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2009 Suzuki Equator Most know the Suzuki brand best for its motorcycles and all terrain vehicles, and that's despite some pretty impressive cars and utilities over the years. Oddly, there hasn't been much of an effort to blend the two sides of Suzuki together, until now. Enter the Equator, Suzuki's first North American pickup truck, and it's designed to haul other Suzukis, and their fans, around in style. Given Suzuki's history of power-packed cycles and ATVs, along with their compact cars and utilities, it makes perfect sense for the brand to jump into pickup trucks with a tidy machine like the 2009 Equator. The mid-size Equator shares its mechanicals with the Nissan Frontier, and it will be built at Nissan's Smyrna, Tennessee assembly plant. Like Frontier, Equator rides on a 125.9-inch wheelbase, with either 5-ft or 6-ft 1-inch beds for the extended cab, and long bed only for the crew cab. Our RMZ-4 Crew Cab test truck came ready for action. The bed has a standard factory spray-on liner and cargo rails with adjustable tie-down cleats. It looks ready, too. The wide grille and deep front fascia are unique to Equator, and more aggressive than normal for a smaller truck. All rides on a selection of 15, 16, or 17-inch wheels. Our truck wears the 16s, with chunky 265/75 off-road tires.
Base power is a rugged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 152 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque. Crew Cab models like our RMZ don Nissan's 4.0-liter V6. Output is 261 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque. The I4 comes with either a 5-speed manual or automatic, while the V6 is auto only. So equipped, the Equator has a maximum payload of 1,471 pounds, and a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds. Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the V6 are 15 city/19 highway. We averaged 17 miles-per-gallon on regular gas. Acceleration numbers were good for a pickup, 0 to 60 in 7.9 seconds, and the quarter-mile in 16.1 seconds at 88 miles-per-hour. The V6 delivers strong initial response, with a slight stumble around 3,000 rpm and a buzzy feel when pushed further. Shifts are sharp and clean. The Equator also delivers very competent handling for a mid-size truck. Our RMZ-4's hefty tires combined with moderate mid-corner push to scrub off quite a bit of speed, but the Equator stayed solidly planted even when pushed hard. With standard ABS the Equator stopped from 60 in a slightly long average of 131 feet. There was a fair bit of nose dive, but a solid pedal and stable chassis made those stops worry free. On paved roads, the RMZ-4 delivers a firm ride, with a bit of noise from the big tires. While off road, its long travel suspension with Dana 44 axles, and Bilstein shocks, soaks up serious ruts and holes, making it a very comfortable stump jumper. Both experienced and occasional off-roaders will be impressed with the Hill Hold Control and Hill Descent Control which deliver a big extra measure of security when negotiating steep grades.
CD audio is standard, with a high-end Rockford Fosgate system, and navigation available. The second-row seat is quite roomy for a mid-sizer. The seatbacks fold down to provide a wide shelf, or up to access hidden cargo trays. Pricing for the Suzuki Equator starts around $18,000, with our V6 4-wheel-drive RMZ-4 stickered at $29,345. All carry Suzuki's 100,000 mile/7-year powertrain warranty. The 2009 Suzuki Equator mid-size pickup is a first for this feisty little company. It not only opens a new American market segment for fans of Suzuki's high-value approach to personal transportation, but gives Suzuki yet another page in its well rounded product portfolio.
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The Equator is available in rear drive or with shift-on-the-fly part-time Hi-Lo 4-wheel-drive. That can be upgraded with 4-wheel active limited-slip traction control, electronic locking rear differential, stability control, along with Hill Descent and Hill Hold Control.
Inside, the crew cab is roomy and comfortable. The layout is straightforward, with a clean, well equipped dash. Safety features include standard 2-row side curtain airbags.