For the price of a little car, some folks would rather have a little truck. Little trucks are often better for carrying big things. With their higher ground clearance, they can go places little cars can't, particularly if the little truck has four-wheel-drive. Little trucks make a bigger styling statement. A little truck tells the neighbors you relish adventure; a little car says you relish economical living.

Honda, Toyota, Ford, and Mazda know this, and they each offer a tall little car (CR-V, RAV4, Escape, and Tribute, respectively) with some of the characteristics of a little truck. And that suits most folks just fine. But the Chevrolet Tracker is a real, genuine, 100-percent truck, built on a rigid truck-type ladder frame, and offering truck-style part-time four-wheel-drive with a rock-crawling low range.

Yet Tracker also offers some of the best features of a little car, including maneuverability, reasonable fuel economy, and even a base price comparable to that of a well-equipped compact.

So the Tracker makes a lot of sense for a lot of people.

Chevrolet has positioned the Tracker to compete against car-based compact SUVs, including the Mazda Tribute, Toyota RAV4, and Honda CRV, as well as more serious truck-based off-roaders like the Kia Sportage.

Under its stylish skin, the Tracker fits in the latter category. Tracker rides on a rigid, truck-like ladder frame, and offers part-time four-wheel drive for maximum off-road capability. Its current look is smoother and more sophisticated than that of previous-generation Trackers, but retains some unique cues that give it a more rugged appearance than the other mini-utilities.

Tracker shares its mechanical platform with the Suzuki Vitara and Grand Vitara, but we like the cleaner look of the Chevy.

Refinement is a priority in the Tracker's interior. It may look like a truck from the outside, but the Tracker feels like a car on the inside.

The front seats prop the driver up high behind the wheel, and there's plenty of headroom. The instruments are highly legible, and the switchgear operates with the finesse of a Honda's or a Toyota's. If it weren't for the tiny little buttons on the radio, the Tracker's dash would be an unqualified success.

The Tracker's nose slopes away for good road visibility, helpful when driving off road, while narrow roof pillars allow panoramic vision, important on busy streets. The spare tire is set low enough on the back door, so it does not block vision out the rear. The rear head rests did block vision in previous Trackers, but that problem has been at least partially solved by see-through halo head rests in 2002 models.

The air conditioning automatically activates whenever the windshield defroster is turned on, supplying dry air for quicker defogging. On four-door models, the system comes with a replaceable pollen filter that removes allergens and dust from the passenger compartment, a feature once reserved for luxury cars.

Storage is rarely a problem. With armrests, cupholders, door pockets, and netting throughout the Tracker, there's a place for everything so you can keep everything in its place. Flipping the rear seats down provides a large cargo area capable of holding a big dog cage. Convertible models can be ordered with a lockable storage compartment in the rear.

Fabrics, plastics and other materials are first-rate. They don't shout economy like the vinyl of past Trackers, and the dark gray color provides a lighter ambiance. The doors thunk firmly in place, and the seams inside are small and unnoticeable. Fit and finish are much better than in earlier models.

The Tracker automatically turns on its headlights and all exterior lights when it detects darkness. In broad daylight, it runs the headlights at reduced intensity and turns off the taillights.

The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in the base four-wheel-drive Tracker wagon is smooth and provides enough power to entertain when coupled with the five-speed manual transmission. With its relatively broad power band, the Tracker can pass with confidence on Interstates, and need not fear being run over when pulling away from busy intersections. The gearbox shifts smoothly, and a light clutch contributes to easy drivability. A four-speed automatic transmission is a $1,000 option.

Tracker LT four door with four-wheel drive performs much better. Its twin-cam 2.5-liter V6 engine has a lot of heart for 155 horsepower. It can make you believe that there are 165 or 170 horses under the hood.

The V6 revs smoothly and builds power quickly. It loves to be floored. At less than full throttle, there's nothing about it that gets your attention, but when you ask it to deliver, it responds eagerly and happily. Cruising uphill on a steep freeway at 65 mph and a mellow 2600 rpm, we hammered the throttle: The transmission kicked down once and the V6 ripped right up to 75 and beyond. No screaming, no hysterics, just a determined charge up the grade. The forward rush may not be earth-moving, but it makes you want to pat the little Tracker on the dash and tell it, "Nice job." Passing on two-lanes is a breeze.

The four-speed overdrive automatic transmission is equally pleasing. It never hunted for gears on the hills. It up-shifted smoothly at moderate speed, and impressively crisply at full throttle. It was always tight and responsive. And when it kicked down third-to-second for two-lane passing, the only thing that jerked was the tach needle.

The independent front suspension does a good job of damping out tar strips and other medium-sized bumps, and improves the Tracker's agility. Ride quality is not bad for a vehicle with a short wheelbase.

The Tracker's rack-and-pinion steering does provide a more precise feel and better responsiveness than the recirculating-ball gear used on other truck-based SUV's. Still, as in other SUVs, steering response is a little mushy on center.

The Uniroyal P205/75R15 tires that came with our four-cylinder 4X4 offer a good compromise between off-road traction and on-road grip. But they are still a compromise. They squeal easily, even when making a low-speed U-turn. Like many small SUVs, the Tracker lacks grip on wet pavement; the rear tires tend to spin when the front wheels are cocked and you are trying to accelerate briskly away from a stop sign. Shifting into four-wheel drive can cure this, but you'll need to shift back into two-wheel drive before attempting any tight maneuvers, or the front and rear tires will fight each other as the drivetrain binds.

The Goodyear P215/70R15 all-season radials on the V6 model didn't squeal like the skinnier Uniroyals on the four-cylinder model. And even when they did commence their warnings, at maybe eight-tenths cornering, the Tracker felt stable and under control.

Nine-tenths was another story, however; the Tracker does not like to be stretched that far. Nor does it like to have bumps thrown under the wheels at even eight-tenths. That makes the Tracker pretty nervous. But the nervousness in the chassis is well isolated from the seat, and very well isolated from the steering wheel.

Actually, the fit and firmness of the Tracker's seat does a lot to cover the limitations of the Tracker's chassis, masking much of the tippiness that is the bane of SUVs. You can definitely feel the Tracker wander in crosswinds, though.

Braking was a pleasant surprise. The Tracker stops with 11.3-inch discs in front, and 8.7-inch drums in back. We tried full panic stops on pavement from 55 mph and gravel from about 40, and the Tracker's direction remained so true we could have taken our hands off the steering wheel. The feel of the brake pedal is excellent; it's sufficiently solid to be acceptable on a sports car. It was easy to modulate the brakes: The pedal feel was closely related to how hard the vehicle was decelerating, which is something that can't be taken for granted even on expensive cars. Nor did the brakes fade when we deliberately over-braked on a twisting downhill road.

We did note pronounced front-end dive during panic stops, however, revealing the softness of the front suspension. This seems an acceptable compromise given the Tracker's very comfortable ride. And it doesn't detract from the overall tightness of the chassis, especially around town, where it can't be beat. The Tracker is nimble, responsive, and feels light.

The four-wheel-drive system is a snap to engage: Just snick the lever next to the gearshift from two-wheel to four-wheel mode. It's a shift-on-the-fly system with automatic locking hubs, which means drivers don't have to stop and get out of the vehicle to engage four-wheel drive. The Tracker's transfer case 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 the most traction. The transfer case also provides a low range for driving through deep mud or snow, or for traversing steep inclines.

On gravel roads with imbedded jagged rocks, the steering wheel transmits very little of the hammering you know the tires are getting. But for all its nimble handling on pavement, the Tracker is no rally car in the woods. Its handling is dominated by understeer (a tendency for the front end to push to the outside of a turn) when you pick up the pace in four-wheel-drive.

While we like the four-door Trackers, we have trouble finding any redeeming qualities in a front-wheel-drive two-door Tracker. It offers little cargo capacity, it doesn't handle particularly well on the road, and it isn't a capable off-road vehicle.

Chevrolet Tracker prices begin at $15,865 for the two-wheel-drive, two-door convertible. Air conditioning is standard, as is a 127-horsepower 2.0-liter inline four with four valves per cylinder. The price of admission also includes a fuel-tank skid plate and front and rear tow hooks. For 2002, Chevrolet has added front-seat arm rests, an adjustable lumbar support for the driver, and a CD player.

Four-wheel-drive convertibles are offered in either base ($16,965) or sporty ZR2 ($18,835) trim. The same 2.0-liter engine provides the power, but ZR2s add fender flares over wider tires on alloy wheels, skid plates for the oil pan and transfer case, cruise control, power locks with remote entry, power mirrors, cloth seating surfaces and other conveniences.

Chevrolet also sells a four-door Tracker wagon, which many people will find more practical than the convertible. Four-door models also come in either two- or four-wheel drive, with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder as the base engine. The four-wheel-drive ZR2 package is available, but four-door ZR2s are powered by a 2.5-liter dohc V6. A four-speed automatic transmission, optional with the four-cylinder engine, is standard with the V6. For 2002, all four-door Trackers come standard with a roof rack.

Buyers who wish to make a more formal styling statement may choose the LT, which also comes with two or four-wheel-drive, but only on the four-door body. LT models pack all the same functional features as the ZR2 (including the V6 and automatic transmission), but trade the ZR2's sporty fender flares and charcoal grille trim for classy contrasting bodyside cladding and a chrome grille surround. Lower-profile tires, color-keyed mirrors, two-tone bumpers and a full-cloth interior all contribute to LT's upmarket image. A 4WD LT lists for $21,700.

Chevy's Tracker would make an enjoyable economy car, even without its wagon-size cargo bay and off-road gear. But with its tall roof and 4X4 capability, the Tracker presents a strong case for an all-in-one vehicle that suits a wide range of needs.