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by DEVIN COMISKEY
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Saab’s 2005 9-2X Aero is the Swedish manufacturer’s first foray into the sport compact car arena “tailored for young driving enthusiasts that pursue an active lifestyle.” Along with its less brutish younger brother — the 9-2X Linear — the Aero is actually a refined and re-skinned Subaru Impreza WRX wagon. A Japanese wolf in Scandinavian wool, if you will.
Under the broad umbrella of General Motors, Saab skipped years of R&D work to create an “all new” sport wagon and chose instead to dip into the parts bin of Subaru, owned by GM’s global partner Fuji Heavy Industries. The WRX sedan and wagon have both earned a reputation as being inexpensive, superior-handling and quick-footed machines. Car enthusiasts have taken to the WRX because of its low cost and the availability of thousands of aftermarket performance, suspension and cosmetic parts.
However, critics routinely cite a cheap-feeling and drab interior, a fragile transmission and questionable exterior styling of the WRX that turn customers away.
Saab thought it could do better than that. And it nearly has.
Saab fitted the 9-2X with an entirely new skin — barely resembling the WRX, save the large hood scoop to keep the turbo engine’s intercooler flush with cool air. The nose sports Saab’s trademark curvaceous lines and wide air intakes with an added flair of aggressive design just to instill a bit of anxiety for any slow drivers looking in their rear-view mirrors. The rest of the 9-2X’s body is dressed in tight, sleek lines. Nothing flashy, but definitely classy.
Upon first inspection, the 9-2X looks rather small and even borderline impractical for hauling the family around in. But don’t be fooled. This sport wagon can really fit five average-sized adults comfortably and has a spacious trunk that seems to magically appear upon opening the rear hatch. Driver and passengers will certainly feel like they are sitting in a car larger than they saw from the outside with 90.4 cubic feet of interior space. Saab engineers also paid plenty of attention to the 9-2X’s interior, attempting to rid the car of its cheap Subaru materials. The charcoal gray dash houses a 3-dial gauge cluster and a small opening for a time and temperature display. A silver-toned center console houses an in-dash 6-CD changer and Saab’s large dial climate control system. Metallic decor and trim are standard on the 9-2X. It’s very clean and functional.
For a car marketed as a “sport compact,” the seats Saab throw into the 9-2X are simply inadequate. They lack supportive side bolsters to hold driver and front passenger firmly in place through turns in the road. Saab should have taken a cue from Volkswagen or Dodge in this market segment and outfitted the 9-2X with more supportive Recaro buckets.
Our test model had the standard cloth upholstery — a negative for a car with a base price hovering over $26,000. The seats themselves are comfortable, but the material eludes more of a rental car feel than anything else. In other words, cheap. The black cloth seats have light gray inserts and match the door panels. A nice design, but only visually appealing. Going with the optional leather-appointed upgrade (at no extra cost) would seem to be a no-brainer here.
Enough about look and feel. So how does this Swedish pocket rocket drive?
Well, if you were hoping for jaw-dropping, press-you-into-the-back-of-your-seat power, you’re going to be as disappointed as I was. On paper, the 9-2X’s 225 horsepower and 227 foot pounds of torque are impressive. Put that 2.0 liter boxer engine into a 3,100 pound car and you have another story. Don’t get me wrong. The 9-2X is a very quick car. But you have to keep the engine revved above 3,500 rpms to keep the engine in its prime power band. The Subaru-designed motor suffers from horrendous turbo lag below that threshold. Stomp the gas pedal and it’s a good 2 or 3 seconds before that rush of power kicks in.
Our test model came with the standard 5-speed manual transmission. Saab neglected to tinker with the drive train, so the driver is left with clunky shifts and long gear shift throws.
Once moving, however, the 9-2X’s handling will impress. While Saab used the same road-gripping AWD system as the WRX, engineers went to work on the rest of the underlying suspension components which results in a surprisingly smooth, but very firm, ride. Specially designed shock absorbers and lighter wheel and suspension components were used to control body roll and lower unsprung weight at all four corners. The result is a car that cuts through corners at above average speeds with little effort and plenty of confidence. The car eats up the abominable road surfaces of Fairfield County with ease and stays planted at all times. It’s a very solid car.
The model we drove was outfitted with optional 17” aluminum sport wheels and (supposedly) high performance tires. Spirited driving calls for better tires, however, as the standard rubber let out faint howls at relatively low speed cornering, which wasn’t very reassuring.
The 9-2X also received a heavy dose of sound-deadening material throughout its body. This makes for a very quiet ride. My wife said she preferred the quiet tones, even when accelerating heavily. I, on the other hand, prefer to hear a sporty engine roar to life in one form or another. I certainly wouldn’t want to outfit the 9-2X with a coffee-can tailpipe, but a throatier exhaust note would be nice to remind you that there is some horsepower under the hood.
The lack of sound may also affect the driver’s perception of speed. You have to be mindful of the fact that you’re picking up speed at a quick pace despite the fact you can’t hear the engine screaming at 6,000 rpm.
The 9-2X also comes standard with 11.6” front and 10.3” rear disc brakes. Braking power is plenty adequate, but the brake pedal was too mushy for a high performance car.
Saab jumped in to the fast-growing sport compact market as quickly and as efficiently as it could. It is up against the Volkswagen R32, Subaru STi, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII and, of course, the Subaru WRX — all sporting AWD and plenty of power. More are sure to arrive shortly.
The 9-2X Linear, with 2.0 liter, 165-horsepower motor starts at $22,900 MSRP, while the 9-2X retails for $26,950 minus the aluminum wheels and other goodies that bring a loaded version like our test model over $31,000. Both models are also available with a four-speed automatic transmission.
For the price and level of quality, the 9-2X is almost an easy sell. It’s a solid stealth racer that can be driven in the dead of winter or to pick up the kids from school. But if you’re looking for more pep, you might want to look elsewhere. You also may want to think twice about spending the cash for a re-branded Subaru with a Saab price tag.
