Saab unveils new SUV model

Saab has revealed the new 9-4X – the car that marks the manufacturer's first entry into the burgeoning crossover segment.

The 9-4X will make its debut at the Los Angeles motor show next month; its presence at the US event marks the importance of the model's position in the domestic SUV market.

The car is an evolution of the concept Saab unveiled two years ago at the Detroit motor show. It bears all the hallmarks of the manufacturer's current design language, and its size should pitch it neatly between the 9-3X and the new 9-5 saloon.

The 9-4X shares its platform with the Cadillac SRX and will be built at GM's production facility in Mexico. The car will be offered with the same twin-turbo 2.8-litre V6 engine that's currently found in the top-spec 9-5, mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox and Saab's XWD all-wheel drive system.



The manufacturer is promising car-like driving dynamics from the 9-4X, which is equipped with the DriveSense adaptive chassis that uses real time damping control to adapt to road conditions.

Inside the car is a five-seater – no third row for the kids – and includes the usual tributes to Saab's unique heritage, including a wraparound, driver-focused dash and a rolling 'aircraft attitude' meter as a speed read-out.

Standard kit should include cruise control, dual-zone climate control, electric handbrake, 20-inch turbine alloy wheels, parking sensors and Saab's infotainment navigation system.

The 9-4X is due to go on sale in the US next May, but won't make it to UK showrooms until after the summer.