Chevrolet / Geo Tracker (Suzuki Sidekick) 

by Sicheng Su

I rented one of these once in Hawaii. It was in terrible condition and wasn’t exactly worth the money compared to renting a nice (well, maybe not that nice) new Cobalt, but it was fun.

This is a very misleading car. Most of them have a GM badge but they’re really Suzukis. It’s technically an SUV but a 4x4 version is harder to find than a smile at the DMV. The wheelbase is adorably short, but its turning circle is horrendous. But you know what? All that doesn’t really matter, because at $2000, you just want something that’ll get you around without breaking down (much) or using too much gas. The Tracker may not be as economical as a Corolla, but it certainly sips less gas than many of the cars featured this week.

The best part, though, is that it’s great for cruising the city or the waterfront – it’s a convertible, it’s fun even at 25mph, and it’s just plain cool. If you’re going to get a cheap car, you’d might as well make it interesting.

photo copyright middle class motoring