2009 Suzuki Equator Sport 4WD - Automobile Magazine
Using a frame derived from Nissan's full-size Titan pickup, the Frontier is a solid, rugged, and capable pickup - so too, then, is the Equator. The same goes for the interior, which - aside from Suzuki-embroidered floor mats and a chrome 'S' on the grille, is just as you'd find it on the Frontier. I'm not normally a pickup person, but over the six days I drove the Equator, I found myself falling for the truck. It was plenty practical for both cargo (I was an inch shy of fitting a double mattress in the bed) and passengers (four adults rode along to help move said mattress), and the powertrain - a 4. 0-liter version of Nissan's exemplary VQ engine mated... I'm partial to the Frontier's front clip, and Nissan also offers a host of package and trim combinations one can't find on the Suzuki. Though American Suzuki hasn't yet released pricing or package information, I'm predicating the Equator will cater to the same "crowds" who buy the Isuzu I-370: those who want a name-brand truck, but with a lengthy warranty and a cut-rate price. Yep, the Suzuki Equator is the automotive world's latest example of the time-honored practice of badge engineering. Source: www.automobilemag.com
