The nimble little wagon is saying goodbye and it leaves behind a happy driver even with the quirky interior. So is the Saab 9-2x worth paying a slight premium over the Subaru WRX? When I built a similarly equipped WRX Sport Wagon, there was a $4,000 dollar difference to the 9-2x's $31,000 sticker, but some eager dealers may make that money negligable.

Saab does offer no-charge vehicle maintenance for two years or 24,000 miles, which covers routine service at an authorized Saab dealer. Saab also includes a longer limited warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles versus 3 years/36,000 for the Subaru. For some, this could be a decision maker in itself.



We haven?t talked about fuel economy at all on this test. I was a little surprised at the numbers. The manual Aero is EPA rated 20 city/ 26 highway and the automatic is 1 mpg less in each category. All things considered, not bad for a 227 horsepower 3,200-pound car, just expected higher. I was unable to give an estimated reading as of now since there isn?t a fuel economy computer onboard.

We have to pay homage to all the safety features that are standard on the 9-2x. Along with the excellent Subaru AWD system, ABS and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) are also standard. EBD is designed to distribute brake force between the front and rear wheels depending on how the car is loaded to help reduce stopping distances if you are carrying some heavy cargo in the back of the wagon. Inside, the front passengers are protected with active head restraints, front airbags and front seat mounted head/thorax side airbags.



So you need to ask yourself this question: Are you looking for a different-looking, uncommon, AWD, turbo wagon that makes even the trip to the corner store to pick up a gallon of milk a fun ride all for under $30,000? If you answered yes and haven?t warmed up to the Subaru looks, the Saab 9-2x is really worth the consideration. I?d make sure to get the leather interior to ?ritz?-up the inside (it is included in the Premium Package with the HID headlights) and save money by sticking with the stick (though the auto proved capable for those that do not like to row their own). And if the kinds of deals readers have been reported at local Saab dealers, the cash difference for a better WRX may not be as big as you think. 

2005 Saab 9-2x: In the Autoblog Garage: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4