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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  Saab 9-2X - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Reaxions - April 10 - 10:00 am

  Buy this car for what it is; a rebadged Subaru with a little Saab improvement (sound deadening, etc.). The exterior is unmistakable for the WRX Wagon and the interior is Subaru, through and through, with chaep plastic everywhere. I was very disappointed at the lack of power seats, steering wheel stereo controls, etc. The car has to be punished to get all of the 227 HP out of it and it does have a lot of body roll, though less than the WRX. The only reason to justify spending more money on this car than the WRX wagon is the upscale Saab name and a little tighter suspension. Other than that, save a couple grand and buy the WRX wagon.

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  Excellent car killed by inept marketing - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By tonedebone - April 7 - 10:53 am

  Take one globally respected rally car, add a pinch of style and a sprinkling of refinement; Sounds like the recipe for success. Trouble is, Saab thinks just putting their name on Subarus econobox without any other major changes suddenly makes it worth BMW or Audi money. For what it is (a handsome, fast and agile wagon) this car can not be faulted. For what it claims to be (a premium branded vehicle) it falls way short.

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  Why is my wife hogging my car? - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By JWF - February 20 - 9:33 am

  Guess mainly because of the inherent reliability. No way is this car gonna leave her stranded. In more than 3 months of owing the Saabie I have not had to open the hood once! And when the time comes for the 1st maintenance service, its gonna be free! Yaayyy! Off course, the GM discount did not hurt either!

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  Make it more of a Saab! - 2006 Saab 9-2X
  By mdnumber32 - September 22 - 7:16 pm

  I really like this car, and the fact that you dont see them all over the place, however, Saab did almost nothing to make it their own, which is really disappointing for a car company with so much personality. No problems so far after 6 months of ownership. Im just recently finding out that the heated seats get perfectly warm very fast, and I love that theyre paired with cloth upholstery. Ive gone through 4 cars in the past 2 years and this is certainly the most satisfying. The sound system is horrible, and the heat and air cant really be turned up to a very high max (important for super hot and cold days).

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  Great Car For Your Money - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By AsianJoe - May 27 - 11:13 am

  Decent real life gas mileage (23-27mpg). Seats are two tone... black and tan (white?) looks great, but can get dirty fast. You can go to any store and get some scotch guard ($5 a can) to protect your investment. Saab did a good job on noise reduction on the car, compared to the evil twin impreza.

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  I Love My Saaburu - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Oolon Coluphid - February 22 - 2:36 am

  This car is so much fun to drive that my wife and I regularly fight over the keys.

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  Fit for me and fun to drive - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By sagebrush - January 28 - 9:13 pm

  I choose this car for fit to my driving style, safety and fun to drive. I like a manual, compact car and the styling suited my step up from traditional GM cars. I knew it was a Saaburu - but for someone who wanted a manual 5 sp with AWD, and didnt look like a boys car (Im middle-aged professional woman), the 9-2X is a kick to drive. I feel safe with some fun power. I hit a deer doing 50 mph and the car didnt even quiver (the windshield didnt fare too well - but held). While I dont disagree with the reviews - I still love my car - and that is what counts.

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  Y not WRX - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Awdride - January 27 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car but for alot less you can find a nice cheap used WRX wagon on ebay. Actually Subaru designed the 9-2x for saab thats why they look exactly the same. great car.

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  Good all wheel drive wagon - 2006 Saab 9-2X
  By Joe Yu - November 15 - 5:13 am

  The car is fun to drive and the reliability is excellent. The interior of the car is cheap appearing. The all wheel drive is very good in the snow.

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  Sweet little thing - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Anne - October 19 - 3:26 pm

  This is my first car, and i could not have asked for a better one. I never have to worry about it breaking down and that little 2.5 liter engine gets me where i want where i want to go on about 27mpg. It is great in corners and never looses hold of the road. Also it is so pretty to look at...sigh...the only problem i have with it is that the non-turbo model has that typical subaru lag in 2nd gear. Also in really bad snow, like 6 inches on the road, turns can be tricky, but it does great everywhere else. All in all, i love this car! Test drive it!!