The 9-5 is an aging design, introduced for the 1999 model year and given few updates over the last seven years. While antiquity is not necessarily a recipe for failure, it certainly doesn't hurt a car's chances of coming in last place. Since the 9-5 was introduced, most competitors have equaled or beaten its acceleration and handling, knocking out what were probably its two best aspects when it was introduced. A fairly roomy interior is still nice, but packaging and seat design have moved on as well. And the 9-5 was never an especially refined or high-quality vehicle even for an entry-lux, and it falls even shorter there now. Furthermore, even with discounts lopping $5,000 from the car's sticker price, the 9-5 is still one of the most expensive vehicles in this group.  

     The 9-5 suffers from a very stiff ride, the least comfortable in this group. The car is jittery even on smooth pavement, and fails to provide the same suppression of road imperfections as its competitors. It feels nimble enough overall, despite its rather pronounced body roll in cornering (surprising, considering the suspension's firmness) and somewhat low steering response; those factors keep it from being considered as enjoyable as its better competitors. The turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder is the only available engine, modified for each of the 9-5's three versions. The engine reviewed here is the midline 220-horsepower version, which was quick enough despite some initial turbo lag, but still not exceptionally so, as many competitors offer powerful V6s rather than attempting to extract power from rather small 4-cylinders. The 9-5's engine is also far from smooth and refined, making excessive noise during acceleration and moderate noise at all other times, unimpressive for a $35,000 luxury vehicle. Road noise is also annoying even on smooth road surfaces, and noticeable wind noise appears at highway speeds. The 9-5 returns adequate fuel economy by this group's standards, but is still outdone even by many competing V6 models.

        Inside, the roomy front seats are large, well-shaped, and supportive, though too firm. The rear is roomy by the standards of this class, but too low. The interior is not low-quality overall, but it is poor compared to the other vehicles in this group. Some cheap, flimsy materials and trim pieces that don't always fit smoothly detract further from an already plain interior. The gauges are small, but legible. The instrument panel is angled towards the driver, but some instruments are too low, and the 9-5 features an unconventional layout for the ignition and power windows and locks; all are found on the center console rather than on the steering column and on the doors. The former represents a traditional Saab quirk favored by the brand's loyalists, the latter simply puts controls in a low, annoying-to-reach position. Large windows and an upright roofline help visibility, but thick roof pillars detract. Drivers sit comfortably. It is easy to get in an out of both the front and rear seating areas. The trunk is notably roomy for this class.

       The 9-5 earned the rating of Best Pick in its IIHS offset crash test, the highest of five available ratings. It was rated Acceptable in the very demanding IIHS side crash test, the third highest of five ratings. NHTSA awarded the vehicle five out of five stars for both the driver and for the front passenger in its frontal crash test, and five out of five stars for the driver and four out of five stars for the rear passenger in its side crash test.

       The 9-5 reviewed here barely fit into the set price range for this group, even with discounts bringing it to $5,000 below its MSRP. And even so, the 9-5's feature content fails to impress. The $35,000 vehicle reviewed here had a navigation system and stability control, but lacked the car's optional Luxury Package that includes such items as power seats with memory and an upgraded sound system, and also came without the optional OnStar assistance system. And curtain head-protecting airbags, optional or standard on every other vehicle in this group, are not even offered.

      Overall, the 9-5 falls well short of the luxury car standards in this class. A $35,000 vehicle should at least be refined, have a high-quality interior, and come with impressive feature content. And this car fails to meet any of those three areas. The 9-5 has decent interior space, solid safety ratings, and reasonable agility, but such characteristics do not make a good premium vehicle. With a price tag $10,000 less, the 9-5 would only make an adequate family sedan, and at this price range, it doesn't stand a chance.

Pros:

-Interior Space

-Trunk Volume

-Agility

-Safety Ratings

Cons:

-Refinement

-Ride Comfort

-Features for the Money

-Interior Quality

Overall:

Inadequate by the standards of this class even without its high price.

Version Reviewed:

Arc

Price of Version Reviewed:

$34,788

Powertrain:

2.3-liter I4