The Equator arrived for 2009 as Suzuki's first venture into the compact pickup market. The truck is built by Nissan and features mostly Frontier hardware, but Suzuki had plenty of input in its styling. The fully-loaded Equator isn't a luxurious model, but it does come in the RMZ-4 off-road package. The RMZ-4 features a moonroof, Dana 44 axles, electronic rear-locking differential, Bilstein shocks, skid plates, BFG Rugged Trail T/A tires, unique seat trim with red stitching and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The Equator is available as an extended cab only in two-wheel drive and as a crew cab in 4x2 or 4x4 configurations. The base engine is a 2.5-liter inline-four-cylinder engine. A 4.0-liter V-6 engine is available in the extended cab and standard in the crew cab. There's a choice of Base or Premium trims in the extended cab inline-four-cylinder models; the V-6 comes in a Sport trim. The crew cab is available in Base or Sport with two-wheel drive, and four-wheel-drive models are available in either Sport or the off-road RMZ-4. All extended cabs have a 6-foot-long cargo bed, while the crew cab comes with a 5- or 6-foot bed.
Exterior & Styling
One good thing I can say about the Grand Vitara is that it's relatively
distinctive looking. It has some similarities to earlier-generation Saturn Vues,
and whether you like it or not is for you t ...
Using the Transaxle
4-Speed Automatic Transaxle
Gearshift lever
WARNING:
Always depress the brake pedal
before shifting from “P” (Park) (or
“N” (Neutral) if the vehicle is stationary)
to a forward ...
On-Road
In everyday driving, the Equator rides and handles the way a midsize pickup
should. It's smoother than a full-size and easier to park, but without V-8
power. All the test units were 4x4s; we hoppe ...