In the 1990s, General Motors was reeling from the rising popularity of imports. To compete, GM partnered with Japanese carmakers to offer compact cars under a new brand, Geo. The vehicles were engineered by Toyota, Suzuki, and Isuzu but sold as Geos at GM dealerships. Geo was short-lived, but its models were unlike anything the Big Three offered, like this 1995 Geo Tracker recently listed on eBay Motors in Fayetteville, Ark.
Sidekick Twin
Underneath, the Geo Tracker was actually a Suzuki. In fact, Suzuki sold the almost identical Sidekick compact SUV while the Geo Tracker was on the market. The biggest difference between the Sidekick and Tracker was the badge and some paint color options.
Like the Suzuki Samurai of the ’80s, the Tracker (like its Sidekick twin) was a capable off-roader despite its cute appearance. It came equipped with a ladder frame, locking front hubs, and a low-range transfer case. The rugged underpinnings sacrificed some on-road comfort but made the Tracker a serious contender in rough terrain. Additionally, its lightweight, compact dimensions and short overhangs made it a nimble four-wheeler.
Motorsport Provenance
The Tracker initially came only as a two-door, equipped with an 80-horsepower 1.6-liter inline-four. It was available in hardtop or convertible body styles, the latter featuring a removable rear roof for open-air wheeling. Later, a four-door hardtop variant was added, which brought with it a 10-horsepower bump in engine output.
The Tracker’s original name in Japan was the Suzuki Escudo. Some might recognize that name from when Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in a heavily modified Escudo. Like many competition vehicles, Tajima’s truck had little in common with the road-going version, but it’s still a significant bit of motorsport provenance for the Tracker.
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The vehicle for sale here has 134,420 miles on the clock, but according to the listing, it’s possible that many of those miles occurred while the Geo was being towed behind a motorhome. Thanks to the Tracker’s light weight and compact size, it was popular among RV owners as an easy-to-tow campground runabout. This one still has its tow bar attached to the front bumper.
The soft top and five-speed manual transmission make this a desirable Tracker. Perhaps best of all, it comes in a glorious factory shade of purple with its original electric blue decals intact. The listing photos show no rust, and the seller claims it’s in perfect working order.
Nearly all consumables have been recently replaced, including the timing belt, alternator, AC compressor, shocks, brakes, and tires. The only flaws appear to be a dent on the rear and a fan speed switch that needs occasional jiggling. That’s impressive on a nearly 30-year-old car and $7,900 seems like a fair asking price.
While the Geo brand died in 1997, the Tracker continued to live on under the Chevy nameplate. In 1998, a second-generation Tracker debuted and was sold until 2004. Suzuki halted all car sales in North America in 2013. The Tracker and Sidekick are mostly forgotten, but that works in the favor of buyers seeking a capable, distinctive 4×4 with retro ’90s looks.
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