SAAB 9-5 ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS 2.3T TURBO EDITION 5DR

Saab's latest 9-5 aims to propel it back into the executive car mainstream. Steve Walker takes a look.

SAAB 9-5 ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS 2.3T TURBO EDITION 5DR

Saab is a company with a proud and vibrant history but it may have taken its fondness for the past a little too far with the twelve-year production run of the original 9-5. For a good few years before news of this replacement model broke, the old timer was feeling elderly in the extreme and well off the pace set by rivals in the executive car segment. In light of this, it's hard to see a way in which the latest 9-5 could be anything but a huge step forward from its predecessor, but will its stride be long enough to close the gap to the competition?

SAAB 9-5 ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS 2.3T TURBO EDITION 5DR

The latest 9-5 is a thorough update on familiar Saab themes. The turbocharged engines and aeronautical styling devices are present and correct but so are a variety of interesting technological features. Saab will be looking to set the car up as a more individualist alternative to the German executive car options.

SAAB 9-5 ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS 2.3T TURBO EDITION 5DR

The 9-5's inordinate stay of execution was at least partly due to a lack of investment in the Saab brand by its then owners General Motors. Developing an executive saloon to rival the likes of BMW's 5-Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a major financial undertaking and GM appeared to dither over committing to it. The green light was finally given, however, and this 9-5 is the result. It's a car designed to embrace modern technology while remaining firmly in touch with the brand's heritage. Crucially, it displays that most Saab-like of qualities - the will to do things a little bit differently.

SAAB 9-5 ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS 2.3T TURBO EDITION 5DR

There aren't many surprises brewing in the 9-5 engine range, at least not for those with a passing knowledge of Saab's form. Every unit is turbocharged, the more powerful ones have a lively turn of speed and all have been seen before in the UK powering Saab and/or Vauxhall products. More interesting is the 9-5's method for making the most of its power. The car comes in either front-wheel-drive guise or with Saab's acclaimed XWD all-wheel-drive system but there's also three different suspension arrangements and Saab's DriveSense adaptive damping control system to consider.

The entry-level 180bhp 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine and the 160bhp 2.0-litre common-rail diesel have MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link arrangement at the rear. Where things break with convention is in the 220bhp 2.0T petrol and the variants fitted with XWD. These have an innovative Linked H-arm rear suspension which is said to enhance ride comfort, refinement and road holding. At the top of the range, the 300bhp V6 2.8-litre turbo models match this Linked H-arm rear suspension with a HiPer Strut system at the front which reduces weight while improving steering feel. For diesel buyers, there's also a torquey 190bhp TTiD option.

Buyers of the more powerful 9-5 models can also specify the DriveSense system that allows them to select Sport, Comfort or Intelligent setting for the car's adaptive dampers. In Intelligent mode, the system monitors the way in which the 9-5 is being driven and acts to stiffen the dampers under hard cornering or soften them up for a smoother ride at lower speeds. The technology also sharpens throttle and steering responses in line with driving conditions.

SAAB 9-5 ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS 2.3T TURBO EDITION 5DR

It's never difficult to spot a Saab and the people behind the looks of the latest 9-5 had no intention of breaking with the marque's established design language. Many of the old Saab trademarks that evolved from its aircraft manufacturing heritage are still present inside and out. The nose of the car is a progression from the 9-3 and old 9-5 models with chrome boarders for the headlamps and the large grille but there's more subtlety in the execution. The A and B pillars are blacked out to create a wraparound effect for the glasshouse in the style of an aircraft cockpit and the roofline tapers down gently at the rear, suggesting a hatchback on what is actually a four-door saloon.

The rear view could well be the car's most appealing with the gentle curves of the bodywork meeting in sharper creases along the boot lid and the bumper. An unbroken streak of chrome runs across the boot, connecting the light clusters and visually widening the car.

Inside that boot, there's a 515-litre capacity and the cabin is no less generous from a space point of view. The wheelbase of this 9-5 is 134mm longer than that of its predecessor, enabling a boost to rear legroom or 58mm. Saab design cues continue inside, with the controls angled towards the driver, instruments illuminated in green and joystick controls for the air vents. The dash itself is less steep than on older Saabs but it's still set on quite a gradient.

SAAB 9-5 ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS 2.3T TURBO EDITION 5DR

Even on the standard 9-5, there's a good amount of equipment. The specification includes keyless start, six-way adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, wheel-mounted audio controls, cruise control and a nine-speaker stereo with USB connectivity. The Aero performance models have electric driver's seat adjustment, heated front seats and a number of styling add-ons. All models except the V6 get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard and the 6-speed paddle shift automatic that comes with the V6 is widely available as an option.

The 9-5 is available with a plethora of advanced safety kit, including a particularly clever automatic headlamp system dubbed Bi-Xenon Smart Beam. It combines cornering headlamps that swivel to illuminate round bends with automatic dipping of the high beam when traffic approaches and a system for adapting the type of beam to the driving conditions. A lane departure warning system is also on offer, as are a Head-Up Display, an automatic parking system and Adaptive Cruise Control.

SAAB 9-5 ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS 2.3T TURBO EDITION 5DR

The 9-5 engine options give it a fuel economy spread that ranges from the 53mpg that the 2.0-litre diesel returns on the combined cycle to the 24.8mpg that the 2.8-litre V6 manages. The automatic gearbox doesn't do fuel economy any favours on the diesel engine, cutting its economy by 12mpg but has less of an effect on the 2.0-litre Turbo petrol which only comes down from 33mpg to 29mpg with the auto installed. The XWD 4x4 system doesn't come with major economy penalties.

SAAB 9-5 ESTATE SPECIAL EDITIONS 2.3T TURBO EDITION 5DR

A replacement for the original 9-5 saloon may have been a long time coming but was it worth the wait? Saab has stuck with its traditional design language for the latest 9-5, while attempting to integrate a more modern feel and in general, it looks to have been successful. The styling works better from some angles than others but maintains that Saab individuality that has always been central to the brand's appeal. A wide range of suspension options, the excellent XWD 4x4 system and some desirable high tech features should make the 9-5 an interesting alternative to the usual executive saloon contenders.