equator
The Suzuki Equator was a midsize pickup truck model assembled by Nissan and sold under the Suzuki Motor Corporation marque. The Equator was a rebadged Nissan Frontier/Navara model with a new front end and interior, and a slightly cheaper price tag. This allowed Suzuki to offer its dedicated audience a pickup truck model without committing production time and costs to the project.
The Suzuki Equator (not to be confused with the Chinese-exclusive Ford Equator SUV) debuted at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show. The Equator was available with an Extended Cab or Crew Cab, a four-cylinder or V6 engine, and a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. The model was well-received for its pricing, looks, and performance, beating out many trucks and SUVs (including the Dodge Ram 1500 and Ford F-150) to win an award for 2009’s 4×4 of the year from Peterson’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine.
Unfortunately, the Suzuki Equator was short-lived. It was discontinued in Canada in 2010 and in America in 2012 due to Suzuki’s company-wide decision to stop selling cars in the U.S.
About Suzuki
- 2012 Suzuki Equator (Starting MSRP $17,999)
- Pros: The Suzuki Equator midsize pickup truck comes with reliable steering, a robust V6 engine, and sporty suspension. A Frontier with a Suzuki face and new interior, its midsize build is affordable and gets the job done without being too big or small.
- Cons: The Equator’s rear seats are a bit stiff, and it has limited feature availability compared to its rivals.
- See Also: Frontier and Samurai
Featured Articles:
Want a Cheaper Nissan Frontier? Buy a Suzuki Equator
