• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Photos & Videos

Saab 9-7X - What the Auto Press Says

The 2008 Saab 9-7X is a handsome SUV with European refinement. Unfortunately, it can't match the safety, performance, or value of others in its class and ranks near the bottom.

According to most reviewers, the 9-7X is a solid, yet imperfect, attempt by Saab to enter the SUV market. U.S. News' reviewer Rick Newman explains: "It falls short in some areas where luxury vehicles should do better. First, the 9-7X gets only a three-star rating, out of five, on the government's frontal crash test for the driver's side -- the most important seating position. That's the same rating the TrailBlazer gets -- and it's not good enough. And as comfy as the 9-7X is, competitors like the Lexus RX330 and BMW X3 are slicker, with better road manners."

• "Overall, the Saab 9-7X offers a lot of value for $40,000, which comes in the form of luxury and safety features." -- New Car Test Drive
• "It's loaded as standard, and the V-8-engined 9-7X is substantially cheaper than a comparably equipped Volvo XC90 V-8." -- Automobile Magazine
• "The 9-7X is an unconvincing and overpriced badge job of the Chevy TrailBlazer. However, its revised suspension calms excess body motions, and a quicker steering ratio helps on-center feel. But the 395-hp TrailBlazer SS also benefits from these upgrades and is better in every way." -- Car and Driver

9-7X Performance - 6.3 (Mediocre)

Most reviewers agree that the 2008 Saab 9-7X offers good performance, but in a highly competitive class, it still doesn't measure up and it ranks near the bottom. The 9-7X comes with either a six-cylinder engine or a V-8 -- both of which, writes Car and Driver, provide "quick getaway, plenty of passing power, quiet cruising, and torque enough to tow a lot." Complaints concern the overly light steering and numb brakes. Read More

9-7X Exterior - 6.6 (Mediocre)

Reviews are mostly positive on the exterior styling in the 2008 Saab 9-7X, but its looks still rank near the bottom of a highly competitive class. "On the outside, the 9-7X is clean, low-key and not cluttered with bodyside moldings," says the Detroit News. "In that respect, it strives to be true to minimalist Swedish design. The execution seems to fall apart in the rear, though, where the Saab SUV looks nondescript and can easily be confused with the Acura MDX." Read More

9-7X Interior - 6.9 (Mediocre)

The consensus on the interior of the Saab 9-7X is that it is comfortable and stylish, adding refinement to an American SUV model. However, it still can't compete with most rivals and ranks near the bottom of its class. "While very well assembled, we thought the interior was a rather drab place to be, with an overabundance of black surfaces and dark wood real or imagined," says MarketWatch. Rear seat comfort also gets a mixed response. Read More

9-7X Safety - 6.6 (Mediocre)

Though reviewers praise Saab's historical emphasis on safety features, many feel the 2008 Saab 9-7X falls short in several crucial safety categories. In frontal crash tests by the federal government, 9-7X gets just three out of five stars for driver safety and a more impressive four out of five stars for front passenger safety. Standard safety equipment includes a stability control system. Read More

9-7X Reliability - 4.0 (Mediocre)

The 2008 Saab 9-7X reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). Saab offers a five-year/100,000-mile warranty. Read More