The first generation Tracer lasted from 1988 to 1989. It was the same car as the Ford Laser, which was sold in non-U.S. markets. It had the Mazda B6 I4 engine and was sold as a 3 door hatchback, 4 door station wagon, and 5 door hatchback. It was made in Mexico and Japan.

The second generation Tracer was sold from 1991 to 1996. It was a bigger car than the first generation version, and it was now officially a compact and not a subcompact. The engine options were still all I4, but now it was only sold as a 4 door sedan or 4 door station wagon.

The third generation Tracer was sold from 1997 to 1999. It still came in the GS and LS trims, but the interior and exterior were redesigned, and the car got a new engine. The platform was still the same as the 2nd generation models. These cars did not sell nearly as well as the Escort, possibly because the Escort's top model, the ZX2, got a 130 horsepower Zetec engine.

These cars may not have sold as well as the Escort, but there are still hundreds of thousands of them out there, and many of them are for sale. If you can find a Tracer in your used car classifieds, you're living on an Amish farm. For the best deals, try the eBay listings.