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2009 Suzuki Equator 4x4 First Drive

The Sport Utility Truck!
By Kevin McNulty
Photography by Kevin McNulty
2009 Suzuki Equator Side View Water
2009 Suzuki Equator Side View Field
The Equator definitely isn't... 
   
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2009 Suzuki Equator Side View Field
The Equator definitely isn't a cute little cramped SUV. The four-door interior is spacious enough for five adults. We like the crew cab because we can stuff all kinds of camping gear and parts in the back of the cab, while saving the bed for other cargo. This is a great feature for a family looking for a dependable adventure and trail truck.
2009 Suzuki Equator Front Drivers Side
The extended-cab and crew-cab... 
   
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2009 Suzuki Equator Front Drivers Side
The extended-cab and crew-cab trucks with the standard bed share the same 125.9-inch wheelbase, which offers a smooth, comfortable, stable ride both on- and off-highway. The towing capacity is rated to be 6,300 pounds. Not many four-door trucks offer a fullsize 6-foot bed.
2009 Suzuki Equator Open Cab
This means that the Equator... 
   
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2009 Suzuki Equator Open Cab
This means that the Equator can be stuffed with gear, parts, and heavy loads while still comfortably accommodating five people in the cab. The Equator also features a tie-down system that employs five C cross-section rails mounted in the bed-two on the bedrail, two on the bed floor, and one on the bed header.
2009 Suzuki Equator Front View Downhill
Impressive traction control... 
   
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2009 Suzuki Equator Front View Downhill
Impressive traction control is designed into the Suzuki 4x4s with a shift-on-the-fly 4WD system that features an electronically controlled part-time two-speed transfer case and a limited-slip differential in the front. The Dana 44 rear axle is fitted with an electronic locking differential. The truck also features enhanced vehicle-dynamic control, hill-descent control, and hill-hold control. These features help control the vehicle in steep off-road conditions.
2009 Suzuki Equator Steering Interior
The Equator is available with... 
   
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2009 Suzuki Equator Steering Interior
The Equator is available with two engine choices: A 2.5L DOHC inline four-cylinder with 152 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque in the two-wheel-drive truck, and 4.0L DOHC V-6 engine that produces 261 hp with 281 lb-ft of torque. We had found that the four-cylinder engine was fun and responsive, while the V-6 was quick and powerful and provided the torque needed to power through off-highway terrain.
2009 Suzuki Equator Muddy Tires
The 4x4 is also available... 
   
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2009 Suzuki Equator Muddy Tires
The 4x4 is also available in Suzuki's premium RMZ-4 off-road package, which features a Dana 44 axle with electronic locking differential, Bilstein shocks, skidplates, and BFGoodrich Rugged Trail P265/75R16 tires.

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