Until now, Saab aficionados have had to make a tough choice: squeeze into the small-but-sprightly 9-3X sport wagon, or step up to the larger-than-ever 9-5 sedan and lose the utility of a hatchback. (There is another choice that few would likely consider: purchase a late-model version of the full-sized, trucky 9-7X SUV which, at the present, is taking a hiatus.)
This Swedish automaker is entering a new segment of the market with the introduction of the 2011 Saab 9-4X; it’s a midsized premium crossover utility vehicle (CUV) with a jaunty look, a sporty driving feel, oodles of cool technology features, as well as impressive stowage capacity. Plus, it takes flight with the vigor of up to 300 turbocharged horses motivating its course. It is available in both front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (XWD) versions, and comes in three trims: base, Premium, and a top-of-the-line Aero model, with standard XWD. Saab calls its all-wheel drive “cross-wheel drive” (XWD).