9-2X impressions please

[P3 Nav]

Originally Posted by WestsideWRX

As a Subaru owner, I can't tell you anything about the 9-2X. But, I can tell you my WRX is one of the most fun cars to drive that I've ever owned. I look forward to slipping behind the wheel each morning for my daily commute.........
.

A good buddy of mine has a WRX, not an STi that he has tweeked a little( about 335Hp), and to get it to that, he said he only shelled out about $2500-$2900CDN.

He is advising me what I can do if I do go the 92x route.

[TC]

Drove both the Linear and Aero at the Saab proving grounds last summer. Both cars handle extremely well (gotta love awd). Power is lacking on the Linear and there is some serious turbo lag on the Aero until about 4k rpm, but once you hit the sweet spot in the power band the Aero takes off. Steering I thought was a little loose for my taste. Overall very fun car to toss around and Im sure with some minor tweaks the Aero could be turned into a real beast on the track, or road for that matter.

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but the Aero drives a lot like the old C900 turbo. It's a little pokey to start out with, but once you get it going, it really goes. It also sounds a lot like it too. A really weird coincidence considering this is the claimed Saabaru.

[joemama]

Well, I own a subaru impreza outback so I think that gives me right to post my 2 cents. My subie kicks major ***** in the snow...I was just out in 8" of fresh snow yesterday...handled great.

And the 9-2x has a lot more power than mine, and I've driven plenty of WRX's, so I'm sure its on the same pace.

BUT, the 9-2x is UGLY as SIN and not worth the 33k or whatever for the top model. It's a BASE car, nothing more nothing less. 25k tops fully loaded..anythign more is just rediculous.

The 9-3SS DOES have everything else - style and performance (minus AWD though).

Again, my 2 cents.

[MikeNeri]

Originally Posted by joemama

Well, I own a subaru impreza outback so I think that gives me right to post my 2 cents. My subie kicks major ***** in the snow...I was just out in 8" of fresh snow yesterday...handled great.

And the 9-2x has a lot more power than mine, and I've driven plenty of WRX's, so I'm sure its on the same pace.

BUT, the 9-2x is UGLY as SIN and not worth the 33k or whatever for the top model. It's a BASE car, nothing more nothing less. 25k tops fully loaded..anythign more is just rediculous.

The 9-3SS DOES have everything else - style and performance (minus AWD though).

Again, my 2 cents.

Not to start a war of words here, but, why exactly is the 9-2X "ugly as sin"? It has the Saab family face, so it can't be that. What is it exactly that makes it so ugly?

Also, how do you expect Saab to sell a 9-2X for $25,000 fully loaded when you can't even get a base WRX for that? Come on, you gotta be reasonable.

I agree that the 9-3 is a great car and if I could justify spending an additional $5,000 - $10,000 on a car, then thats what would be parked in my driveway, but you can't expect Saab to give these things away.

It looks worlds better than the WRX, and it looks better than other cars at the price point. On the other hand, it does look a little strange with that hood scoop. That's why I think the Linear looks the best.

[TC]

As always, looks are subjective.

[ewl]

Just got a new 9-2X Linear today. Fun car! Very similar to my old impreza and current legacy wagon in the interior details, but the little Saab upgrades are nice and give it a little nicer feel overall. I do prefer the looks of the Saab over the Subaru. Local dealership was giving great deals right now, so it was a hard deal to pass up.

Can't wait to get out in some snow here in Colorado!

sounds good! which color did you get? any options and/or accesories?

[ewl]

sounds good! which color did you get? any options and/or accesories?

The car is silver, I really wanted black, but they only had black in automatic, oh well. I also got the cold weather package and moonroof and just ordered a yakima roof rack for skis/bikes!

[redline514]

I would keep the 9-3SS, IMO. Other than if you get a lease, I don't know about the resale on a 9-2x. I just can't thimk of it beign that high. But if you get a good enough deal from the dealer, then that will change everything!

[TC]

Posted by Redline

I would keep the 9-3SS, IMO. Other than if you get a lease, I don't know about the resale on a 9-2x. I just can't thimk of it beign that high. But if you get a good enough deal from the dealer, then that will change everything!

No Saab has good resale value

[stillflat4]

I have about 5800 miles on my 9-2X Linear and I have to say a couple things about it that contradict some of what has been said here...

First of all, the only Saab I owned was not a turbo, and it was back in the 80s. I don't know how many here are used to the turbo lag, but I just can't stand it. I have driven my friend's WRX and from a dead stop it was just a dog, but obviously took off like a rocket once the turbo spooled up. That said, I think the Linear's 165hp is more than adequate, and is so much fun on the road. Another friend of mine was quite impressed by the power, and on the twisties I haven't felt a need for anything more than the 165. YMMV.

My previous car was a 2002 Impreza Outback Sport, and I sold it for the 9-2X Linear, and the total price for the 9-2X was $20,500, and that's in NY. I can't imagine ever paying anything near $30K for this car in Aero form. I'd be looking at an A4 Quattro at that price.

Yes, it's heavy as the 9-3. That's what AWD does. It also decreases gas mileage. I have a pretty heavy foot at times, but even when I'm taking it easy the most I've managed from a tank is 25mpg. My Impreza Outback typically averaged about 20-22mpg (it was an automatic -- my 9-2X is a stick).

The suspension is a dream. Nicely euro-taut without ANY of the jarring quality usually associated with a stiffer suspension. I think it rides better than my friend's WRX, no question. Takes the cracks in the road with aplomb, yet holds its own very nicely on the corners.

It has taken some getting used to in the snow, particularly when you round a corner and the rear tires start to grip and push you straight forward, but once you learn to throw it around corners a bit, it's tremendous fun.

I park on the side of the road in front of our house, and I have to say the best thing about the 9-2X over any FWD car is the joy it is to be able to get in the car after a huge snowstorm, just hit the gas and go. My stepson made a bet with me that I wouldn't be able to get out of one 12" storm we had a while back. The plow had piled a bunch of snowy, icy guck against the back of my car. One try and I was out. I remember the days shovelling out my old Jetta, and one thing is clear -- much as I would love to move up to a 9-3 when my 3-year "smart buy" is up, I will never again be purchasing/leasing a non AWD vehicle again.

[WestsideWRX]

Your friend's WRX is a dog from a dead stop? What's wrong with it? An AWD launch is the WRX's strong point. I wouldn't call a 1.6 second 60' time "doggish".

What you probably meant to say is that you didn't know how to drive your friend's WRX properly, so you dogged it off the line. Not unlike a 2-stroke dirt bike, you have to keep the WRX in its powerband to get the kind of performance you expect from it. Personally, I don't notice the turbo lag unless I get caught in the wrong gear.

The Linear is a nice car, but it's nowhere near the performer the Aero is. Don't fool yourself...

[dmp1]

I may be a bit biased, as my previous car was an Impreza. I'm convinced the AWD saved me twice (at least) and I had 207,000 troublefree miles (besides normal wear-and-tear stuff, obviously). I don't think one can go wrong with the proven subaru reliability combined with a bit of extra comfort and safety from saab.

I was more concerned with gas mileage and insurance rates than getting the extra horses of the aero (plus the inevitable extra tickets!), so I went with the linear + cold weather package. With all the incentives and the end-of-year dealer mindset, I got it for $19,646 (not much more than the subaru, but with, many improvements)

I find the ride to be pretty nice and the 165 hp to be more than adequate for anyone not into drag racing. Just went on a roadtrip and got 28.1 mpg averaging up around 75 mph with very little city driving mixed in. mpgs started out slow for the first 1000 miles, but improved shortly thereafter. I'm a fan of the seats (nice lumbar support) and the size of the car (small, but big storage), as well as the very tight turning radius. Would've liked to have been able to get individual options such as foglights, upgraded stereo, roof rack, dimming mirror; no-can-do with only silly packages offered by saab. no big deal as all are easy enough to do after market.

AWD fantastic in snow, or when someone changes lanes right into you and you need to stick to the road.
3000 great miles...love the car!

[brittonpowell]

I'm new to this forum and must say all, (or at least most of) the points on the 9-2x are valid. The Linear is torquey down low, but a pig up top, the Aero is a dog below 3500, and a rocket to redline. They both have the same excellent handling due in part to aluminium control arms, STi steering rack and bushings, much improved revalving of the dampeners. Those huge improvements over the WRX are the reason I'm selling myself one. And since Saab's offering 4K off and my dealership's offering an additional 3K off the bottom line, I figure it's a no lose deal. A Saab at a sub-Subaru price, why not?

[stillflat4]

Originally Posted by WestsideWRX

Your friend's WRX is a dog from a dead stop? What's wrong with it? An AWD launch is the WRX's strong point. I wouldn't call a 1.6 second 60' time "doggish".

Take a look on Ebay and see what that kind of launch does to a WRX. There are usually about 20 WRX's for sale at any one time that have had various parts of the driveline replaced because they were launched like this.

Originally Posted by WestsideWRX

What you probably meant to say is that you didn't know how to drive your friend's WRX properly, so you dogged it off the line. Not unlike a 2-stroke dirt bike, you have to keep the WRX in its powerband to get the kind of performance you expect from it. Personally, I don't notice the turbo lag unless I get caught in the wrong gear.

Kind of hard to "dog" an automatic off the line. As for keeping the car in its powerband, that's the way to drive ANY car, not just a turbocharged one.

The Linear is a nice car, but it's nowhere near the performer the Aero is. Don't fool yourself...

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

[stillflat4]

Originally Posted by dmp1

I may be a bit biased, as my previous car was an Impreza. I'm convinced the AWD saved me twice (at least)

My wife said the very same thing about her Forester the other day... She says she can feel the car "doing its thing" when on the slippery winter roads.

I was more concerned with gas mileage and insurance rates than getting the extra horses of the aero (plus the inevitable extra tickets!), so I went with the linear + cold weather package. I find the ride to be pretty nice and the 165 hp to be more than adequate for anyone not into drag racing.

That's exactly what I got, but you paid less than I did. I love the instant response to the throttle... I can't be sure, but I think Saab must've done something to help the engine breathe a little better than the stock 2.5 they put on the Subaru. Just tap the pedal and the power is there.

Would've liked to have been able to get individual options such as foglights, upgraded stereo, roof rack, dimming mirror; no-can-do with only silly packages offered by saab. no big deal as all are easy enough to do after market.

I am kicking myself for not getting the leather package. Our Forester has the leather steering wheel & gearshift, and it makes all the difference in the "feel quality" of the car.

[stillflat4]

Originally Posted by brittonpowell

I'm new to this forum and must say all, (or at least most of) the points on the 9-2x are valid. The Linear is torquey down low, but a pig up top, the Aero is a dog below 3500, and a rocket to redline.

That's all I was saying. I love the low torque of the NA engine. And you didn't say (cough) which one you were buying?

[brittonpowell]

Oh, I'm buying the a black 5sp Aero and having my dealership redo the seats with a graphite leather. I'm stoked. I'm a rev and boost junky, so I figure it's best to go for the Aero, especially with all the parts I have for it. I was surprized however by the power potential of that 2.5L. A good friend of mine has a '00 Impreza with a full group N cage and he'll get into the low 14's high 13's on occation, but I'm pretty sure he sleeps in that car. I don't think John Force could post a quicker ET.