Saab fans will likely hate the interior of the 9-2X, which is carried over almost intact from the Subaru WRX. This means that the seating position is somewhat low on a rather firm, manually adjustable, sport-bolstered seat rather than chair height on a soft yet supportive, power driver’s seat. Regardless, the seat is comfortable enough for larger people, with barely enough seat track travel to allow a six-footer to find a proper driving position behind the wheel. Our test driver, who spent nine non-stop hours in the saddle, emerged from his road trip feeling fine if not invigorated.

Rear seat passengers will need to be short, or children. Legroom is at a premium, and the Saab 9-2X is not a wide car, so hip and shoulder room also register on the small side of the spectrum. Perhaps it’s better to fold the standard 60/40-split rear seatback to increase cargo space from 27.9 cubic feet to 61.6 cubic feet.

Typically, Saabs are tastefully dressed in plush fabrics, pungent leathers, matte-finished surfaces, and subdued color schemes, which make the rather rough textile upholstery, glossy hard plastics, bright fake aluminum trim, and garish contrasting seat and door inserts inside the 9-2X Aero an obvious departure from the Swedish standard. Even when opting for the leather interior, the 9-2X gets a two-tone interior treatment that may prove to be over-the-top for some potential buyers. Ironically, the new Subaru Legacy and Outback wagons, which cost about the same as the 9-2X but are larger inside and out, contain more Ikea influence in their cabin designs than this littlest of Saabs.

Fortunately, everything inside the 9-2X is assembled with care; the interior of our test car exhibited tight gap tolerances, securely affixed trim, and few rattles and squeaks. The Saab 9-2X displays a heft and solidity to its design and construction that makes it feel like a high-quality piece of engineering. It also makes the driver feel safe, even if the most sophisticated technology designed to protect occupants is side-impact airbags for the front seat occupants. If you’re looking for stability control or side-curtain airbags, the Saab 9-2X is not going to deliver no matter what you’re willing to pay.