Used Saab 9-5 2010 - 2011 review

This second-generation Saab 9-5 was launched at a time when the company was in its death throes. Recently divorced from General Motors and desperately short of cash, it needed the 9-5 to sell in big numbers, but the car failed to tempt many people out of their Audis, BMWs and Mercedes.

Under the skin, the 9-5 owed a lot to the Vauxhall Insignia. While Saab engineers made changes to the suspension in an effort to give the 9-5 a unique character, the result is a ride that’s pattery and unsettled at all speeds.

Don’t think that the comfort sacrifice means you get agile handling, either. The 9-5 leans over dramatically in corners and swiftly runs out of grip. On top of this, the steering is inconsistently weighted and constantly vibrates in your hands.

You also have to put up with a lot of wind and road noise on the motorway, and things aren’t much better at lower speeds, where the diesel engines sound coarse.

More positively, there’s masses of leg room in both the front and the back, but the sloping roofline means rear head room is surprisingly tight for those over six feet tall.

There are some typically Saab touches, such as a digital speedometer that mimics a fighter jet’s heads-up display and the fact that the ignition key slot is between the front seats. Unfortunately, the interior plastics don’t feel sufficiently premium, and the dashboard is overloaded with fiddly buttons.

It’s probably a reflection of both the car’s rarity and the keenness of Saab enthusiasts that prices for the 9-5 are relatively buoyant.

Even the cheapest version will cost you around £7000. Meanwhile, a well-equipped 2010 2.0-litre TiD diesel with an automatic gearbox could be as much as £9000. A 2011 2.0-litre TTiD diesel with four-wheel drive and lots of options will set you back more than £12,000.

The 9-5’s frugal diesel engines are a big help to its running costs case. The 2.0-litre TiD 158bhp unit has an official fuel economy figure of 60mpg and CO2 emissions (depending on the version) as low as 125g/km, so road tax costs are reasonable.

The more powerful 187bhp diesel’s 159g/km and 47mpg are also just about acceptable, but the 2.0-litre petrol’s 34mpg and 189g/km tip it over into 'too expensive' territory – for most, anyway.

The most concerning potential costs relate to parts and servicing. Theoretically, EU regulations are supposed to ensure that parts are provided for cars from companies that have gone bust, but they will still be occasionally more difficult to track down, and there will be no main dealer backup for servicing and maintenance.

There are, however, many very good independent Saab experts around, so tracking one of them down should be your priority.

It’s also worth pointing out that the diesel particulate filter (DPF) for the 2.0-litre engines will clog up if the car isn’t driven sufficiently long distances. Regular motorway runs should be enough to heat it up and clear it out, but a more serious blockage may require a DPF replacement.

The model range was pretty simple, primarily because it never had time to expand. The basic model used Vauxhall’s 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 177bhp, but it’s a bit strained in a car this big and heavy.

Better by far is the 158bhp 2.0-litre diesel option, although the rarer 187bhp TTiD diesel (available with optional four-wheel drive) and the 216bhp 2.0-litre petrol turbo have their charms.

There was also a 2.8-litre V6 turbo version, but that’s so rare that it’s not really worth considering.

Realistically, with so few 9-5s ever built or sold, it’s going to be a case of finding the best one you can, rather than setting your heart on a specific model or version. Aero models were the best equipped, although sat-nav was still an option.

Our favourite used Saab 9-5: 2.0 TiD 160 Aero

The Saab 9-5 was designed to compete with the BMW 5 Series, but while its roomy interior helped in that regard, the 5 Series is still streets ahead in terms of its interior finish and the way it drives, not to mention the sheer choice that there is in second-hand models available.

The Audi A6 is, in reality, a closer match for the 9-5. It has a similar design-led character – and similarly stodgy handling. However, its interior is a lot classier than the 9-5’s and the A6 is both quieter and more comfortable. As a bonus, Audi’s 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine is more or less bomb-proof.

As a Swedish rival, the Volvo S80 should also be on the shopping list of anyone considering a 9-5. It too struggles to match the handling and perceived quality of the best executive saloons, but it has comfort on its side, and was available with a broad choice of engines: everything from a 1.6-litre diesel to turbocharged five-cylinder petrol units.

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