Suzuki Equator
Suzuki rose to prominence in the United States by selling motorcycles and quads, but it wasn’t until the Samurai SUV hit the scene that the company hit its stride. The Samurai was immensely popular in the late 1980s and early ’90s. The removable top and off-road capability and durability gave the small UTE a name for enthusiasts. Fast forward to the 2000s and the company was working hard to gain traction in the affordable car market (via Auto Trader).
The Equator shared a platform with the Nissan Frontier, which in theory was a good thing. But the reality was that the Frontier was already on a decade-old dated design. The Equator didn’t offer anything new, and the folks at Suzuki hoped that the traditional Suzuki motorcycle shoppers would pick the Equator as their weekend warrior. Unfortunately, the Equator sold far below expectations and the brand exited from the U.S. market shortly thereafter.