Upon introduction, the Base 4X2 is equipped with a standard 4.0-liter, V6, 261-horsepower engine that achieves 15-mpg in the city and 20-mpg on the highway. The RMZ 4X4 is equipped with a standard 4.0-liter, V6, 261-horsepower engine that achieves 15-mpg in the city and 19-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard on both trims.
Suzuki's timing is perfect. Compact pickups have left the building and the full-sized bruisers are practically unsalable because of the expensive gasoline they guzzle. So those who really want or need a truck are herding towards the mid-size category. Like the Frontier, the Equator lives at the XX end of the midsize range with major components shared with Nissan big kahuna Titan. But with no V-8 under the hood, respectable gas mileage is possible. All Equators carry a 20-mpg or better EPA highway mileage rating and the most accomplished fuel sipper in the lineup clocks in at 19 mpg in city driving.
The new Suzuki Equator is the company's first foray into the truck market. It is based on the Nissan Frontier, but Suzuki did a nice job updating the exterior styling by adding a bold new grille. I had the opportunity to drive the Equator in the snow, and it had great traction and confident handling on the ice as well. The truck bed also had an integrated rail system to tie down cargo. Towing capacity is a healthy 6,500 pounds, which is more than enough for most tasks. However, the brake pedal felt mushy and required more effort to get the truck slowed down. The Crew Cab turning radius is large, but that is to be expected. Inside the truck, the fit and finish were nice, and all the controls were easy to use and understand. However, headroom felt tight in rear cab.
Two body styles are offered: a longish two-door called Extended Cab and a slightly squished four-door called Crew Cab. The smaller Equator rides on a 125.9-inch wheelbase and comes standard with a 6-foot bed. The Crew version rides on a 139.8-inch wheelbase with the long bed or the shorter wheelbase with a 5-foot bed. The powertrain choices include a 152-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder base engine and a 261-horsepower 4.0-liter V-6, both with five-speed transmissions. While the four-cylinder can be mated to a manual or automatic gearbox, all V-6s are automatic equipped. The optional 4WD system is a dual-range, shift-on-the-fly design. While two trim levels are available, leather upholstery is not in the Equator game plan. A spray-in bedliner is standard and a handy cargo-tie-down system is optional.
The first major update to the SV – and the partially-faired SV650S model introduced in 2000 – arrived in ’03 and included fuel-injection, a new beefy square-tube truss frame and marginal increases in power and torque. In 2007 ABS became on option on either model, and in 2008 the S model went full-fairing as the SV650SF. For 2009 Suzuki perceived performance characteristics between the SV and SF models to be too close, so an all-new model emerged to adapt to changing market demands.