2009 suzuki equator
Suzuki's Equator is a new compact pickup truck entry for 2009.

Some might argue that there are very few "compact" pickups any more, and by a 1990s yardstick, that's quite true. In their latest incarnations, most in the class adopted the Bigger is Better philosophy and grew to become at least midsize, and some border on full size.

Furthermore, the traditional regular cab is nearly extinct. Many brands don't even offer one in the compact class, and those that do find they account for only about a quarter of sales. The current trend, therefore, is toward extended-cab and crew-cab body styles.

Port of Entry

All extended cabs are available with narrow, rear-hinged back doors. While these "half doors" may work fine in the showroom, they tend to be cumbersome in tight spaces because most only open about 90 degrees. In all extended cabs, the front doors have to be opened first, and then the rear doors. If you have a shopping cart and there's a vehicle parked next to you, opening the doors "boxes in" the entry to your truck's interior, with you and/or your cart on the outside of the "box." This is one reason crew cabs with four conventional doors are increasingly popular. However, the Dodge Dakota Club Cab (extended cab) offers optional rear-hinged rear doors that open wider, lying nearly flat against the sides of the bed. But even then, there might not be enough space between the door and an adjacent vehicle to roll a shopping cart.

Seating Surprise

Nearly all extended cabs offer seating for up to five people, but not all achieve that capacity the same way. Most do it with a three-passenger front bench seat and two rear "jump" seats, which each hold one person and fold out of the way for cargo. Since the center position on a front bench offers only enough room for a child--who should be riding in back--these realistically should be considered four-passenger trucks. Among compact extended cabs, only the Toyota Tacoma Access Cab offers a three-passenger rear seat, but those passengers should be small and very friendly.

Unusual Class Features
On Star assistance system: Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Hummer H3T

Hands-free cell-phone link: Dodge Dakota, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Hummer H3T, Nissan Frontier, Suzuki Equator

E-85-capable Flex-Fuel engine: Dodge Dakota

Remote engine start: Dodge Dakota, Ford Explorer Sport Trac and Ranger

Collapsible and removable interior storage containers: Dodge Dakota

Power-adjustable pedals: Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Bed extender: Ford Explorer Sport Trac and Ranger, Mazda B-Series, Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma

In-bed storage box: Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Honda Ridgeline

Navigation system: Dodge Dakota, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Honda Ridgeline, Hummer H3T, Nissan Frontier (Frontier's is portable)

All-Wheel Drive or 4-wheel-drive that can be left engaged on dry pavement: Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Honda Ridgeline, Hummer H3T

Available front side airbags, curtain side airbags, ABS, and antiskid system: Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier, Suzuki Equator, Toyota Tacoma

Voice control of navigation system, cell phone, and MP3 player: Ford Explorer Sport Trac (SYNC)

DVD entertainment system: Nissan Frontier

Fold-flat front passenger seat: Nissan Frontier, Suzuki Equator

Hill ascent and descent assist for off-roading: Hummer H3T (ascent only, but also offers locking front and rear differentials), Nissan Frontier, Suzuki Equator, and Toyota Tacoma
Ditto for crew cabs that claim to hold six. One of those would have to sit front and center, and that's both uncomfortable and unsafe, so they should really be considered five-passenger vehicles. One more thing about seating: No compact extended cab offers enough rear leg room for adults, and none of their rear seats--whether jump or bench--are very comfortable, as padding is sparse and the backrest usually upright. In crew cabs, rear legroom is marginal at best, so these really aren't the vehicles for tall drivers who want to carry adults in back.

The Payback for Payload

Payload capacity--the maximum number of pounds of people and cargo the vehicle can safely carry--varies greatly among the trucks in this class. For some it's as little as 900 pounds, but most either are or can be optioned into the 1,200- to 1,700-lb range. Option packages that increase payload capacity include stiffer rear springs that can adversely affect ride and handling--particularly in bumpy corners--when the bed is empty. Think about how much weight you're likely to carry at any one time and buy accordingly.

Ride and handling can also suffer with optional off-road suspensions. Most include not only stiffer springs but also a taller ride height. The latter not only raises the center of gravity (making the vehicle more likely to tip over), but also makes it harder to get in and out, particularly for shorter folks.

Getting Traction

All compact pickups are offered with either rear- or four-wheel drive. Rear-drive versions are notoriously bad in slippery weather when their beds are empty because there's little weight over the drive wheels. Many offer an optional limited-slip rear axle that improves traction by sending power equally to both rear wheels. But that does nothing to overcome excess application of power, which will simply spin both tires rather than just one. Better is traction control, which will apply brakes or reduce engine power to keep the wheels from slipping. Traction control is available on the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, GMC Canyon, Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier, new-for-'09 Suzuki Equator, and Toyota Tacoma.

Four-wheel drive offers even better traction, but some systems are more convenient than others. With most, 4WD should be switched off when running on dry pavement. This is because the system doesn't allow the wheels to spin at different speeds, as they need to when rounding a corner. Failing to switch the system off on dry pavement results in driveline binding and increased wear. Other systems can be left engaged on dry pavement, because they provide for different wheel speeds. This makes them more convenient when the road is slippery only in some areas. We refer to them here as "All-Wheel Drive" or "4-wheel-drive that can be left engaged on dry pavement." One or the other is available on the Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Honda Ridgeline, and new Hummer H3T; oddly, Dodge dropped its AWD system for '09 that was previously available on the Dakota.

For those who do severe off-roading, the Hummer H3T, Nissan Frontier, Suzuki Equator, and Toyota Tacoma offer systems that prevent the truck from rolling backward on uphill runs, and the Frontier, Equator, and Tacoma also have a system that regulates speed on downhill runs. 

Safety

As with other types of vehicles, compact pickups are beginning to offer a full complement of safety features. These include 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS) and antiskid systems, along with side airbags and curtain side airbags. Some even offer curtain airbags that deploy in rollovers. Consumer Guide considers all these to be worthwhile features, even if they cost extra. Note that the Dodge Dakota and Mitsubishi Raider come standard with ABS that works only on the rear wheels; a 4-wheel system--which is what's used on all other compact pickups--is optional.

Beds

Most regular- and extended-cab pickups offer a bed of about six feet; two exceptions are the Dodge Dakota Club Cab's 6.5-ft bed and the Ford Ranger regular cab's 7-ft bed. Most crew-cab compact pickups have a bed length of about five feet, but the Nissan Frontier, Suzuki Equator, and Toyota Tacoma offer a 6-ft bed. A bed extender, which is a tubed "cage" that pivots to enclose the tailgate when it's down, is offered on many models.

Honda's Ridgeline, which comes only as a crew cab, offers a covered well in the bottom of its bed, along with a tailgate that can either fold down or swing to the side. Ford's Explorer Sport Trac also offers under-floor storage bins.

Luxury Features

Some people might think the words "luxury" and "truck" to be mutually exclusive, but compact pickups offer some rather ritzy features. A sunroof, heated front seats, leather upholstery, and hi-tech sound systems are common options these days, in addition to the items listed in the "Unusual Class Features" sidebar. This makes it easy to turn a $20,000 compact pickup into a $30,000 one, so pick and choose carefully. Most trucks have a daunting number of options, and sometimes the few items you want are available separately rather than bundled into an expensive package that includes lots of stuff you don't.

When introduced for 2006, Honda's Ridgeline redefined what a crew-cab pickup could be. Rather than being built on a truck-type platform, it rode a car-type one that included independent rear suspension for a smoother ride. It also offered features never before seen on a compact pickup. Ford's Explorer Sport Trac offers similar features, though it's built on a truck-type frame.

2009 Comings and Goings

A new compact pickup joins the fray for 2009 as Suzuki adds the Nissan Frontier-based Equator to its line. Also new is the H3T crew-cab version of the Hummer H3 wagon. Meanwhile, Isuzu, which offered a couple of models based on the Chevrolet Colorado, pulled out of the U.S. market after 2008 due to slow sales.

Clones

Some trucks in this group are sold in similar form under more than one nameplate. Differences are mainly in appearance and feature availability.

Chevrolet Colorado is the basis for the GMC Canyon.
Dodge Dakota spawned the Mitsubishi Raider.
Ford Ranger is retrimmed as the Mazda B-Series.
Nissan Frontier donates its basic design to the new Suzuki Equator.