Going to test drive one tomorrow. Looking at the Turbo version w/ leather. Good price for an AWD vehicle.

Test drove a turbo Baja last week... not impressed

Any opinions?

What's rice about a WRX wagon? That's what the Saab 9-2X is, just with cosmetic changes.

That would be like saying you couldn't drive a Toyota Matrix, because it's rice, but you could drive a Pontiac Vibe.



* I think you need to know exactly what the term "rice" means before you throw it around too liberally. I noticed that on this board. Anything Japanese is labeled as "rice" on here.

It's the same car... I think they are even made by Fuji Heavy Industries which effectively is Subaru. The Saab comes with some more luxury features (leather etc), has a slightly toned down body style, and is set up for a more comfortable ride. But it's still the same car. I have yet to see one on the road.

PS - I don't know what MSRP is for the Saab but if it's more than a few thousand more than the WRX, you should definitely consider the Legacy GT. It's their 250hp monster turned luxury wagon. I test drove one when I was shopping for my WRX and it totally blew me away.

Guy had a brand new Saab at the pensacola AX two weeks ago. very fast straight line pushed and rolled like a dump truck. Luxo cruiser I'd drive coast to coast anyday.

A friend of mine called it a "Saab-aru".
-Ben M.

I think the 9-2X is the perfect Subaru for people who don't want to buy a Subaru.

I am sure than many brand concious people will buy the Saab version who would never, ever even look at a Subaru. I have read that the work Saab did designing the suspension changes and interior refinements has been very well executed by Subaru and that the final product is much more refined and a better "daily driver" for most people without sacrificing too much performance or handling.

I would also be the residuals on the Saab version will make it an attractive lease vehicle which would create sales to people outside of Subaru's demographic.

All in all it should be a more refined WRX Wagon but may be missing the edge that makes the Subaru such a sharp tool.

we got a -real- good deal on a lightly used '04 35th Anniversary Outback wagon, and Joy loves it. what can i say - we just prefer 6's to 4's :-) ...

Yea I guess maybe the rice word is over used.

What I meant is that overall it just seems "ricey". It's the colors offered and the interior bits etc.

Yes I know they are the same car... I actually do do some research before spouting off about something

The Saab is more refined but yet still sporty. Supposedly they made the cabin quieter and the suspension softer and it's stance is several inches lower. Different panels for the front and rear kinda soften the edgy look of the Impreza.

Thanks for that illuminating comparison 91Talon I would have never figured out that they were that similar. If you don't like the word rice then don't read the post. I certainly do know what rice and from the sounds of it you probably do too. Just how big is the Fart Can on your car :finger2:

I like the bigger Subbies, but I also like to lease my cars. Like Hi-Fi said the residuals are not very good on the Subbies for some reason, much better on the Saab.

I have driven some of the Saab products in the past very nice vehicles.

Even better that it has a flat 4 in it

Saab has gone downhill ever since GM got thier hands on them

I have nothing against Subaru's, but Saab "used" to be a European car, not a rebadged asian built car....look at what happened with the Sterling.......

I test drove a few Saabs last year, felt like I was driving an American Buick 4 door sedan ....I hope the subaru based is much, much better.......

The Sterling was a rebadged Rover at the lowest point for that brand... absolute crap

Richard

I couldn't believe it when I found out the 6 only comes in automatic.

L-A-M-E

I don't know what Subaru was thinking there. I guess they are trying to differentiate the models more??

I will say this: Many years ago when I worked in an independent shop I was very impressed with the engineering of the Subarus I worked on. Everything so orderly. Nothing overbuilt. Nothing underbuilt. Everything accessible and yet still in a compact package. That's cool. I was always impressed, and I'm pretty selective about that sort of thing.

-Ben M.

According to many Soob tuners, their manual 'box is not the strongest thing in the world. Perhaps they're worried about the torque of the 6 killing the manual. The 6 is also only available in the "Legacy" platform cars (the so-called "big" platform, the Impreza platform being the "small" one), and most of the Legacy type cars are orientated more towards the luxo market, not the sport market, hence the automatic. The exception is the Baja (built on the Legacy platform), which is clearly not aimed at the luxo crowd. One oddity is the biggest thing Soob offers, the Forester, is actually built on the "small" Impreza platform, and so only comes with the four (though it comes in turbo form, too).

except the friggen spark plugs in a '97 2,5 EJ25D. especially the two back ones. NO room between the valve cover and the frame rail for the extension you need to reach the plug! there's a job i hate... gotta build up a 6" extension from 3 2" ones - one at a time. at least -this- time, the engine is already out of the car !

and besides - what other car tells vehicles in front seeing it in the mirror "U-R-A-BUS" ?

Your amazement is a distant carry-over from when Subaru released the SVX back in 1991-92. All were 4 spd auto. According to legend, at the time they didn't have a manual that would handle the torque of the 3.3L H6 (Subaru's first ever six cylinder engine). Also, they supposedly had marketing data indicating that the most likely audience for their halo car would opt for an automatic given the choice anyways, so there wasn't as much attention given to developing a manual. Too bad, IMHO. I really love my SVX, but it would be that much sweeter with a 5 (or 6) speed manual gearbox.

And I guess they are still armed with that marketing data indicating someone buying the 3.0 wagon are going to opt for the auto

true in my case.

the Outback is my wife's commuter car. she has a 45-minute drive through a mix of back roads and city traffic. she can drive a stickshift but she doesn't want the hassle - especially in the winter. she would not have been interested in any car without an automatic. or, for that matter, AWD, which is one reason we don't have a V-8 Magnum in the driveway...

a 3500-lb wagon is not "sporty" no matter how competent the suspension is, and i like the Outback suspensions a lot. if we're gonna go play, it'll be in the 911. an Outback fills a different need.

Wow, what a whitty reply.

NONE of my cars have fart cans. None of my cars are riced out either. I have a 1991 Talon AWD. Turbocharged. It run's low 13's in the quarter, and I've put less into it than what it cost me to buy my 914. No fart can, no nonsense, just functionality. Here are some pics of it...pics

Stock cars are not rice. Stupidly modified cars, like the ones that have the big gay rear wings, stupid useless decals that take up half the side of the car, rims with spinners, "Altezza" style tail lights, 5" muffler exit with a 2" inlet, think their fast but can only pull 15's in the quarter.... THOSE are rice.

And if you got offended by the obviuosness of my comment, then :finger2: right back at ya.