Other manufacturers showed new small truck concepts at the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit this month, but it appears Suzuki will be the first to bring such a mini-truck to market.

I for one am very excited about what this truck can offer the entry-level youth market. Not everybody needs a giant truck or a jumbo cab; sometimes all the buyer wants is something that will transport a few people plus their bikes, motorcycles, ATVs, or other light-size toys. I love that Suzuki is targeting young, active people with a right-sized vehicle that offers both functionality and practicality.

According to Gene Brown, the executive in charge of Suzuki marketing, "The market is moving towards the categories where Suzuki is strong. With fuel prices and credit being the way they are, it's a good time to be a maker of small cars."

While PR folk won't confirm it until next week, rumors say the pickup will be called "Equator." The truck will be based on the Nissan Frontier and built on the same production line as the Frontier at Nissan's Smyrna assembly plant in Tennessee. Smart move: building the pickup on an existing truck platform here in North America reduces the costs of design, development, and production, which in turn should transfer through to the consumer in a vehicle that's more affordable when it goes on sale.  According to autospider.blogspot.com, it also helps the Japanese manufacturer avoid the so-called 'Chicken Tax' that slaps a 25% tariff on pickups that are built overseas and then imported into the United States.

I can't wait to see this one next week at the Chicago Auto Show, when we will undoubtedly find out more about what's inside and under its hood, when we can expect to see it arriving in dealerships, and suggested pricing.

Thanks for the sneak peek, Suzuki!


By Brandy Schaffels
Contributing Editor