Classic Car Focus: Saab 9-2X Aero

"Raphmoe" (raphmoe)
11/06/2014 at 09:21 • Filed to: saab, subaru, 92x, aero, saabaru, raphmoe review

Welcome again this evening to Classic Car Focus, where your humbled journalist blogger correspondent Raphmoe browses things on other parts of the internet, wikipedia, youtube, reddit, google, bing (lol nobody uses bing j/k), and summarizes his findings for an easy to consume and read article for fellow car enthusiasts and jalops. Today we will be focusing on one of the greatest cars ever made in 2005: The Saab 9-2X Aero.

This car has everything, Saab's cheesy swedish looks, subaru head gasket reliability, turbo lag, an STi steering rack that the soccer mom who bought this car will enjoy while rallying to Pathmark, a hood scoop, and Subaru symmetrical all wheels driving.

It's a wagon, so you know it's good. It has a Subaru turbo charged engine; which means you're now a rally star if you drive it. It looks like a Saab, so everyone will think you're wearing a herringbone jacket and smell like 5 day old hookah water. What more could you want in a car? This car is perfect for people who talk about buying a WRX or an STi but instead focus on getting one of these rare and unattainable unicorns. "Man, if only they were easier to find", mmmm Saabaru:

The term "Saabaru" was first coined by !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , who, yes, covers car culture and automotive news (everyone loves a good shocker in the morning). Check out this part of the review:

The cosmetic surgery fooled at least one onlooker. When I wheeled the 9-2X into a parking spot outside a baseball tournament in a small town north of Flint, Mich., the dad parked next to me took just one look before asking, "That's a Saab, right?"

His next question was one that Saab enthusiasts routinely ask: is the ignition switch between the seats in the usual Saab fashion? The answer is no, it's on the steering column. (Saab says moving the ignition would have taken too much time and money.)

Oh, boy oh boy! Every true Saab enthusiast knows that the position of the ignition switch is the most important aspect of a car, and this car didn't have it. Because it was a Subaru! Tricksy Trollhatan!

These cars are hard to find now since they were Saabs and nobody bought them. If you can find one, good luck, it has probably been riced out by a Monster Energy drink drinking, street light manifesto racing, bro dawg from the south west side of your train trick city.

In summation, the Saab 9-2X Aero is a classic car because it was a true sleeper, a misfit amongst a sea of beige, a lost soul swimming in dante's fiery river unsure where to lay allegiance: with the meatballs of Saab or with the hemp necklaces of Subaru. Because of this, we love it.

Do any of you Jalops drive a Saabaru? How do you like it? What did I miss in my review?

DISCUSSION (24)

mcseanerson > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 09:24

I want one so bad and they are holding their value much better than comparative WRXs.

Sweet Trav > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 09:26

You missed the fact that it isn't a classic.

Good car yes, possibly a future classic, but no can be considered a classic in my book until it is old enough to order a beer.

Raphmoe > Sweet Trav
11/06/2014 at 09:28

Opinions are opinions because they are not facts.

Anyway, my series of reviews is called "classic car focus" and deals with current, future, and past classics. I hope you enjoyed the read.

Cé hé sin > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 09:30

Googles this unknown SAAB, discovers only ever sold in America, thinks they were welcome to it.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 09:45

"It looks like a Saab, so everyone will think you're wearing a herringbone jacket and smell like 5 day old hookah water."

Gawt damn brilliant.

Margin Of Error > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 09:51

DAT FRONT CLIP

Kinja'd!!!

PRBot II > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 10:35

Why don't these ever make the FP? Damn you Jalopnik editors! Don't you realize this is art?!

Raphmoe > PRBot II
11/06/2014 at 12:36

I could be so lucky.

fishtankwog > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 18:26

The last light and small Subaru with slightly better looks ( and killer details in the Aero version on the inside) - cheaper than WRX's - especially in small towns...also easy to service.

Raphmoe > fishtankwog
11/06/2014 at 18:52

What a great car.

dogisbadob > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 18:59

Are Saab head gaskets cheaper than Subaru head gaskets? :p

T5Killer > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 19:25

I really want one.

desertdog5051 > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 19:29

Great post. I have a Su- Su- Su- Subaru. They have enough of their own problems. I don't need to add any more under a pseudonym.

Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready > Cé hé sin
11/06/2014 at 19:36

What's wrong with a WRX with more mature looks and some more refinement?

Kaizer Soze > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 20:15

( Saab GM says moving the ignition would have taken too much time and money.)

PRBot II > Raphmoe
11/06/2014 at 23:56

Raphmoe > PRBot II
11/07/2014 at 07:07

;)

anothermiatafanboy > Raphmoe
11/07/2014 at 13:20

I use bing!!! Google no longer allows me to search for pornographic images depraved enough to suit my taste.

Tripper > fishtankwog
11/07/2014 at 15:13

So true, a saab that isn't a saab is the only kind of saab I would ever want.

Kutanks > Raphmoe
11/13/2014 at 13:06

I just bought one of these! Mine is a 5 speed wagon in brown....errr black with mud on it lol. Best part is it's only gone 62,000 miles

Stiiles > Raphmoe
11/14/2014 at 16:47

MSRP was more expensive than the WRX, but you could buy one new in 2005 for a lower transaction price due to GM's "employee pricing for everyone" promo they were running in the summer of that year since Saab was still a GM brand then. I looked at buying one VS a WRX before I bought a brand new 3/4 ton diesel Ram pickup instead.

Rodman > Raphmoe
11/17/2014 at 10:41

I love mine, 163,000 miles on the clock now and has been 100% reliable. Stage 2 tuned since 4,000 miles. There is nothing out there I could buy new to replace it, I love it's practicality, looks and power while getting pretty good fuel efficiency.

Saabaruluv > Raphmoe
08/30/2018 at 12:21

Ive got one, they’re great cars and im not sure how I haven’t seen this article before. Yes mine is modified now with a big turbo and all the supporting mods but sooooo worth it. Makes 330 to the wheels and theres even someone in the saabaru community with one making 700+ they're total unicorns especially 2006 Red Aeros with a manual, only about 20 made

CanoeMan104 > Raphmoe
07/06/2019 at 17:59

I had a 2005 Saabaru from 2015 to 2018. Bought it with a blown engine for $275. Drove it for 2.5 years in college. Loved that car.