Saab 9-5 2006 Review

What we liked
Well equipped
Responsive engine
Roomy wagon

Not so much
Road and wind noise
Auto transmission lacks refinement
Steering vibrations

OVERVIEW
Saab buyers are a loyal lot. Saab Australia says about 75 per cent of owners of the outgoing model had previously owned another 9-5. Mind you, the same probably could be said for Commodore, Falcon and Camry -- together with buyers of other long-running nameplates.

The latest iteration of the 9-5 is a significant facelift -- both inside and out -- of the appropriately nine-year-old 9-5. It's literally a facelift, since the sheetmetal changes are from the A-pillars forward. Biggest changes are the new grille, deep front apron and swoopy headlamps and indicators.

The new three-level 9-5 range is made up of Linear Sedan and SportEstate (wagon), Vector sedan and Aero Sedan and SportEstate. All share Saab's 2.3-litre four-cylinder engines with varying levels of turbo boost. The previous mid-level Arc is gone, replaced by sedan-only Vector.

Also gone are the previous 9-5's pricetags -- to the tune of $2000 off across the model range. The entry level Linear sedan now weighs in at $57,900 plus on-roads. Unless you special-order a manual version of the top-shelf Aero, the Linear sedan is the only five-speed manual in the range. The five-speed auto adds $2500.

The Linear SportEstate -- which shares the sedan's 136kW/280Nm 2.3-litre low-pressure turbo engine -- now carries a $62,400 rrp. The Vector sedan -- which gets the brawnier 162kW/310Nm mid-pressure turbo engine -- comes in at $70,900 plus on-roads, while the hero car of the range, the Aero Sedan -- now with 191kW and 350Nm from its high output turbo engine -- is $82,900. The 9-5 Aero SportEstate is priced from $84,900.

The Linear's seats adjust manually with powered adjustable items (with three-position memory on the driver's side) optional. Powered seats are standard on Vector and Aero models.

Other standard equipment includes: alloy wheels, cruise control, trip computer, climate control air-con, cabin particle air filter, power windows, heated side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers (with six water jets), parking assist, "follow-me-home" headlamp function, remote central locking and more. A powered glass sunroof is standard in Aeros and optional on Linear and Vector.

Asymmetric halogen headlamps with remote levelling are standard on Linear and Vector 9-5s, while the Aero sedan and SportEstate get bi-xenons with auto-levelling and (mandatory) washers.

Linear models and the Vector come with a single in-dash CD player and seven speakers, while Aero models come with six-disc changer, nine speakers and two subwoofers.

Wheels are 16 x 16.5 10-spokes on the Linear sedan and SportEstate, 17 x 7.0 five-spokes on the Vector and 17 x 17.5 five-spokes on the Aeros. Only the Linears get a (steel) full-size spare; the Vector and Aeros come with space-savers.

MECHANICAL
Saab says all major suspension components have been adjusted to reduce body movement and improve responsiveness without compromising ride quality. Both Linear and Vector now get the Aero's 21mm front anti-roll bar. It's linked to 90 per cent-stiffer rear bushes on the front sub-frame. Front shock absorbers give 15 per cent more damping, and there are new polyurethane bump stops.

At the rear, the track's been widened by 6mm, dampers are also 15 per cent firmer, the Aero's 17mm anti-roll bar has been fitted to all three spec levels, and rear spring rates have been softened by seven per cent. Rear wheel toe-in has been dropped from 0.42 degrees to 0.34, and the bump stops have been changed.

Front brakes are ventilated discs on all three models -- 288mm on the Linear and 308mm on both Vector and Aero -- while the Linear and Vector share 286mm solid rear discs. The Aero gets 300mm ventilated rears.

The Aisin AW adaptive automatic offers normal or sport modes and incorporates Saab's Sentronic manual gear selection via the steering wheel buttons -- right for up-shifts and left for down.

The special-order five-speed manual is unchanged but in the more potent new Aeros  includes a "super boost" facility which automatically kicks in at full throttle openings, raising torque to 370Nm for up to 20 seconds.

Saab says the 9-5's upgraded chassis and newly-retuned suspension maintains the model's reputation for ride quality. While we agree that the ride comfort is good -- even improved over its predecessor -- the new car's lack of handling refinement is another matter (see On The Road, below).

SAFETY
The new 9-5 maintains Saab's exemplary safety record. It carries a five-star NCAP crash rating and gets big raps in major accident injury studies, both in Sweden and the US.

Active safety features standard across the 9-5 range include ESP (Electronic Stability Program), Traction Control, EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) and anti-lock brakes.

Standard passive safety features include front Saab Active Head Restraints, dual-stage front airbags, front head/thorax side airbags and seat belt pretensioners.

COMPETITORS
The prestige car segment roll call starts here, with attendant decent equipment levels and features.

In terms of similarly-priced sedan and wagon offerings, the CVT-transmission 2.0 TFSI Audi A4 delivers more horsepower (147kW) and the same torque (280Nm) at $61,750. The six-speed manual quattro version gets the same engine and all-wheel drive at $63,400 -- the six-speed auto adds $2500. The six-speed manual quattro Avant (wagon) is $67,000.

Step up to the entry level, 2.4-litre A6 and Avant and you get CVT, 130kW and 230Nm at $80,600 and $84,950 respectively.

And while we're starting with the A's, Alfa Romeo's soon-for-Oz Alfa Romeo 159 -- with a Holden-built 3.2-litre 191kW/322Nm V6 in the range -- may be a dark horse.

BMW's 320i 3 Series delivers plenty of prestige but less horsepower and torque than the 9-5 until you step up to the 325i and 330i. The 2.5-litre six-speed manual 325i serves up 160kW and 250Nm for $73,000 ($75,600 with six-speed auto). And the 3.0-litre, six-speed auto only 330i gets 190kW and 300Nm for $98,000.

Citroen's C5 is philosophically close to the 9-5, but only the diesel-engined SX HDi sedan ($51,990) and same-price Estate deliver 9-5-like torque (314Nm, though only 98kW). The C5 V6 offers 155kW and 290Nm at $55,990.

Jaguar's X-Type 3.0 SE and Luxury deliver a five-speed auto, 172kW and 284Nm at $66,990 and $76,990 respectively. The bigger S-Type 3.0 SE and 3.0 Luxury share a six-speed auto and 179kW/300Nm for $89,990 and $99,990 respectively.

Mercedes-Benz's C-Class offers an overwhelming choice of competitors at comparable money, although, as with BMW's offerings expect standard equipment to be lean alongside the 9-5's pretty much full house, and options to be plentiful. In terms of comparable power and torque, and of course dollars, the supercharged C200K range comes closest. It starts at $60,900 for the C200K Classic -- with six-speed manual and 120kW/240Nm -- and tops out with the $73,300 five-speed auto C200K Elegance Estate. The C220 CDI Classic offers traditional turbo-diesel modest power (110kW) and big torque (340Nm), starts at $68,200 and hits $73,000 for the C220 CDI Elegance, both with five-speed auto. The V6-engined C230 Elegance ($77,490) and Elegance Estate ($80,490) both deliver 150kW/245Nm via a seven-speed automatic. For 9-5 Aero Sedan power and torque, however, you'll need to come up with $100,400 for the seven-speed auto, V6-engined 200kW/350Nm C350 Elegance. And, if you want to get really serious, there's the $159,500 C55 AMG... but, for the purpose of this exercise, let's not go there. 

Like the Citroen C5 diesels, Peugeot's 407 HDi sedans and wagons -- all six of 'em -- deliver less horsepower (100kW) but comparable torque (320Nm). Prices start at $45,990 for the six-speed manual ST HDi Comfort sedan, and top out at $54,690 for the four-speed auto ST HDi Touring Executive. Step up to the 3.0-litre V6, six-speed auto SV and SV Touring, and you're looking at 155kW and 290Nm for $55,990 and $58,990 respectively. 

Renault's Laguna -- at least in 152kW/285Nm 3.0-litre V6 form (all with five-speed autos only) -- offers viable alternatives in both 9-5 sedan and wagon formats. The Authentique sedan is $46,990, while the Authentique Estate wagon adds $2000. The better-equipped Privilege and Privilege Estate are $51,990 and $53,990 respectively.

Volkswagen's Passat comes with diesel, 2.0-litre petrol and 3.2-litre V6 engines in sedan and wagon forms. The 103kW/320Nm, sequential six-speed TDI sedan is $42,990, and the wagon's $44,990. The turbocharged 2.0T FSI sedan and wagon both get six-speed autos and 147kW/280Nm at $44,990 for the sedan and $46,990 for the wagon. The 3.2-litre V6 FSI 4Motion all-wheel drive sedan and wagon both get sequential six-speeds and a useful 184kW/330Nm for $54,990 and $56,990.

Which neatly brings us back to Sweden, and arch-rival Volvo. Its three-level, five-cylinder S60 sedans and V70 LE wagon, bring worthy Saab 9-5 contenders, starting with the five-speed manual (and same-price auto), 125kW/220Nm S60 LE at $49,950. The all-wheel drive, five-speed auto L5T brings a turbocharged 154kW and 320Nm for $59,950. Then there's the lusty S60 R -- with all-wheel drive and 220kW/400Nm -- at $98,950 for both six-speed manual and five-speed auto.

To be honest, more than a few of these contenders make the 9-5 look expensive, even after its $2000 price cut.

ON THE ROAD
Our pre-launch drive of the 9-5 Linear SportEstate showed that the car is showing its age, even though there are noticeable improvements over previous models.

No complaints about ride comfort or responsiveness from the low-blow turbo 2.3-litre, however,  the Japanese-built auto wasn't especially smooth, or as sophisticated as Saab's PR material promised.

Same goes for the chassis tweaks. Again, no complaints about ride but the promised handling improvements are not especially evident.

There was little road feel through the steering wheel but vibrations aplenty over coarse surfaces. Road and wind noise levels weren't good, either.

Ergonomically, the 9-5 is showing its age, too. The seats and seating position aren't quite right, and the cruise control buttons are hard to find and fiddly to use.

For more driving impressions, see Wheels magazine June issue, on sale May 24.