2000 Chevrolet Tracker

By Laurance Yap

As hard as I tried to focus on the Chevy Tracker, my mind kept wandering back to the Suzuki Grand Vitara, with which it shares a tough ladder-frame platform.

At $25,445 as-tested, the 1999-model Chevy was a well-equipped vehicle, with ABS, automatic transmission, aluminum wheels, cruise control and power everything.

But I'd trade all of those features for the Suzuki's more willing engine.

Grand Vitara's 155 hp V6 engine sings a sweeter song than any mini-ute has a right to, and pulls strongly right to its redline. It endows the Suzuki with a nimble, responsive feel absent in the Tracker.

With the 2.0 L inline-four making 28 fewer horses and just 134 lbft of torque (the Suzuki produces 160), acceleration in the Chevy feels positively constipated: no matter how hard you push the gas, all you get is more groaning.

Freeway merges and lane changes must be planned far ahead to build up enough momentum, and the engine's not particularly quiet or smooth when doing so.

Power plant aside, my jaunty purple tester had much to offer: the front seats were comfortable over long hauls, the stereo produced excellent sound, and with a double-size faceplate, it also had big buttons and knobs instead of Suzuki's fiddly units.

Folding the rear seats flat was a cinch. I helped move an office full of computers in the Tracker easily, though some tie-down hooks on the cargo floor wouldn't have been nice.

You also get surprising off-road capability here, due to Tracker's small size (it fits through scenery holes bigger trucks can't manage), excellent approach and departure angles from the short overhangs, and a two-speed transfer case with low range.

Some trail riders I've spoken to swear by their little Suzukis and Chevys:

I once witnessed a member of the Central Ontario 4x4 Club pull a Suburban out of trouble with one.

Being an inexperienced off-roader, the closest I came to testing such ability was climbing curbs in mall parking lots strictly for journalistic purposes, which Tracker handled with no problem, even in two-wheel mode.

I think I'd like this little truck a lot more in base $20,890 form.

A five-speed manual would help it get up and go, and roll-down windows seem to suit its basic-but-rugged demeanour better.

For any more than that, I'd head to the Suzuki store and pick up a Grand Vitara; a JLX model equipped like my Tracker tester lists for less than $1,000 more and includes a CD player.

Prices/residuals*

2-door Convertible:$19,635/52

4-door Hardtop: $20,890/54

Freight: $755 *Residual percentage for a 36-month lease, as

supplied by the current ALG Canadian Percentage Guide.

Freelance journalist Laurance Yap prepared this report based

on driving experiences with a Tracker provided by GM Canada.

Email: yu176169 @ yorku.ca