2011 Saab 9-5 Review

The 2011 Saab 9-5 competes within two classes, luxury large cars and upscale mid size cars. Its spacious interior puts it up against large cars, and its price pits it against midsize cars. The top-line 2011 Saab 9-5 Aero is joined by a less expensive Turbo6 six-cylinder trim as well as a base model powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder. The Turbo6 XWD shares the loaded Aero model's powertrain, minus its enhanced handling features and sporty trim. A loaded 2011 Saab 9-5 Aero rings up at more than $50,000, a seemingly shocking sum for a Saab.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Saab 9-5 is a midsize luxury sedan available in Turbo4, Turbo4 Premium, Turbo6 XWD and Aero trim levels. The Turbo4 Premium adds 18-inch wheels, headlight washers, a panoramic sunroof, front and rear parking sensors, power-folding and auto-dimming exterior mirrors, keyless ignition/entry and remote ignition. The Turbo6 XWD adds the same equipment, plus a V6 and all-wheel drive. The Rear Passenger package adds tri-zone automatic climate control, rear seat audio controls, and a DVD entertainment system with two front-headrest-mounted screens. The 9-5 Aero gets the Technology package standard, plus slightly different front and rear fascia designs, different 18-inch wheels, upgraded rear brakes, sport-tuned adjustable suspension, an electronic limited-slip rear differential, adjustable drive settings, paddle shifters, a sport steering wheel, sport seats and alloy pedals. The navigation system and Rear Passenger package are optional.

The 2011 Saab 9-5 Turbo4 is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 that produces 220 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, along with a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic transmission and Saab's advanced all-wheel-drive system are standard. EPA-estimated fuel economy stands at 17 mpg city/27 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined slightly better than average for all-wheel-drive sedans with this sort of power.
Every 2011 Saab 9-5 comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes, front and rear side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints.

Interior Design and Special Features
In Saab tradition, the 9-5's center control stack wraps toward the driver, bringing all controls within easy reach. The layout is unique to Saab, though, and the backlighting is a very Saab green.

Driving Impressions
We have yet to drive the Turbo4 or Turbo6 models, but the 2011 Saab 9-5 Aero surprised us with its communicative steering and a very neutral balance through quick corners. Saab's all-wheel-drive system (which includes an electronic limited-slip differential) is one of the best, proportioning power seamlessly among the wheels for maximum traction and balance.

The all-new 2011 Saab 9-5 is the cure for traditional German luxury sedans.
The all-new Saab 9-5 comes 67 years after the Swedish Airplane Limited company decided to begin building passenger cars. Many Saab fans would argue that the decade under General Motors saw the Saab brand lose its appeal and character. Saab debated calling the new car a 9-6 but decided to keep the same 9-5 model-name for historic reasons.

During our review we got to drive the Turbo4 front-wheel drive and the Turbo6 all-wheel drive (referred to as XWD in Saab language) around the twisty mountain roads of Daylesford in Victoria (we will review the diesel soon). The Turbo4 has a different rear suspension (H-link) for added responsiveness while the range-topping Turbo6 gets a more sporty HiPerStrut front suspension (same as the Opel Insignia VRX).

The 2.0-litre diesel has 118kW and 350Nm of torque.
The Turbo4 does present a hint of torque-steer if accelerating out of corners, but it’s unnoticeable when driven sedately. Apart from Comfort and Sport, the Intelligent mode is the in-between choice, letting the car’s computer work out a balance between Sport and Comfort depending on your driving style. Overall, the 2011 Saab 9-5 is a very worthy contender in the luxury large-car segment. Check out the Saab.com.au website for list of standard features and specification.