ShareThisThis might seem like the worst possible time to bring a new vehicle to market, particularly a truck.
But American Suzuki sees a chance to hold its ground in the avalanche of bad news with a mid-size pickup called the Equator.
"The fact is, the U.S. is still the biggest auto market in the world -- even when it's down," says Gene Brown, vice president for automotive marketing at American Suzuki. "And within this market, one in six vehicles sold last year was a pickup truck, putting pickup truck sales on par with mid-size car sales -- the largest category in the business."
Although the Equator is actually a rebadged Nissan Frontier, the styling and personality are customized for Suzuki's outdoor culture, defined by the motorcycles for which it is best known.
"There is a powerful connection between our motorcycle audience and the truck market," Brown says. "We have tens of thousands of Suzuki customers hauling our products in trucks every day. In fact, research shows that on average, our motorcycle and marine owners are nearly 50 percent more likely to have a pickup in their household fleet and our ATV owners are nearly twice as likely to have a pickup in their garage."
Suzuki wisely maintained a price of entry for the Equator that could prove highly attractive. With prices beginning at $17,995 for the extended cab version with a 4-cylinder engine and stick shift, Equator may hit the sweet spot for affordability and functionality.
As with most truck lines, the Equator offers an array of permutations: rear or 4-wheel-drive, 4-cylinder or V6 engines, manual or automatic transmissions, extended or crew cab, short or long bed and a hierarchy of trim levels that can send prices as high as $29,325 for the RMZ Off-Road version.
Built at Nissan's Smyrna, Tenn., assembly plant, the Equator is a true truck with body-on-frame construction, rear leaf springs to support a payload of up to 1,471 pounds with towing capacity of 6,500 pounds and comfortable ground clearance for off-road duty.
The four-door crew cab version makes the Equator a viable family vehicle, with back seats that are roomy enough for adults. The days of the old single-bench pickup seem to be fading fast. Among truck sales, mid-size crew cab is nearly double what it was five years ago. Over the same period, 4x4 penetration has increased by nearly 25 percent.
Equator's base 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine with double overhead cams produces a reasonable 152 horsepower and 171 foot-pounds of torque, making the truck suitable for light extended duty or short, heavy hauls.
The V6 is substantially better, providing 261 horses and 281 foot-pounds of torque. The V6 has an aluminum block, cast-iron cylinder liners, double overhead cams and variable valve timing.
Gas is cheap again, but Equator still has fairly decent fuel economy at 17 mpg city and 22 highway with the V6.
Most versions will have the five-speed automatic transmission, but the stick is available on all 4-cylinder models.
Four-wheel-drive versions provide shift-on-the-fly 4WD with an electronically controlled part-time two-speed transfer case. The off-road traction system includes four-wheel active limited slip traction control, electronic locking rear differential, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Hill Descent Control and Hill Hold Control.
Equator's exterior is different enough from the Frontier's to get your attention. Specially designed elements include the hood, front fenders, grille, bumpers, front fascia and tailgate. A large Suzuki "S" over the honeycomb mesh grille is the chief attention-getter.
The interior is as comfortable and functional as your family sedan's, featuring flip-up rear seats, a fold-flat front passenger seat and removable storage boxes tucked beneath the rear seats. A dual glove box and center console storage are useful compartments, with power outlet. Standard features on the Premium, Sport and RMZ-4 trim levels include cruise control, power mirrors, door locks and windows and remote keyless entry.
Safety gear includes front, side and head-curtain air bags. Extended Cab and Crew Cab models provide three-point seat belts for all rear-seat occupants, including the center position for the Crew Cab. The pickup also comes with tire-pressure monitoring system.
With sales of the Equator beginning in earnest in 2009, the truck is already picking up kudos from the Automotive Press. The buff book "4-Wheel & Off-Road" magazine has named Equator "4X4 of the Year."
WHAT'NEW: All-new model for Suzuki.
PLUSES: Styling, price, versatility.
MINUSES: Small number of dealers versus competition.
BOTTOM LINE: Right size, right price for hard times.
(E-mail Richard Williamson at motorfriend(at)sbcglobal.net)
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