Warren Brown has covered the car industry for The Washington Post since 1982.

Brown test drives all types of cars, from luxury sedans to the newest minivans and hybrids. His On Wheels auto reviews are lively, detailed accounts of cars' good and bad qualities.

Brown's Car Culture column addresses the social, political and economic trends of the industry.

Brown comes online Fridays at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions on every aspect of the automotive industry -- from buying your dream car to the future of the internal combustion engine.

Hartford, Ct.: Your column convinced me to get an Audi TT three years ago. I am in the hunt again. The Saab 9-3 Aero gets terrific reviews on its V-6 engine, but bad grades for reliability. Any thoughts on this incongruity? Also, is the Saab 9-7x appreciably better than its GM siblings? Thanks.

Incongruity is the offspring of perspective. The Saab 9-3, built in Sweden and Austria, priced (rounded numbers) from $26,000 to $42,000, available with a turbo 2.0, 210-hp inline four or a turbo 2.8, 250 hp V-6, is a good car. Consumer Guide, as distinguished from Consumer Reports, gives it a "recommended" rating. I agree. The problem is how people define reliability. If one car does not start as quickly as another, if it develops electrical or other glitches that have nothing to do with its drivability, many people deem it "unreliable." Other people put up with those problems, treat them as nuisances, because they are more in love with the car's engine and overall performance. As for the 9-7x, it's no better than GM's GMC Envoy. And, believe me, that's no knock on either car. Both will give anything in the entry-level-luxury mid-size SUV category a very hard run for the money.