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4
Handling
Performance
3
Usability
5
Feelgood factor
Readers' rating
By Tim Pollard
First Drives
03 June 2010 09:41
It's been a long time coming. Thirteen years in fact. But at last Saab has launched a new 9-5 and we've finally tested it, here in entry-level 2.0-litre turbodiesel spec. A brace of TDs will be available in the new 9-5, sharing the same four-cylinder block but with single or twin turbocharging to crank out their 158bhp or 187bhp outputs. Here we review the lower-powered Saab 9-5 2.0 TiD. New 2010 Saab 9-5: the overviewThe old 9-5 stretched out its existence to 13 fulsome years. Starved of funds by owners GM, it reached its nadir with the last facelift whose bechromed spectacles failed to hide the ageing process underneath. Then the new 9-5 was shown in 2009 only for the company to be driven to the brink of liquidation by the global economic crisis. Now Spyker has swooped on Saab and bought it from GM for $74m in cash and an equity swap. Saab is independent again and this week launched the new 9-5 in Trollhättan, Sweden.It's based on the so-called Epsilon platform developed by GM for its large passenger cars such as the Vauxhall Insignia; this brings a suite of GM engines, front- and four-wheel drive and a host of technology that simply wouldn't be possible without access to GM's R&D budget (lane departure systems, head-up displays and road sign detection). So let's not get carried away with the General slagging.What of the style? Does the new 9-5 look like a Saab should?This is a successful design to these eyes. You'll make your own mind up, but trust me that it looks devilishly good on the road. Park a 2010 model up alongside an old one and the front ends are remarkably similar, albeit with a tremendous amount of plan view built in for packaging and pedestrian safety reasons. The new 9-5 is nearly as round as a boat when seen from above!But it looks most stylish from the rear. They've cleverly incorporated the dramatically swooping C-pillars from the 99/900 et al to clever effect, the whole rump being rounded off by those deliciously retro horizontal rear lights. This is a stylish car, an understated one – and one that feels right for Saab in 2010.Enough of the teasing! How does the new 9-5 drive?First impressions are of a really big executive car. Although the new 9-5 will be pitched against the Audi A6 and Volvo S80, it's in fact 5008mm long – and that's nearly enough girth to plonk it into Merc S-class territory. Thankfully, it doesn't feel massive to punt along the roads around Trollhättan's factory base, but the flipside is a really roomy cabin. The front is roomy, but it's most felt in the rear where legroom for back-seat passengers is exceptional. Short of a Skoda Superb, you won't find more chauffeurish space back there at this money.>> Click 'Next' for more of CAR's road test of the new Saab 9-5
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logburner says
RE: Saab 9-5 2.0 TiD 158bhp (2010) CAR review
I have just returned this exact car back to Saab after an extensive test drive. I have recently had test drives in both the Jaguar XF and BMW 5 series. I must say all are with there annoyances and faults. However the Saab has impressed me. It handles brilliantly for such a large car. It doesn't wallow like Jaguar - and it is certainly as quiet as the BMW, if not quieter at speed. The seats are what I would call "best in class" with plenty of support. Handling wise - quite smply it is extremely accomplished. You can throw into any corner at speed with complete confidence and it puts a smile on your face. It does not handle like a large car at all - more like a medium sporty hatchback - brilliant, and with no suspension buttons to press or options to choose this is a big plus! It doesn't stop there, the Saab 9-5's overtaking ability is simply outstanding. I was dubious at first that this almost base model at 160ps would not be powerful enough for safe quick overtaking - but it is ! The down-sides - as I said all cars have faults and it's up the buyer to decide which compromises he/she wants to make. With the Saab it's a poor feel to some switch gear, the headlining and sun visors! The steering wheel felt a bit thin (on other models it's thicker). The boot aperture is also a bit narrow (though not any worse than the BMW or Honda Accord). I didn't like some of the "labels" still saying GM on - like the fuel filler cap. I am sure later models will be badged all Saab. The salesman said 70% of the car was developed by Saab engineers and I can confirm that. It feels SAAB after more than half an hour. Have a long test drive (over 2 hours) to really appreciate this car and I promise it wont disappoint. A well deserved four stars in my opinion.
I have just returned this exact car back to Saab after an extensive test drive.
I have recently had test drives in both the Jaguar XF and BMW 5 series. I must say all are with there annoyances and faults. However the Saab has impressed me. It handles brilliantly for such a large car. It doesn't wallow like Jaguar - and it is certainly as quiet as the BMW, if not quieter at speed. The seats are what I would call "best in class" with plenty of support.
Handling wise - quite smply it is extremely accomplished. You can throw into any corner at speed with complete confidence and it puts a smile on your face. It does not handle like a large car at all - more like a medium sporty hatchback - brilliant, and with no suspension buttons to press or options to choose this is a big plus! It doesn't stop there, the Saab 9-5's overtaking ability is simply outstanding. I was dubious at first that this almost base model at 160ps would not be powerful enough for safe quick overtaking - but it is !
The down-sides - as I said all cars have faults and it's up the buyer to decide which compromises he/she wants to make. With the Saab it's a poor feel to some switch gear, the headlining and sun visors! The steering wheel felt a bit thin (on other models it's thicker). The boot aperture is also a bit narrow (though not any worse than the BMW or Honda Accord). I didn't like some of the "labels" still saying GM on - like the fuel filler cap. I am sure later models will be badged all Saab. The salesman said 70% of the car was developed by Saab engineers and I can confirm that. It feels SAAB after more than half an hour.
Have a long test drive (over 2 hours) to really appreciate this car and I promise it wont disappoint. A well deserved four stars in my opinion.
16 September 2010 15:31
Grant0610 says
Had a test drive of the new 9-5 2.0TiD today. I have to say that as much as I would love this to be a great car, it's not! It looks great but the interior is more Fiat Panda quality than BMW/ Audi quality. Some of the plastics used are woeful. The 2.0TiD I drove was not the most refined, in fact I would describe it as noisy both engine and road noise. Does not suggest you are in an executive car. The automatic gearbox was sluggish ion changes and unbelievably for a Saab, the seats were not the most supportive!! The air vent looking plastic surrounding the dials is seriously brittle and reminds me of Lada!! I hope Saab survive into the future but this car needs huge improvements if it wants to compete on an even keel with it's competitors. It has to remember that this car has G-M genes all over it so when we get Saabs with Spyker genes things will hopefully be different. Sadly, I will not be cancelling my Audi order! If you want a better quality Saab, go for a 900 from the 80s! There are still great examples for sale.
Had a test drive of the new 9-5 2.0TiD today. I have to say that as much as I would love this to be a great car, it's not!
It looks great but the interior is more Fiat Panda quality than BMW/ Audi quality. Some of the plastics used are woeful. The 2.0TiD I drove was not the most refined, in fact I would describe it as noisy both engine and road noise. Does not suggest you are in an executive car. The automatic gearbox was sluggish ion changes and unbelievably for a Saab, the seats were not the most supportive!! The air vent looking plastic surrounding the dials is seriously brittle and reminds me of Lada!!
I hope Saab survive into the future but this car needs huge improvements if it wants to compete on an even keel with it's competitors. It has to remember that this car has G-M genes all over it so when we get Saabs with Spyker genes things will hopefully be different.
Sadly, I will not be cancelling my Audi order!
If you want a better quality Saab, go for a 900 from the 80s! There are still great examples for sale.
27 August 2010 19:03
warpedone says
Saw this in the metal today for the first time. Still looks very good, even in grey, but doesn't actually feel as large in the real world as I had thought from the various reviews and pictures. Interior space is good, but not vast, although I did sit in it three minutes after checking out the Skoda Superb on the next stand at the London Expo so my perspective could have been skewed. I was quite struck however by a relative lack of leg room in the rear behind the driver seat, even though I'm strictly average height and I put this down to a relatively deep boot and quite reclined rear seatback. Seats in the front were very comfortable, good I imagine for long journeys or overnighting in a snowdrift (you know who I'm talking to here...) Interior quality was superficially good - it looks solid enough and put together well, but there was a noticable lack of weight and strength in the thump of the doors, the lower trim and those other minor elements which someone like Audi does so well to give an impression of high engineering and quality. The models I sat in, both Vector SE and Aero, had the "midnight down a coal mine" interior (black leather, black fascia trim, black roof lining) but even during the showers that were coming down every few minutes it didn't seem that dark and depressing inside, I think the roof clearance probably helped here, but a little variety would have been good - unfortunately the Saab staff on hand weren't in a position to start it up so I can't report whether the ambient lighting helps. Boot is big and well shaped and the access easy, which bodes well for the "Combi" (estate) so long as they don't fall foul of fashion and cut the tailgate at an acute angle. Saab staff, probably actually rented in PR, told me that only the front wheel drive diesel and 4WD petrol are on sale this year and the 4WD diesel, estate and "4x4" (i.e. the 9-5X) will be on sale in September 2011 - I hope they were wrong as that's far too long a wait for the estate version that must surely be the big sales hope. Trying to arrange an actual test drive in the near future and will report back when I do. (BTW, the Skoda Superb was surprisingly excellent and I'm both open minded and informed when it comes to cars - the scale and quality for the price really throws into focus how much some other manufacturers, VAG, Saab, or otherwise, demand for their wares)
Saw this in the metal today for the first time. Still looks very good, even in grey, but doesn't actually feel as large in the real world as I had thought from the various reviews and pictures. Interior space is good, but not vast, although I did sit in it three minutes after checking out the Skoda Superb on the next stand at the London Expo so my perspective could have been skewed. I was quite struck however by a relative lack of leg room in the rear behind the driver seat, even though I'm strictly average height and I put this down to a relatively deep boot and quite reclined rear seatback. Seats in the front were very comfortable, good I imagine for long journeys or overnighting in a snowdrift (you know who I'm talking to here...)
Interior quality was superficially good - it looks solid enough and put together well, but there was a noticable lack of weight and strength in the thump of the doors, the lower trim and those other minor elements which someone like Audi does so well to give an impression of high engineering and quality.
The models I sat in, both Vector SE and Aero, had the "midnight down a coal mine" interior (black leather, black fascia trim, black roof lining) but even during the showers that were coming down every few minutes it didn't seem that dark and depressing inside, I think the roof clearance probably helped here, but a little variety would have been good - unfortunately the Saab staff on hand weren't in a position to start it up so I can't report whether the ambient lighting helps.
Boot is big and well shaped and the access easy, which bodes well for the "Combi" (estate) so long as they don't fall foul of fashion and cut the tailgate at an acute angle.
Saab staff, probably actually rented in PR, told me that only the front wheel drive diesel and 4WD petrol are on sale this year and the 4WD diesel, estate and "4x4" (i.e. the 9-5X) will be on sale in September 2011 - I hope they were wrong as that's far too long a wait for the estate version that must surely be the big sales hope.
Trying to arrange an actual test drive in the near future and will report back when I do.
(BTW, the Skoda Superb was surprisingly excellent and I'm both open minded and informed when it comes to cars - the scale and quality for the price really throws into focus how much some other manufacturers, VAG, Saab, or otherwise, demand for their wares)
08 June 2010 17:31
JohnnyD says
Geed - I'm not johnny bimmer!
07 June 2010 14:03
moletrap says
Sadly I'm not sure it does anything better than the opposition so it'll be a struggle to gather sales from anyone other than existing Saab fans. The estate (assuming there is to be one) should be more competitive. Tim: I'm being pedantic, so apologies, but girth = width, not length
Sadly I'm not sure it does anything better than the opposition so it'll be a struggle to gather sales from anyone other than existing Saab fans. The estate (assuming there is to be one) should be more competitive.
Tim: I'm being pedantic, so apologies, but girth = width, not length
07 June 2010 12:33
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