Home » Car Reviews » Suzuki » Equator » 2009 Suzuki Equator Mid-Sized Pickup Truck
2009 Suzuki Equator Mid-Sized Pickup Truck
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Ride and Handling
The 2009 Suzuki Equator rides like a truck, and handles like a truck. Which it should, because it is a truck. The turning radius was wide making it a little difficult to maneuver in the narrow streets near our offices. The ride was bumpy over rough roads. However this is normal for trucks, especially those with serious off-road capabilities. If you are looking for a car-like ride this vehicle is not for you. It you are looking for a capable truck, this is one to consider.
Suzuki Equator features engine-speed-sensitive, power-assisted, rack-and-pinion steering for responsiveness and good on-center feel. Four-wheel disc brakes with an anti-lock braking system and electronic brake-force distribution for optimal stopping performance in all conditions are standard. Suzuki offers a variety of available wheel and tire packages for the Equator, including 16-inch off-road-style wheels with BFGoodrich rugged trail P265/75R16 tires and 17-inch wheels with BFGoodrich long trail P265/65R17 tires.
Equator offers an available shift-on-the-fly 4WD system that features an electronically controlled part-time, two-speed transfer case. For enhanced off-road capability, Equator offers a comprehensive off-road, traction system which includes four-wheel active limited slip traction control, electronic locking rear differential, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Hill Descent Control and Hill Hold Control.
We did not get a chance to drive the Equator off road, but have driven some of its Nissan siblings off pavement, and they are as good as any on the market. The Hill Descent Control and Hill Hold Controls are similar to systems offered on much more expensive vehicles from companies like Land Rover.
Safety
Suzuki Equator comes equipped with a comprehensive list of standard safety equipment with front and rear crumple zones, dual-stage front supplemental airbags with seat belt sensors and a front passenger sensor, three-point front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
All Suzuki 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. Additionally, Extended Cab and Crew Cab models provide three-point seat belts for all rear-seat occupants, including the center position in the Crew Cab. The LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) child seat anchor system is provided in the rear seat of the Crew Cab model.
Conclusion
The 2009 Suzuki Equator is good addition to the manufacturer's lineup expanding its appeal. The Equator's price ranges from $17,220 for a base four-cylinder Extended Cab model, to $30,600 for a top-of-the-line RMZ-4 V6 powered Crew Cab. The Suzuki Equator is actually a little more expensive than the Nissan it is based on.
Gas mileage is good for a truck with a combined mileage of 21 MPG for the four-cylinder, and 16 for the V6.
All Suzuki automobiles and light trucks are backed by a 100,000-mile/seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible powertrain limited warranty. Making reliability not an issue.
This is a good truck and we hope that this is the first in a series of collaborations with Nissan.
Pros: Good value and a great move by Suzuki to partner with Nissan.
Cons: Turning radius makes it a little difficult to maneuver in tight places. And the ride can be a bit rough on streets and highways.
RATINGS
- Style: 8
- Performance: 8
- Price: 8
- Handling: 8
- Ride: 7
- Comfort: 7
- Quality: 8
- Overall: 7.7
