Today was another beautiful one weather-wise (even though allergies are getting the best of me) so I gave the Saab the once over with a little wash. One of the best things the Saab has going for it (other than the AWD and 227 horsepower boxer engine) is that it doesn't look like a WRX from the front. Not to disparage any Scoobie owners; the Impreza has its place, but the 9-2x is more "grown up".

The sleeker Saab-ified nose gives the wagon a different look than the Subaru, even though they share the same roof, doors and rear quarter panels. As weird as it may sound, I love the pillar-less doors, keeps the weight down and looks better in my opinion. The color is another favorite of mine. Deep blue hides the black roof and door moldings and sets off the slight chrome accents of the grille very well.

The 17? wheels are a must for this car, as they add so much to the look with the low-profile Potenzas. They help with road-holding too, but like all low-profile tires, you lose some of the comfort on the bumpier roads, but this is a driver?s car where that is to be expected.

The taillights are also new for the Saab, but not all that different from the WRX. A character line on the hatch runs into the lights, giving the shape a little depth. The rear-end also showcases the worst ?id badge? on the car, a little ?AWD? sticker that looks like an afterthought on what is an otherwise well done hind-quarters. A little gripe to be sure, but something a razor blade would take care of if this was my baby.

On a trip this weekend, the Saab proved to be a comfortable cruiser at slightly above speed limit on the NJ Turnpike and took the on and off ramps at ease, even though the wife and sister-in-law let out some moans and groans about our speed at the apex of the turns. What?s the old adage; ?Sit down, shut up and hang on?? The Saab urges you to takes the corners a little faster than you normally would and rewards you with sure footing from the all-wheel drive and low center of gravity (thanks to that boxer-design again). The Saab and I are having a grand old time.