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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  Practical, Reliable, Rally-Bred Monster - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Scott - October 1 - 8:13 am

  Last year I went used shopping for a practical AWD compact for city use and occasional road trips. To my surprise, this turbo Saabaru (which, yes, has an automatic) was the best of the lot by far. Plodding around in town its as docile as any other auto-compact, yet the turbo means it doesnt run out of steam on the highway (Im looking at you, SX4/Fit). But its not all practicality: being a WRX, its ready to play whenever. Put the tach above 3500 and it hisses, growls, and rips a hole in time. Show it some curves and it annihilates them (its front heavy, but theres so much grip it almost doesnt matter). Best of all, you can go back to driving casually once youre done abusing the tarmac.

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  Great Affordable Option for Small Luxury - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Matt74 - August 16 - 9:30 pm

  Love this car. It is fun to drive, looks great and has the reliability of Subaru and the finish of Saab.

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  A Car for All Seasons - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By SharonSAABophile - July 22 - 11:53 am

  Even though its a Subaru underneath, SAAB has made it look great, classier than the Subaru equivalent, and the handling and performance in this snowy New England winter has been a gift from the gods. The versatility and flexibityof the sport wagon style is a great asset since SAAB no longer makes hatchbacks. The warranty and scheduled maintenance program is excellent in this price class. Beats the Subaru. People may call it a "Saabaru". The 9-2X is fun to drive, powerful,safe, smooth and a terrific value.

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  Like it so far - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Jay Kanabar - July 13 - 7:53 pm

  Excellent car. I have a 9-3 as well and compared with that I feel that the steering and control is far superior.

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  Great Sportswagon - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Photoguy - June 9 - 6:56 am

  I got the auto transmission Aero even though I heard that you need the manual Tranny to get good performance.(My wife doesnt like to drive manual transmissions) I have been pleasantly surprised with the performance with the auto- if your engine rpm is less than 3000 and you downshift to third gear before hitting the accelerator it will kick down to second gear and move out fast.Cornering and steering are exceptionally good on this car!

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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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  Just a car - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By RLW - March 30 - 12:40 pm

  the 2005 Saab Linear is fairly reliable and provides good gas mileage. However this car provides little if any driving enjoyment. I drive 35,000 miles annually and it didnt take long for the negative details of this car to outweigh the positive. The sound system is poor at best, the interior materials are low end economy car quality (I know if is an Impreza, but still) and the ride is noisy (yes, I have tried different tires). These elements coupled with a low fun to drive quotient strikes the Saab off of my future purchase list.

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  A good but not great little car. - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Johnnymauler - February 24 - 1:50 am

  I have had some problems with the tires and wheels on this car. After only about 10000 miles all of the Bridgestone tires bubbled and half my rims were bent. I had to buy new tires and aftermarket wheels. The car handles great but turbo lag and cheap seats are a downfall.