New Trucks For 2012
Stuck for ways to turn its huge two-wheeled fan base into four-wheeled Suzuk
d of spending billions to develop its own. The resulting product, the Suzuki Equator, offers many of Suzuki's quirky features with solid Nissan reliability.i owners, the company was left with one clear path forward: use a re-badged Nissan Frontier as a pickup truck inste
For 2012, the Equator moves forward with no changes--just as it did in 2011. That's not all bad, however, as the underlying vehicle is a stout and capable mid-size pickup. Extended and Crew Cab models are available, as are short and long beds, and both rear-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. Suzuki targets the Equator primarily toward off-road enthusiasts, though like the Frontier, it's a capable city truck as well--the tie-in simply plays on Suzuki's strengths on ATVs and dirt bikes.With its more rugged exterior treatment, the Equator actually looks better than its Nissan basis to many eyes, though the only real differences are the grille, paint, and some Suzuki badging. Two engines are available, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder and a 4.0-liter V-6. The V-6 is the definite pick if you can afford it; it's much more powerful and almost on par with some smaller V-8s. The V-6 also doesn't give up much in fuel economy, and the four-cylinder isn't available with stability control at all--even as an option.