Saab fans with lots of stuff to carry will soon be able to cross-shop the forthcoming 9-4X without having to leave the showroom. The Swedish brand is showing the reborn 9-5 SportCombi, based on the latest 9-5 sedan, at the Geneva auto show in March. It goes on sale in the U.S. this fall, likely as a 2012 model.
Styled essentially like the sedan from the C-pillar forward, the wagon adds wraparound rear glass that mirrors the look of the taillights below. An integrated rear spoiler and roof rails are standard. The design is as clean and handsome as the sedan’s, but the wagon—this may come as no surprise—is our favorite of the two 9-5 body styles.
The SportCombi’s cargo bay can swallow 56 cubic feet of belongings with the rear seats folded, or just 18.6 cubic feet with the seats in place. For reference, the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon provides 25 cubic feet with the seats up, 58 with them folded. The Saab’s rear bay has a flat floor that’s flush with the hatch opening for easier loading, plus four tie-down hooks to keep everything in place. The floor folds back to reveal storage cubbies of varying size depending on how buyers equip their car. A powered tailgate is optional.
In the U.S., the SportCombi will come equipped only with the 220-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine from the sedan—the four-door’s uplevel, 300-hp turbo V-6 won’t be on the menu. Saab’s XWD all-wheel drive will be standard.
Pricing and trim levels haven’t been confirmed, but expect basically the same selection of toys as on the sedan, including adaptive chassis control, keyless ignition, adaptive cruise, and a head-up display. SportCombi models typically command a $1000 premium over their sedan counterparts, which should put a base 9-5 wagon just north of $40K.
We'll bring you more detailed information and photos as the 2011 Geneva show draws closer.
Thanks to: Car and Driver
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