Overview & Reviews

When is a Saab not a Saab? Certainly, the 9-7X, the company's first SUV, had Saab's signature grille, requisite badging and floor-mounted ignition. But underneath the Swedish veneer was General Motors' midsize, truck-based SUV platform, which means that the 9-7X shared its core mechanicals with the departed Chevy Trailblazer family (including models from Buick, GMC, Isuzu and Oldsmobile).

The Saab 9-7X thus felt like a trucky GM SUV that was taken to Sweden to get a mild infusion of Saab character, which -- no surprise -- is exactly what it is. It's like putting Uncle Sam in a Viking helmet, or Bruce Springsteen in an ABBA jumpsuit. In spite of Saab's best efforts at altering the interior and exterior styling and revising the vehicle's suspension tuning, it could never hide the fact that the Ohio-built 9-7X was limited by its heritage. As a choice for a luxury SUV, it was and remains mediocre. We feel most consumers would be happier with other choices, such as Acura's MDX or Mercedes' M-Class.

Most Recent Saab 9-7X
The Saab 9-7X was produced from 2005-'09. It originally came in a single trim level, but the next year saw each available engine get its own trim level: Linear and Arc. These were renamed the following year to reflect engine displacement: 4.2i and 5.3i. A higher-performance Aero model was introduced for 2008.

Forget small displacement and turbochargers -- the 9-7X's engine lineup was pure Detroit iron. The 4.2i came with a 4.2-liter inline-6 engine with 290 horsepower (275 hp for 2005). The 5.3i had a 300-hp 5.3 V8 with considerably more torque than the 4.2-liter. The Aero got a 6.0-liter V8 good for 390 hp and 395 pound-feet of torque. The only transmission available on the 9-7X was a four-speed automatic. All-wheel drive, a limited-slip differential, traction control and stability control (2006 and later) were standard.

Despite the different trim levels, all shared the bulk of standard equipment like side curtain airbags, leather upholstery, heated front seats, automatic climate control, a premium Bose stereo with six-CD changer, satellite radio and OnStar. The only major options for most of the 9-7X's run were a navigation system and a rear-seat entertainment system. The Aero had a performance-tuned chassis, 20-inch wheels and sport trim.

The fact that the 9-7X was not equipped with a turbocharged engine is one good clue that the vehicle wasn't a real Saab, and the layout of the interior was another. Despite some classic Saab features like the driver-canted dash, soft-touch knobs and center-console-mounted ignition, the interior still looked very GM.

The 9-7X seated five. Third-row seating, a feature common on vehicles in this class, wasn't available. There was plenty of cargo space, though, with 80 cubic feet when the rear seats were folded.

In reviews of the Saab 9-7X, we found that this SUV's positive attributes included a smooth ride and well-weighted steering. The Aero, in particular, offered a surprising level of performance. One strong criticism we had was regarding the four-speed automatic transmission, which couldn't match the efficiency or smoothness of the five- or six-speed transmissions in other luxury SUVs. Otherwise, our affection for the 9-7X was only slightly greater than that of its GM SUV platform mates -- which wasn't very high.

User Reviews:

• 

  Good SUV, but short-lived - 2006 Saab 9-7X
  By Saab Guy 2500 - January 5 - 3:00 pm

  I bought my 2006 9-7X 5.3i a little over a year ago with 56,000 miles. It has been a good vehicle, but I recently have had several complications with it. When it turned about 65,000 miles, I noticed that there was a lot of wind noise on the highway. It sounded like the windows were not shut. I had the doors bent and seals replaced, and that fixed that. Then while gassing it up one day, I started it to find that the gas gauge read that it was empty and I had just filled it full. This was quite a spendy procedure to fix, as the gas tank had to be dropped from underneath. Also, the ride tends to be rough and bouncy. My biggest complaint is the poor MPG (I average 13 in town, 17 on highway).

• 

  Great buy - 2006 Saab 9-7X
  By Dave - December 10 - 2:43 pm

  I love my 06 9-7x 5.3 I have owned many SUVs and this is the best one. 300 hp and I can get 24 mpg on a trip. The interior feels strong and solid unlike my old Nissan.

• 

  Greaf car, but poor gas mileage - 2007 Saab 9-7X
  By cmadams219 - October 13 - 10:38 pm

  This car drives and handles well. When I bought it, it was my 4th SUV. It has been the best. I hate to part with it, just time for newer vehicle. SAAB let us down when they went out of business.

• 

  2006 97x - 2006 Saab 9-7X
  By kevin squibb - October 8 - 10:03 pm

  You get a lot for your money with this vehicle. The vehicle is extremely quite, has good acceleration and handles and rides a lot like car.

• 

  Great Luxury SUV - 2009 Saab 9-7X
  By dukeu - September 22 - 6:40 pm

  This SUV is fun to drive, and handles superbly in the snow. The price for a used one is incredibly low. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone that wants luxury, and all the equipment. Everyone compliments the exterior design and appearance. And those who ride in it want to know where to buy one.

• 

  Its a Steal! - 2005 Saab 9-7X
  By Moldavian - July 1 - 8:33 pm

  Without the GM discount, this SUV is still a great bargain; in fact, at $39K it beats most other luxury SUVs in price. With the GM discount this vehicle is an absolute steal at $33,800 (Linear V6). What a gorgeous interior! Saab did a wonderful job with this GMC/Chevy hybrid. It has a definite Saab feel inside and out. This SUV comes with all of the bells and whistles that you can imagine - standard!

• 

  What a ride! - 2006 Saab 9-7X
  By T & C - March 31 - 3:00 am

  This vehicle is amazing to drive, smooth, good feel of the road, with a feeling of complete control thanks to the AWD feature. The interior is just plush enough without being fru-fru, nice clean look, but lacks storage for the little things you need close at hand. This is true quality.

• 

  Sporty SUV - 2007 Saab 9-7X
  By berne1 - February 21 - 5:00 am

  Got the 9-7X 5.3i this past June for my wife. We really like the styling, the front end is clean and the lowered suspension gives a sporty look. Definitely a better look than the other platform-mates. Get a lot of compliments as well.

• 

  My car is in the shop while Im typing! - 2006 Saab 9-7X
  By NUBULLY - February 13 - 12:23 pm

  Run away from this SUV. When we leased this SUV, GM had a promo: give us 27 months. Well, this morning when I tried to start the engine it turned over but did not start (for the 5th time). I have 4 more months until the 27 months are up. I gave them 27 months and I know to stay away!!!! THIS is why you lease autos, if I purchased this SUV I would be out my mind right now. The car drives nice but it gets horrid gas mileage and its been in the shop a lot. The interior fit and finish are still good. The XM/Radio antenna wasnt installed properly as well as the R/S mirror was 1/2 installed when we took delivery. NYBULLY

• 

  Awesome Vehicle - 2005 Saab 9-7X
  By CMD - January 31 - 3:03 am

  Bought after my TrailBlazer was totaled in an accident, it held up so well I knew I wanted another vehicle on this platform. The 9-7X may look a lot like the TrailBlazer but it drives completely different. The handling is absolutely fabulous for a truck based SUV. The 4.2 L inline six is an excellent engine, I looked at the V8 but I feel that the six is just as good. Fuel economy may be bad for a car but it is an SUV so I find my averages of 17.3 city and 22.8 highway (about 72-74 mph) to be acceptable.