'The Saab 9-2X Is Badge Engineering, But We've Seen A Lot Worse'

Globalization is a funny thing. It used to be that American cars were made in America, Japanese cars were made in Japan, and so on. But thanks to the globalized age we live in, there was once a Japanese car rebadged as a Swedish car thanks to an American company's interest in both.

I am, of course, talking about the Saab 9-2X. It's a second-generation Subaru Impreza given a Saab designation thanks to General Motors, who at the time owned Saab as well as a stake in Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries. But is a Swedified WRX wagon a bad thing? Hell no, it's not!

In this review from MotorWeek (hilariously mixed up on YouTube with a Scion tC review, leading to snarky comments on both), John Davis and his crew find it to be a responsive, quick and solid machine that's probably even better than the WRX thanks to some tweaks by the Swedes.

It's a delightful little oddball, and I can't fault anyone for buying one.

MotorWeek Theater is our showcase of some of our favorite classic reviews from public television's finest motoring program and in this case some random old British car show. How does this video only have 6,231 views on YouTube? It's a Saabarupaloozathon!