`intersection' Doesn't 
Make Connection

Adele Fabrizio 
Jan. 20, 1994 
Adele Fabrizio, Of Stout Street, Yatesville, Died Thursday At Leader Nursing 
Center, Kingston.

Sunday, January 23, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





A row of cars and trucks plodded along like mindless sheep, each driver
hoping the one in front would somehow cut a magical swath through the snowBut
the snow kept falling and blowing, filling tire tracks almost as fast as they
were made. So the little sporty cars and larger family sedans -- and even the
18-wheeler -- that were following each other so diligently became nothing more
than a 10-mph procession of futility. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As I pulled into the left lane and drove past the caravan, I tried hard not
to feel smug. I had to work particularly hard at it while passing a $50,000
foreign luxury sedan that was fish-tailing on the snow-covered highway. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For about one-fourth of what that floundering vehicle cost, the owner could
have purchased a four-wheel drive Geo Tracker and driven past the 10-mph
caravan instead of becoming a part of it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Granted, the Tracker won't perform like that foreign luxury sedan when the
weather is warm and dry. But it performs pretty well when there's over a foot
of snow on the ground. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And while it certainly isn't the kind of vehicle that will impress your
friends at the country club, being able to drive where others fear to tread
can be considered a status symbol in itself. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With a base price of $12,135, the Tracker is about the least expensive
go-anywhere 4WD sport/utility vehicle (SUV) you can buy. Its value increases
dramatically whenever the sky spits snow, which seems to be just about every
other day this winter. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Tipping the scales at less than 2,400 pounds, the Tracker doesn't have
quite enough bulk to plow through everything Mother Nature is spitting at us
these days. When the snow is loose and deep, it tends to be a little more
squirrely than the 5,100-pound Chevy Suburban I drove last week. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But if you don't jerk the steering wheel and you're not afraid to nudge the
throttle to get all four wheels churning, the Tracker will go just about
anywhere it's pointed. Anywhere, that is, where the snow isn't much higher
than, say, its headlights. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Frankly, I'm a little surprised at how much gumption the little squirt has.
A few times I purposely pointed the Tracker at some ominous looking piles of
snow and it refused to get stuck. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Except once. That was when I plowed tail-first into a snowbank a few inches
higher than my rear bumper. The gritty Geo just stood there, snow jammed right
up against every inch of its axles and underbelly. The wheels spun,
entrenching itself deeper into the snow, until I dug a couple of small troughs
in front of the rear wheels. Then the Tracker climbed right out of the mess,
scrubbing its tummy along the way. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Actually, it takes quite a lot to tickle that tummy. Suzuki, which builds
the Tracker for Geo in Canada, engineered 7.9 inches of ground clearance into
it. That's comparable to the ground clearance on larger SUVs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With its 86.6-inch wheelbase and minimal overhang front and rear, the
Tracker can attack steeper grades than many larger SUVs. And its short,
32.2-foot turning diameter gives some indication of just how easily it can
dart in and out of tight spaces. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the Tracker makes some sacrifices to achieve its nimble nature. For one
thing, it isn't rated to tow more than 1,000 pounds -- a paltry sum compared
to larger SUVs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It can't carry nearly as much cargo as its bigger brothers, either. There's
hardly enough room behind its folding rear seats to handle much more than a
couple of bulky fishing tackle boxes. And even with the seats folded, the
Tracker isn't big enough to swallow a pair of skis. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Surprisingly, though, the rear seats will accommodate two average-size
adults. The front seats are also fairly accommodating, although the angle of
the steering wheel and pedals didn't make for a particularly comfortable
driving position. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Other factors limit the Tracker's comfort quotient. If you hit speeds of 65
or better on the highway, drivetrain and wind noise are noticeable enough to
make you turn the radio volume up. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The highway ride isn't bad -- especially considering the Geo's short
wheelbase and off-road-ready suspension -- but it can be pretty bouncy on
rough roads around town. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Around town, though, is where the Tracker is the most fun to drive, thanks
to its maneuverability and spunk. There aren't many vehicles that are better
suited to zipping in and out of traffic or squeezing into tight parking
spaces. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It helps to disengage the 4WD before trying to squeeze into those spaces
because the Tracker's drivetrain binds with the wheels turned at slow speeds.
A floor-mounted transfer case and automatic locking hubs on the Tracker LSI
model I tested make shifting in and out of 4WD easy. But GEO recommends that
the vehicle be stopped when doing so. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That's the case whether the Tracker is equipped with the standard
five-speed manual or optional automatic transmission. The manual transmission
and clutch on my test vehicle were impressive. The shift lever moves with
quick, crisp, sports-car like precision and the clutch engages smoothly. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The optional engine in my test car also ran pretty smoothly. It is a
16-valve version of the Tracker's standard 1.6-liter, aluminum four-cylinder
engine. It produces a frisky 95 horsepower, 15 more than the eight-valve
engine, and earns an EPA mileage rating of 25 city/27 highway when coupled to
Geo's manual transmission. But the engine could use a few more than its 98
foot-pounds of torque, particularly at low rpms. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Tracker could also use a few more conveniences, such as power windows,
a remote tailgate release and power door locks and mirrors. None of those
features were on my test vehicle, which had a delivered price of $15,921. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On the other hand, that price did include everything mentioned earlier, as
well as air conditioning, power steering, 15-inch alloy wheels, rear
wiper/defroster, a tilt steering wheel and an AM/FM stereo with cassette and
CD players. I find it ironic that the Tracker -- one of General Motors' least
expensive vehicles -- is also one of the few GM models available with both a
CD and cassette player. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But as nice as that sound system is, it's not likely sell a lot of Geo
Trackers. What's more likely to motivate someone to buy this vehicle is the
fact that it is about the least expensive new vehicle you can buy that will go
just about anywhere it's pointed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even if there's a lot of snow in the way. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Scott Wasser is assistant managing editor of The Times Leader. His auto
column appears on Sunday.

A Row Of Cars And Trucks Plodded Along Like Mindless Sheep, Each Driver Hoping The One In Front Would Somehow Cut A Magical Swath Through The Snow.