Overview & Reviews

Looking to appeal to younger, less affluent buyers, Saab took the easy way out with the 9-2X by using the "badge-engineered" approach practically pioneered by parent company General Motors. By leveraging GM's overseas partnerships, starting with a Subaru Impreza wagon and adding some unique styling, a retuned suspension and different fabric inside, Saab wound up with the entry-level 9-2X sport wagon. Although the 9-2X came together quickly with the desired blend of style and practicality, Saab's unique Scandinavian character was largely left out of the mix.

The "X" in the Saab 9-2's moniker referred to its standard all-wheel-drive system, a core attribute of the donor vehicle. Differentiating the Saab 9-2X were its softened exterior lines with unique front and rear styling, as well as larger alloy wheels and all-season tires. Carried over, however, were two engines: an un-Saab-like, non-turbocharged 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder on the base 2.5i model, and a much stronger turbo version on the high-performance Aero.

Was the transformation worth it? In our opinion, not really. Despite a longer warranty and a more fetching appearance, the Saab 9-2X came off as a poor value at the time. Its Subaru-sourced interior felt rather cheap for a premium brand, and it didn't deliver the sort of refined ride quality one might expect from a high-end vehicle. The 9-2X also lacked upscale features like stability control, navigation and premium audio.

Not surprisingly, sales were slow. Because of this as well as disruptions with GM's partnership with Subaru, Saab discontinued the model after just two years. As a used model, the 9-2X fares a little better, especially since there will likely be good deals to be found. Subaru fans simply wanting a nicer Impreza are potential buyers. But most people looking for a premium small wagon will be better off paying more for a true, small luxury wagon.

Most Recent Saab 9-2X

The Saab 9-2X wagon was produced for 2005 and '06. Two trim levels were offered in the first year -- the base Linear and the more powerful Aero. The Linear was renamed "2.5i" for the second year. Standard features on the base model were 16-inch alloy wheels, cloth sport seats, manual air-conditioning and a single-CD sound system. The upmarket Aero was a bit more appealing with foglamps, metallic-ringed gauges, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, automatic climate control and a CD changer. The 9-2X could be further dressed up with 17-inch alloys, leather seating, seat heaters, xenon HID headlights and a moonroof.

The base Linear and 2.5i models were motivated by a naturally aspirated, 2.5-liter horizontally opposed ("boxer") four-cylinder engine. It was rated at 165 horsepower and then upgraded for the 2.5i model to produce 173 hp. The Aero model's engine also changed slightly. For '05, it was a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-4 making 227 hp. The following year, it had a 2.5-liter version that made 230 hp. All engines were hooked up to a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. All-wheel drive was standard.

While the exterior styling of the 9-2X may have whispered "Saab," the interior was much less distinguished. The gauges were clean and legible, but also somewhat plain for this price point. Attractive two-tone cloth upholstery graced the seats and decently textured materials were used on the dash and door tops, but there were also hard, shiny plastics used elsewhere and a cheap, cardboard-like headliner overhead. More practical than pretty, a 60/40-split-folding rear seat helped with bulky cargo and up to 62 cubic feet of cargo space was available.

Although the suspension settings were retuned and softened for the Saab 9-2X, we found that the refined ride quality of its competitors was missing. Making up for this was a tossable character on curves and back roads, especially in Aero guise. The base engine provided enough power for around-town driving, but it felt a bit sluggish when passing on the highway. The Aero's turbo engine was a gem, though, with a broad power band and smooth delivery except for a slight bit of lag off the line. The automatic transmission tended to blunt the 9-2X's performance in either case, so enthusiasts will want to look for a manual gearbox.

User Reviews:

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  Great car for the city - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Mike - May 29 - 3:43 am

  I think its a great car for the city. Easy to drive and get into tight parking spaces. I love the handling and enjoy the AWD. Only taken it on one longer trip, and was an great to drive on windy mountain roads, although the seats are the most comfortable long term. I like thats is markedly different than the subaru, which are way too common in northern virginia.

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  9-2X - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By David - May 4 - 6:46 pm

  The 9-2x is not an Audi quattro, or an Evo, or an STi. But it doesnt have the price tag of those other AWD performance cars. What it does have is the basics that the WRX gives you, minus some of the WRXs boy racer bug-eyed-ness, plus a little swedish minimalism along with a superior warranty and maintenance program - for a few thousand dollars less than a new WRX invoice! Of course, Im talking post-GM employee discount pricing where the numbers went south of $20K. No car is without fault, but this one suits my daily driving demands (both rationally and emotionally) better than any vehicle Ive driven in the last 10 years.

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  Cant wait to get another one Great car! - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By yoitsthegoose - April 18 - 2:33 pm

  Im a visiting nurse that travels a lot. My 92x is a great car. Ive been all over the place with it and it havent had any problems at all. The car has 100,000 miles on it. The only thing is I wish they never stop making car. It was only in production for two years.

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  Eleanor will be missed... - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By dssquare85 - February 13 - 10:00 pm

  I purchased my Aero used with 30,000K on her. I immediately fell in love and still miss her to this day. I had Eleanor for almost 3 years. She gave me no problems and put nothing but smiles on my face while I owned her. It was worth the expensive insurance, premium fuel and lackluster mpg. Unfortunately, the engine decided to blow at 57,000K with regularly scheduled maintenance. Thousands of dollars later it just wasnt the same and was forced to trade her in. I gave Subaru another chance and traded Eleanor in for 11 Legacy in May 2011.

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  saab2xaero - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By risacco - February 10 - 10:13 pm

  Terrific bargain at gm employee price. Fun to drive, steering is best of any car I have ever owned, all wheel drive means no front wheel spin or hop on hard acceleration. Awesome acceleration in 2nd gear when turbo spooled up. Hatchback is very useful. Like having a high performance car that looks tame.

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  Great little commuter car - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By 9-2Xtra - December 19 - 11:03 pm

  I got this car to save on gas, but have fun while doing it. It is dead- on-target for me. I havent tested the AWD in snow yet, but you cant make it slip in the wet at all. Also, this car is closely related to Subaru Impreza/WRX, so performance modifications from mild to monstrous are readily possible - the parts are there. I really feel like I took 20 years off my age when I bought this car. It is that much fun to drive. The Linear doesnt require premium fuel like the Aero, either, so that tradeoff worked in my favor as well. If you can find one of these, you owe it to yourself to test-drive it.

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  Rippen Griffen 9-2X Aero - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Rippen Griffin - November 25 - 4:16 pm

  Best car I have ever owned! Plenty of interior room for a small family, and the rear seats fold flat for more hauling room. Super reliable - over 108k miles, and no service repairs! My car has been modified, to produce ~100 hp over stock hp, and is still a reliable daily driver.

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  I love my Saab 92X except it takes premi - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By KK - August 23 - 6:36 pm

  The 92X is zippy and handles well in all weather conditions. The mileage could be better...I get 21 miles to a gallon of premium gas - Highway driving. I didnt know it took premium until after I paid for the upgraded turbo car. Originally I was going to buy the less expensive model.) My dealership did not explain the covered service features to me until after I had the vehicle serviced for the first time and had to pay for the oil change.

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  100k Problem-Free Miles! - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By estevanker - February 22 - 6:40 pm

  Ive been driving this car 150 miles daily to work and back and have not had a single issue with it. The car averages 33mpg and is awesome in the snow and ice. I anticipate driving it another 100k miles.

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  Still in love - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Phil - January 12 - 1:20 am

  More than 9 months and 10,000 miles later, and I still love my 92X. Great pickup (couldnt stand the lag on the Aero version, so I bought the Linear). Handles very well. It has more room for cargo than youd expect, especially with the seats down. Just took it skiing in WV, and it handled the snowy hills without a single problem. And all my friends are impressed by it.