The 9-2X was only sold as a 4 door station wagon in the United States. The base engine was a 2.0 liter EJ20 H4 4 cylinder, with the turbocharged 2.5 liter engine introduced in 2006 as a more powerful alternative.

The top engine model also was rebadged the 9-2X Aero, which is the common way that Saab denotes a performance model. The DOHC engine in that model could make 227 horsepower.

The major choice that buyers had to make with these cars was manual or automatic transmission, which had a major impact on the way the all wheel drive worked. This was an even bigger decision than whether to buy the Saab 9-2X or the Subaru Impreza. After all, the Saab and Subaru shared most of the same mechanical parts and were identical on the interior other than badging.

The Saab 9-2X has not been well-received by Saab fans, and Subaru was not happy that it was essentially an improved version of their top car model. That said, every single one of these cars was sold when new, so obviously there were some people that liked them. I count myself as one of them.

The 9-2X is starting to pop up in slightly used condition on the used car market, with some great deals showing up on eBay.