Saab Style, GM Goods
Once again, I find myself driving a truck that was engineered and
refined by one brand, only to be redesigned, slightly recalibrated, and re-refined for a more prestigious nameplate. In the case of my previous tester, the Lincoln Mark LT, the transition was accomplished with a negligible amount of recalibration, just enough refinement and a truckload of redesigning, each decision made to great effect - they didn't mess with success, they only improved upon it.
The latest renaissance vehicle I was introduced to is the Saab 9-7X, a GMT360 by any other name. The same platform that gave rise to the Chevrolet Trailblazer and GMC Envoy, plus all the other GM spinoffs (over a half dozen variations in total), has now given birth to the Saab 9-7X, a Swedish branded, Ohio-built midsize SUV for 9-3 or 9-5 afficianados who simply have more junk than either of those sedans or wagons could handle. The question is, will it ever fly with Saabatisti? [OK, I know that the designation is completely inappropriate, but it sounds so funny to mix the Swedish and Italian... and the 9-5 does share components with a Turino-made FIAT, among other brands.]
It
deserves to, that's for sure. Assembly matches the highest standards set by GM, which some of you might snark at, but GM was awarded the North American Gold and Silver Plant Quality awards by JD Power for their Oshawa #2 and #1 Assembly Plants, respectively, followed by their Hamtramck, Mich., plants with a Bronze. GM is no slouch, at least in recent years, at putting together tight fitting panels and wiggle-free knobs.
In retrospect, the wiggle-free knobs impressed me in particular, because a week later I found myself in a Swedish-built 9-3 SportCombi, and its stalks felt like brittle twigs that might snap off at any moment and the buttons were wiggly even though I liked their unique and friendly green backlighting. The 9-7X featured a similar layout, but without all the wiggle. The signature ignition slot in the center console and funky waffle-core directional air vents were all Saab. The seats were big comfortable leather captains' chairs up front, and I couldn't find any fault with them despite the fact that they weren't made by Swedish chiropractors. Speaking of leather, it also covered the doorside armrests center armrest in a nice dark tone with contrasting light stitching--what can I say? I'm a sucker for contrasting stitching. Oddly, the 'luxurious' touch of real wood trim surrounding the stereo and climate control looked downright cheap to me, and I would gladly trade some well made aluminum-look or black plastic for wood that does not befit the jet imagery Saab normally goes for. I mean, how many jet interiors have you seen with cheap wood trim?
Anyhow, while the interior had a few styling oversights in my view,
the conveniences were all there and almost all appreciated. Power memory heated seats, electrochromic tint rearview mirror, cruise control, leather on the seats and steering wheel, the latter of which also had volume and track controls for the impressive Bose sound system, as well as OnStar connectivity. OnStar was one of the few features I didn't use, along with the rear seat DVD entertainment system and the built-in garage door remote, but it was nice to know they were there if I needed them.
Once again, I find myself driving a truck that was engineered and
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| Saab 9-7X: more Saab than you might think. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press) |
The latest renaissance vehicle I was introduced to is the Saab 9-7X, a GMT360 by any other name. The same platform that gave rise to the Chevrolet Trailblazer and GMC Envoy, plus all the other GM spinoffs (over a half dozen variations in total), has now given birth to the Saab 9-7X, a Swedish branded, Ohio-built midsize SUV for 9-3 or 9-5 afficianados who simply have more junk than either of those sedans or wagons could handle. The question is, will it ever fly with Saabatisti? [OK, I know that the designation is completely inappropriate, but it sounds so funny to mix the Swedish and Italian... and the 9-5 does share components with a Turino-made FIAT, among other brands.]
It
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| It may be a Trailblazer underneath, but you'd be pushed to tell with details such as these great headlamps. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press) |
In retrospect, the wiggle-free knobs impressed me in particular, because a week later I found myself in a Swedish-built 9-3 SportCombi, and its stalks felt like brittle twigs that might snap off at any moment and the buttons were wiggly even though I liked their unique and friendly green backlighting. The 9-7X featured a similar layout, but without all the wiggle. The signature ignition slot in the center console and funky waffle-core directional air vents were all Saab. The seats were big comfortable leather captains' chairs up front, and I couldn't find any fault with them despite the fact that they weren't made by Swedish chiropractors. Speaking of leather, it also covered the doorside armrests center armrest in a nice dark tone with contrasting light stitching--what can I say? I'm a sucker for contrasting stitching. Oddly, the 'luxurious' touch of real wood trim surrounding the stereo and climate control looked downright cheap to me, and I would gladly trade some well made aluminum-look or black plastic for wood that does not befit the jet imagery Saab normally goes for. I mean, how many jet interiors have you seen with cheap wood trim?
Anyhow, while the interior had a few styling oversights in my view,
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| Plush interior reworked by Saab. No, really.. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press) |