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Just when station wagons were about to become an endangered species,along comes the Mercury Tracer.

Tracer is the joint effort of Ford Motor Co., which came up with thedesign, and Ford`s Japanese partner Mazda, which supplies engine andtransmission. To make it more of an international venture, Tracer is built in Mexico.

Mazda`s contribution was engineering and technology and the mechanicalsthat power the machine. Ford`s task was design, which was easy becausesubcompact Tracer looks like the midsize Mercury Sable wagon in miniature.

The subcompact, front-wheel-drive Tracer is offered in four-door sedanand station wagon with an LTS sports version of the sedan thrown in for goodmeasure.

Don`t confuse the new 1991 Tracer with the car of the same name itreplaces. The earlier Tracer was brought out in March 1987 as an `88 model. Itwas an offshoot of the Mazda 323, and its claim to fame was that it stunk.That`s stink as in mildew and mold in the interior cloth panels. That earlyTracer was built in Mexico and the fetid aroma made it seem as though the car was shipped here via the Rio Grande without using a boat. Production on thatcar ended with the 1989 1/2 model run.

The new Tracer is based on Mazda`s Protege, which also is the basis forthe new Ford Escort. That`s far better parentage.

We drove the new Tracer wagon, which so closely resembles the largermidsize Mercury Sable wagon in design and styling that a friend who drove itwas sufficiently fooled to remark: “My Dad`s Sable wagon seems a bit biggerthan yours.“

The look is so similar, you don`t notice the difference in dimensions atfirst, as evidenced by the friend who thought the Sable had unexpectedlyshrunk on him.

The most noticeable styling difference between Tracer and Sable and theway to tell at a glance that it`s Tracer and not Sable is that the shorterTracer doesn`t have the Sable`s sharply rounded rear end. That rear end is theone styling feature that turns on or off potential Sable buyers.

As for the dimensions, Tracer is built on a 98.4-inch wheelbase versus106 on Sable and length is 171.3 inches versus 193.2 inches on the Sable.Those numbers means Sable holds five adults in comfort, Tracer four.

Tracer is smaller, but not cramped. You can hold the week`s groceries orthe luggage for the vacation in back. A pullover shade from the rear seathides contents of the cargo hold. If more room is needed, such as for a crib, the rear seats fold individually. The wagon`s hatch lid is a lightweight, wideopening unit that simplifies the chore of loading.

Four-wheel independent suspension teamed with gas-filled shocks and 14-inch, all-season radial tires make for pleasant ride and decent handling.You get some body sway in corners and turns but overall better road holdingability and better overall vehicle control than in the larger mid- or full-size wagon. And it`s a lot easier to find and s ecure that empty parkingspace with Tracer than it is in a bigger wagon, mini-van or utility vehicle.

A 1.9-liter, 88-horsepower, 4-cylinder engine teamed with 5-speed manualas standard, 4-speed automatic as optional, powers Tracer. The 1.9 is rated at29 miles per gallon city/36 m.p.g. highway with manual, 25/33 with automatic. Check those numbers out again-29/36 and 25/33 in a stylish, quiet vehicle thatholds the family and its belongings.

The 1.9 handles the 2,500-pound Tracer without strain and is unusuallyquiet for a four banger.

However, the Tracer wagon isn`t without faults. One annoyance was spongybrakes and a pedal that sank close to the floor before halting the chariot.

The other problems were of omission-the absence of a passenger side airbag and the unavailability of antilock brakes or four-wheel drive.

Tracer wagon is a small vehicle for the young family, the most safetyconscious group of motorists. A passenger side air bag becomes a must.Antilock brakes would be costly, but again, chances are the wagon typicallywould carry kids, and ABS is an insurance policy for them.

Four-wheel drive is a luxury that not all motorists would want but thatwould help Snow Belt consumers as an option. Mazda came up with the engine andtransmission for Tracer, and Mazda has a four-wheel-drive system for itssubcompact Protege on which Tracer is based that would make an ideal optionfor the Tracer wagon.

Wagons were the vehicle of choice for families or those who had lots tocart around-kids, crib, diaper bag and potty chair-until the more stylishmini-vans and four-wheel-drive, four-door utility vehicles came along.

With air bag, antilock brakes and four-wheel-drive, the Tracer wagonwould be an economical and high-mileage alternative to a utility vehicle ormini-van.

Base price is $9,990 and for that, you get ample standard equipment:power brakes and steering; four-wheel independent suspension; gas-filledshocks; tinted glass; AM-FM stereo; intermittent wipers; digital clock; split,folding rear seats; dual outside power mirrors; all-season, 14-inch, steel-belted radials; rear window defroster; dual illuminated vanity mirrors;thick bodyside moldings; rear window washer/wiper; trip odometer; remote fuel door release; motorized front seat shoulder belts; and dual cupholders in the center console positioned so close to the ashtray that you can smoke anddrink, but not at the same time.

You can run up the price rather easily with the same goodies as the testcar, such as a $1,032 preferred equipment package that included tiltsteering, driver`s side tilt seat adjustment, light group and manual airconditioning.

Also added were other rather hefty-priced options including power windows at $306, automatic transmission at $732, cruise control at $201, luggage rack at $115, upgraded AM-FM stereo with cassette and premium sound for at $293 andpower door locks at $205.

The sticker was $12,874, minus a $400 discount on the preferred equipment package. Add $355 for freight.