Britain's Autocar magazine raises a smile or two when, in a piece titled Things to do at the 2004 British Motor Show, it asks visitors to "run over the hall of Subaru and say you're thinking of buying a Scooby 9^2X - and see what they say" (Autocar, May 18^th, 2004). Said by Saab to have tested well with young, urban males, the 9^2X emerges - solely in North America - on July 1^st, 2004, presenting itself as a quieter; softer; more refined Subaru WRX.

Place one alongside a 9⁵ Sportwagon, and the two genuinely look like products of the same company. Even as neither Saab nor Subaru have ever been particularly concerned with aesthetics, how well the car visually fits into your local Saab dealership's lot is still a surprise.

Externally, only the doors; roof, and rear-quarter panels are shared between the 9^2X and Subaru WRX. Both 9^2X's and 9⁵ Sportwagon's rear windows wrap around; both have the same, horizontal grin, and both attempt to shield the rear window with protective dams that protrude from the roof. 9^2X's hood scoop is smaller and less brashly boy-racer than the Subaru's.

The impression that this is more than '80s oldsmobuick badge engineering continues upon a first drive. Where a WRX throws its driver around in the name of ultra sharp responsiveness, the 9^2X comforts without losing the Subaru's edge; no small feat. 9^2X also silences the agricultural thrum of the WRX's engine, while benefiting from a better manual transmission than any Saab has ever featured.

Modern Saabs, 9³ Viggen notably apart, have generally had decent grip, but the all-wheel-drive 9^2X takes this to a whole new level.

The interior is where this car gives pause for thought, its brightwork out of place next to saab's regularly somber and businesslike cabins. Moreover, Saab's traditional practicality is compromised, with minimal rear and luggage space.

Then again, this is the most affordable Saab ever offered in the U.S. market, and so it is chasing a different buyer. The quality of the dashboard materials, certainly, is better than that of any Subaru's to date; the seats are more comfortable (and feature Saab's patented active head restraints), and the leather that wraps them is Saab-suitable.

True to form, Saab has succeeded in tweaking someone else's bits. The exhaust note is a little too refined for the performance minded but, otherwise, the improvements are welcome.

"The Saab is the best all-around WRX to date," notes Car and Driver, July 2004. The sentiment is echoed by Automobile, June 2004. Subaru, too, agrees. As the 9^2X launches, we hear that Subaru has retained the Saab engineers who worked on the 9^2X.

Interestingly, the 9^2X has more turbo lag than does the 9³. Expect no acceleration until 2,000 rpm, and little until 3,000 rpm. Had Saab and Subaru continued to work together, Subaru would probably have benefited.