In everyday traffic around Atlanta and on short hops to outlet malls in the north Georgia hills, the Tracker proved why it's popular with the young and spendthrift. For a price equal to a well-equipped economy car, the Tracker delivers a surprising amount of versatility.The 2.0-liter is a smooth engine with a usable powerband. It works well with the five-speed manual transmission and provides enough power to entertain. The Tracker can pass with confidence on interstates and there's no fear of getting run over when pulling away from busy intersections. The nicest surprise, however, is the Tracker's new independent front suspension, which quietly damps down tar strips and other medium-sized bumps, and helps give it almost agile handling. The ride is especially well controlled for a vehicle with a short wheelbase. The track, the distance between the left and right tires, was increased by 2.4 inches. That gives the Tracker a much wider stance for improved stability. This isn't a car, however. Its ride quality is more truck like than that of a Honda Accord and it does not handle nearly as well as a Camaro. A drive through Maryland made us wonder about the performance capability of the Uniroyal Tiger Paw tires. The tires squeal easily when making low-speed U-turns. Also, the Tracker lacks grip on wet pavement - a problem with many small SUVs. The rear tires lose grip when turning and accelerating briskly away from an intersection. Shifting into four-wheel drive can help cure this, but then the front and rear drivetrains will bind up in tight parking lots. Braking is another pleasant surprise, with firm pedal feel. Its optional anti-lock brake system adjusts brake pressure to the front and rear wheels during hard braking situations, helping the driver maintain steering control by minimizing wheel lockup. A new rack-and-pinion steering system replaces the old recirculating ball system on the previous version. It provides more precise steering feel and better responsiveness than before. Still, as with many SUVs, the steering response is a little mushy on center. That's probably due to the wide P205/75R15 tires that come with the Tracker 4X4, but those tires offer a good compromise of off-road traction and on-road grip. The four-wheel-drive system is a snap to employ. A lever to the left of the manual transmission shifter allows the driver to choose rear-wheel drive, four-wheel drive or low-range four-wheel-drive. It's a shift-on-the-fly system with automatic locking hubs, which means drivers don't have to stop or get out of the vehicle to engage the four-wheel-drive system. The four-wheel-drive system directs power to both axles equally, as opposed to all-wheel-drive or some on-demand four-wheel-drive systems that send power to the wheels with traction. A two-speed transfer case provides a four-wheel-drive low-range setting for driving through deep mud or snow or traversing steep inclines. |
