems and beefy live axle and leaf springs. The 2WD delivers a choppy on-road ride, so expect more of the same with the 4WD model. The 4WD models offer Hill-Descent Control and Hill Start Assist. The Crew Cab 4x4 model comes with oil pan, transfer case and fuel tank skid plates.
Walk around to the business end of the truck, and you’ll note the factory bedliner. Should you need to haul something like a motorcycle, the Equator is ready to oblige with a 6.1-foot bed and integrated storage system. The Equator features a special, angled bed-extender tailgate that will help to support the rear wheel of a dirt bike in the bed. There are sturdy aluminum adjustable tracks in the bed wall that will allow you to secure items of varying length and width via removable utility cleats that slip into the side channels. Suzuki indicates that a full range of additional accessories are available through dealers.
On the road the Equator’s ride is a little rough and bouncy for my taste. The cabin is flooded with road, wind or engine noise depending on road surface and acceleration speed. It’s true that the engine does provide some power, but it lets you know it’s working hard.
Oh, and about the steering -- make sure you plan ahead as even a simple U-turn can become a “white knuckler” due to the very wide turning radius. Forget your upper body workout today? No worries. Just try to execute a normal park job or back-out maneuver in a busy big box lot, and after you’re done flailing your arms around turning the wheel back and forth and working the shifter, you’ll be “pumped up” for the day. Zipping around corners the Equator feels a little skittish and makes you think you’re riding higher off the ground than you are. Standard four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and electronic brake-force distribution provided ample stopping power.
The all-new 2009 Equator pickup includes a comprehensive list of standard safety equipment including front and rear crumple zones, dual-stage front supplemental airbags with seat belt sensors and a front occupant classification sensor, three-point front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters and the regulation tire pressure monitoring system. All Equator models come equipped with supplemental front seat side-impact airbags and supplemental curtain airbags for side impact and rollover protection for front and rear outboard passengers-a big plus. Additionally, Extended Cab and Crew Cab models provide three-point seat belts for all rear-seat occupants, including the center position for the Crew Cab.
OK, other than some fresher and slightly revised styling, why would you select the Suzuki Equator over the Nissan Frontier? Well, the Suzuki version comes with the company’s 100,000-mile/seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible powetrain limited warranty. The pricing is pretty close, so Suzuki’s warranty and styling would tip it in for me.
The first pothole Suzuki faces is strong, established competition in the form of the capable Chevy Colorado, Dodge Dakota, value leader Ford Ranger, carlike Honda Ridgeline, near-twin Frontier and sturdy Toyota Tacoma. The second is that for $25,000 and change, you’re right on the edge of full-size truck pricing (rebated and discounted). But with the full-size truck, you have more room and get about the same gas mileage, while being able to tow and carry more. The new 2009 Suzuki Equator pickup is by no means a bad vehicle, it just doesn’t add anything new to the segment.
