Standing in the parking garage at the media launch located inside a posh San Antonio hotel a Larry the Cable guy look-alike comes up to me and says in Texas drawl "Hey those trucks ain't bad for a.... Suzuki”. Oops.. Not exactly the kind of customer reaction an OEM would hope for with a brand new product. Lucky for Suzuki, Larry the Cable Guy look-alikes are not the key demographic.
"We are here to play" Steven Younan Suzuki Product manager states proudly as the brand launches its first midsize pickup in a joint effort with Nissan. The 2009 Equator offers a unique combination of features, style and off road performance which Suzuki hopes will attract buyers many of whom are already current Suzuki motorcycle, ATV and marine owners.
Nissan's North America plant in Smyma, Tennessee is the birthplace for the 2009 Equator. It is available in both extended cab and crew cab body styles as well as rear wheel and 4-wheel drive. Suzuki will offer the crew cab variant in both short and long bed configurations in an effort to offer the ATV or motorcycle ultimate load carrying capibility and a styling choice. The standard spray on bed liner and Nissan's innovative tie down system with adjustable tracks carries over into the Suzuki.
The Equator offers a standard 2.5 liter DOHC inline four cylinder with 152 horsepower and 171 pound feet of torque or an available 4.0liter DOHV V6 power plant packing 261 horsepower and 281 lb feet of torque. The truck offers an electronically controlled five speed automatic transmission or a 5-speed manual when equipped with the 4-cylinder power plant.
Suzuki calls the Equator a big truck in smart sized package offering a fully boxed frame and a compressive off road system. Off roading enthusiasts will appreciate four-wheel active slip traction control, electronic locking rear differential, vehicle dynamic control, hill decent control and hill hold control.
Safety features include standard four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and electronic brake force distribution and a full compliment of airbags. Inside the Equator, a decent attempt of quality sedan comfort is balanced with pickup truck function. The Premium, Sport and RMZ-4 packages include standard cruise control, power windows, locks mirrors and remote keyless entry.
A unique seat fabric not offered in the Nissan and an industry first touch screen removable navigation system call T.R.I.P (travel, real time traffic, information and play) is available in the Equator. The system was devolved with Garmin and will show up first on the SX4 crossover.
The Suzuki designers attempted to give the face a massive truck look ala Ford-150 with a signature Suzuki grille. Not bad…not good. Maybe the Larry the Cable Guy look-alike was right.
The Grand Vitara also receives serious tweaking with a mid life update for 2009 with a new face and all new 4clinder and V6 power plants. The makeover also includes additional safety features and a whole lot of refinement. The 3.2liter V6 offers 166 hp and delivers decent fuel economy.
On the road the I-4 was downright slow off the line. The extra HP and torque of V^ is more than worth the investment and comes with a minimum MPG penalty. Overall the handling was much better the 2008 model thanks to the added vehicle stiffness and better suspension tuning.
Available in 4 trim levels, the 2009 Grand Vitara offers standard Electronic stability along with ABS and new rear disc brakes. Inside a new center stack incorporates a new sound system and a quieter driving experience than its 2008 predecessor.
The standard 3,000 pound towing capability combined with the extra features and overall tweaking make for a much better Grand Vitara for 2009.
2009 Equator
Base Price: N/A Vehicle layout Front-engine RWD/FWD Engines 2.5L I-4 152hp/171-lb feet/4.0L V6 263 HP/281lb feet Transmissions: 5-speed auto/5 speed manual (4cylinder only) Curb Weight: 3,900-4,500 lbs Wheelbase 129.9 short bed 139.9 long bed Length x width x height: 206.6 sb/220.1bx72.8x68.7sb70.3lb 0-60:no est. My guess…..9-11 sec EPA city/Hwy I-4 19/23 manual 17/22 auto V6 15/20 Co2 Emissions N/A On Sale: Late Oct moved up from Dec
2009 Grand Viagra
Base Price $19,450-21,800 est. Vehicle layout: Front engine RWD/4WD Engines: 2.4 L I-4 166hp/162lb feet/3.2L V6 230HP/213lb feet Transmissions: 5speed manual, 4 speed Automatic, 5 speed automatic Curb Weight: 4,600-4,900 lbs Wheelbase: 103.9 Length x width x height 177.1x71.x 0-60 N/A my guess 8.5-12 sec EPA city/Hwy: 19/26-17/23 Co2 N/A On Sale: Late October
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