It is nice to see station wagons making a comeback. This new
Saab 9-5 wagon from Sweden has been introduced to do battle with the some great wagons from
Audi,
BMW,
Volvo and the domestics. There are thinking people out there with larger families, pets and hobbies who wouldn't be caught dead in a minivan. They have no need for four-wheel drive and can not see much sense in the sport-utility craze. Sporty European wagons, such as this
Saab 9-5, are aimed directly at them. It offers the quality and panache of a foreign make with the utility of a station wagon.
The Saab 9-5 (pronounced "nine five") wagon comes in only the base and SE versions. The base model has a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The loaded SE comes with a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6; it also comes with a higher level of standard equipment, including traction control and leather upholstery, both of which are optional on the base model. Options include a dealer-installed slide-out cargo floor, heated front and rear seats, and special ventilated seats with electric fans built into them.
The 9-5 platform is a relatively new one within the General Motors parent company. As such, it carries a lot of up-to-date hardware including independent front and rear suspensions, precise rack-and-pinion steering, and a modern powertrain.
The 3.0-liter V6 engine in the 9-5 SE wagon is unusual in that it is turbocharged by only one bank of cylinders, where common practice is to use the exhaust gases from all cylinders to spin the turbocharger. This light-boost engine features four valves per cylinder, Trionic direct ignition and sequential fuel injection to develop 200 willing horsepower and lots of low-down torque.
The exterior design is, we think, one of the nicest body shells that Saab has ever produced, whether it be sedan, coupe, or wagon. It flows beautifully from front to rear without interruption, and the business end, the cargo section aft of the rear doors, has been beautifully integrated into the sedan front end. It offers an amazingly low coefficient of drag of only 0.31. The tires fill the wheel wells. The hood and doors operate like those on aircraft, with a solid locking system. These details add up to that same wonderful, safe feeling we always get when we drive Saabs.
