Saab 9-5 Aero 2002 Review

Let's be straight from the start. We've always had a soft spot for Saabs. Hard to explain, even harder to justify, we've taken comfort in the fact that Saab's approach to luxury cars has always been different. Not for Saab the path of many-engined, rear-drive, luxury sedan / wagon / coupe / convertible clones.

No, Saab offers an alternative to that veritable sea of German luxury from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. And for that we applaud them. But being different just for the sake of it is no reason to spend around $85,000 on a car. It must be backed up with performance, style, substance and, above all, quality. The Saab 9-5 Aero has all this, in spades.

Launched in November 1997, the 9-5 was updated in October, 2001 with more than 1200 changes to the exterior, interior and mechanicals. Not the least being a new naming scheme. Gone is the S, SE and Griffin, replaced by names drawn from architecture. Enter the Linear, Arc and Vector. Only the range topping Aero retained its name, and it's that one we've test driven here.

The Aero flagship of the 9-5 range benefited substantially from this mid-life Santa sack. The 2.3-litre, high-output, four-cylinder turbocharged engine gained an extra 15kiloWatts of power, now rated at 184kiloWatts. Torque is up 20Newton metres to 350Newton metres, which necessitated a stronger five-speed automatic gearbox to handle the extra grunt. The end result is a car capable of sprinting from 0-100km/h in just 6.9 seconds (manual), or 8.2 seconds (auto tested).

Saab's ESP electronic stability program and TCS traction control system were also boosted to deal with the extra power firing through the front wheels. Saab copped some criticism in the late 1990s when it launched a potent 9-3 Viggen model with 169kW of power. It was simply too much for the 9-3's chassis and front wheels to handle, and still be expected to steer the vehicle. So, it was with some trepidation that we approached the 9-5 Aero, especially with almost 10 percent more power than the 9-3 Viggen.

We shouldn't have worried. The 9-5 Aero, with its more modern underpinnings, gets the balance almost perfect. In harder throttle applications there is still a hint of torque steer, but easily controllable and modulated via your right foot. And at no times in the dry did the car want to steer its own course, more than happy to tow the line we fed it.

In the wet the Saab traction control system did its job admirably, keeping the power tightly reigned in. We reckon it's perhaps the most subtle, and yet most impressive traction control system we've driven. It at no time lets the power overwhelm the steering, and yet doesn't cut power at all intrusively - unlike a few others we could mention.

The Aero's table-top flat torque curve is on song from as little as 1900rpm, all the way to 4500rpm. The power band feels similarly fat and strong, making the Aero incredibly addictive to drive. Quick enough off the line, the Aero's accelerative surge seems never to end, and feels like it would do the 100-200km/h bracket as quickly and as easily as it took care of the first 100km/h.

Of course, with all the radar weilding, quota-filling police on Victorian roads just itching to save our lives, we didn't test the theory. Suffice to say the 9-5 Aero accelerates strongly, the engine spinning freely through to the 7500rpm rev limit. And surprisingly this acceleration doesn't come at a cost at the petrol pump. Driven normally, the 9-5 Aero will happily return an impressive 9-11 litres/100km.

Melbourne's sometimes cratered suburban roads didn't phase the 9-5 Aero either, even though it rides on low profile Michelins. Given the sporty pretensions of the car, a pillow soft ride is not realistic, and not delivered. Yet it is certainly not harsh, or bumpy by any standards. Saab has managed well the balance between sporty handling and luxurious cruising.

Safety standards on the 9-5 Aero are on par with the more expensive German competition. Along with the latest crumple zone and passenger safety cell standards built into the body, dual front airbags, side airbags, seatbelt pretensioners are all standard. The latest Bosch anti-lock braking system is also part of the asking price.

Inside the cabin, the Aero features dual-zone climate-control, cruise control, remote central locking, electric windows and mirrors, six disc CD stacker, leather heated sports seats, the list goes on. Occupant leg room in the back is more than fine, though three blokes may have some shoulder room concerns. Headroom drew no complaints from our test subjects.

In fact, there was very little about the 9-5 Aero that drew complaints from anyone we chauffered - least of all us. Saab's 9-5 Aero presents a very real alternative to the German luxury cars, and well worth a look when next you shop for success.