Thanks to Jamie W for sending me a link to the best Saab Turbo X review I’ve seen so far.
It’s not the best because it’s a glowing piece full of nothing but praise. Not at all. As a matter of fact they only award it three stars out of five, which isn’t exactly fireworks and marching bands.
It’s the best review I’ve seen because it’s objective and honest, and it doesn’t resort to lazy prose to tell you the story of what is Saab’s most advanced vehicle to date.
The review is from Fifth Gear.
Never mind the looks, though; what really matters is what you can’t see, its four-wheel drive. This is Saab’s first ever four-wheel drive system, but it’s one of the most advanced in the world – as well it needs to be, given that Audi’s famous Quattro system came to market many years ago – and General Motors was so impressed with Saab’s work that the Swedish company will now lead all of GM’s future work in this area…..
….Probably the most important thing is that, yes, the XWD does its job, but you have to really concentrate to spot it in action. That alone is a sure sign that Saab’s engineers have done their job well….
….Away from the track and out on the road, it’s that feeling of safety that is the abiding memory of a drive in the Turbo X. You may not have the kind of sensations that you would in a BMW 3 series, for example, but for crossing country in comfort at a decent lick, this Saab is hard to beat.
That’s a taster for you. There’s three pages of it and anyone considering the Turbo X should read it.
It’s not the best car in the world, but it’s the best 9-3 that’s come so far, and if you’re into Saabs then this is the ducks guts.
This review seems pretty vague. I don’t get why you would write such a nebulous review. For example there are no statistics given on their driving, there are no specifics around what it is they do not like. I wonder if they really drove it at all or just took tips from other reviews and wrote something.
In their summary they say there are “good and bad” points, but they never really say what the bad are other than some foggy references to the interior already being outdated.
SAAB-owners should note that in spite of clever advertisement, their cars are NOT descendants of fighter jets.
And more specifially:
” Safe, secure and confidence-inspiring, yes, but this is no cut-price BMW M3″.
“…it’s not the sports saloon (or estate) Saab wants it to be”.
That is, the Turbo X is not a sports car even though SAAB keep calling their cars “sports this” and “sports that”…they build luggage carrier, no less…
As a current driver of a Volvo S60R soon to be traded for the Turbo X i have to disagree. There are still those of us who want everything in a well proportioned package, with the manual transmission AND highest trim.
He did not even test it on some twisties or a country road, what review of a sports sedan is that?