Saab 9-5 Review OÖ News: The most beautiful five meters of Sweden

Oberösterreich Nachrichten tested the Saab 9-5. Even the headline “The most beautiful five meters in Sweden” makes us forgiving and is balm for our sore Saab soul. We have also driven the 160 hp diesel, the engine left us with mixed impressions in terms of running smoothness and power delivery. Our 9-5 at the time, however, we want to emphasize, was one of the very first to come to Germany. In the meantime, Saab has put some fine-tuning into the vote. A short Saab reading for Sunday.


The Swedish car manufacturer Saab is doing very badly and is only being kept alive by Chinese financial injections. You don't notice any of this in the Saab 9-5. On the contrary: the beautiful limousine is a harmonious package.

The new Saab 9-5 has what it takes to lead the badly hit traditional Swedish brand into a better future - if it doesn't run out of (financial) air beforehand.

The five-meter-long sedan is quite impressive in the truest sense of the word: the front-wheel drive car is beautifully designed - and is a bit reminiscent of a coupé. Die-hard customers can be happy, because the thick A and C pillars, the steep windshield and the extended roof are clearly typical of Saab.

Saab fans also immediately feel at home in the interior: the design of the dashboard or the ventilation grilles are unmistakable. And the start button is located where the ignition lock once was - on the center console between the seats.

Helpful night panel button

Thankfully, the Saab engineers didn't forget about the “Night Panel” button: If you press this button, only the most important information (e.g. speed) is displayed, the rest is darkened. This feature makes night driving a lot more bearable. Speaking of night driving: The instrument lighting is green - for an additional charge there is even a head-up display that projects the engine speed and speed onto the windshield.

These examples show that with the 9-5 model, Saab has succeeded in interpreting some traditions - some lovingly refer to them as quirky - in a modern way. The technology under the hood, which incidentally comes from the former sister brand Opel, is only partly modern.

The 2.0-liter diesel delivers 160 hp and is very economical: Consumption values ​​of less than six liters of diesel can easily be achieved overland, but we missed the standard consumption of just 5,3 liters (equivalent to 139 grams of CO2 per kilometer). The test consumption of 6,6 liters is still impressive. Thanks to the 70 liter tank, ranges of more than 1000 kilometers are possible.

No start-stop automatic

However, we missed an automatic start-stop system. Fuel saving systems should be a given in this class and at this price level.

On the other hand, the comfort and space in the interior are at class level: thanks to the long wheelbase, there is generous knee room even in row two. The only thing that is a bit annoying is the lack of clarity - especially towards the rear. And if you drive too far into the intersection, you have to lean over the steering wheel so that you can see the traffic lights.

When driving, the Saab 9-5 is very confident and the car can be controlled precisely. And no drive influences can be felt when steering. The Saab exudes great calm, especially on long journeys - which has a very positive effect on the passengers.

OÖN test

Saab 9 5 2.0 TiD M6 Linear

from € 39.000

CO2: 139 g / km

Eco Factor: 3 of 5 stars

More

Beautifully drawn limousine, very economical, comfortable, ergonomically perfect cockpit, engine well insulated.

minus

Uncertain future of the brand, high loss of value, limited visibility.

data sheet

Engine: Four-cylinder diesel, 1956 cc, 118 kW (160 PS) at 4000 U./Min., 350 Nm Torque at 1750 U./Min.

Usage: 6,9 / 4,4 / 5,3 liter diesel (city / country / mix) in the MVEG cycle.

OÖN test consumption: 6,6 liters.

Environment: Euro-5.

Drive: six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive.

Performance: 0 at 100 km / h in 9,9 seconds, peak 215 km / h.

Dimensions: 5008 / 1868 / 1467 millimeters (L / W / H), 515 liters loading volume, 70 liters tank capacity.

Weights: 1725 kilo dead weight, 2180 kilo total weight, 750 or 1700 kilo towing capacity.

Warranty: two years, twelve years against rust.

Source: Upper Austria News