Saab 9 5 SportWagon Aero 2.0T XWD Auto 5dr Car Review - March 2012

This Saab 95 SportWagon’s ride is suitably refined when cruising on motorways and up to the challenge of attacking a winding country road. However, if you push too hard, the handling becomes overwhelmed by the car’s size and weight. The steering feels precise though.

The 2.0 litre four cylinder turbocharged petrol engine produces maximum figures of 218 bhp at 5300 rpm and 258 lb-ft at 2500 rpm. A 0-62 mph time of 9.1 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph are respectable figures for a car of this size.

There’s plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat and the steering wheel adjusts too, so most drivers should be able to find a decent position. The dashboard is well laid out with clear instruments, but for the most part it looks and feels way behind the dashes of its rivals.

Despite its size, the Saab 95 SportWagon Aero 2.0T XWD Auto 5dr still manages to look smart and stylish, from the distinctive Saab grill to the curvaceously sculpted rear with its svelte wraparound tailgate window.

Inside you get keyless start, a CD player, MP3 connectivity, Bluetooth, electric windows, electric door mirrors, Satnav, cruise control, rear parking sensors, leather seats and dual-zone climate control as standard. It also comes with alloy wheels, an alarm and immobiliser and integrated front fog lights.

Metallic paint is a £540 option.

This Saab 95 comes with many safety features including six airbags, ABS, Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and stability control.

In practicality terms, this car is not short of space. The boot offers 527 litres of space with the seats in place or a spacious 1600 litres with them folded down. Unlike many of its rivals, the sidewalls are completely flat and the rear wheel arches don’t intrude into the space either so loading large items is easy. There are numerous compartments in the sidewalls too, for handy stowage of smaller items.

Saab’s fair reasonably well in the reliability stakes but they aren’t without their problems. This car comes with a three year 60,000 mile warranty.

At £36,180, the Saab 95 SportWagon Aero 2.0T XWD Auto 5dr carries a premium price tag. It has a spacious, comfortable cabin with a high spec and a large luggage space. It drives well and its ride quality is generally capable, although it lacks some excitement behind the wheel. It feels sturdy and well made, but it’s not the most appealing premium estate in its class and it’ll attract fairly low resale values.

A combined cycle of 30.4 mpg is not a great figure these days and with a CO2 emissions figure of 219 g/km the taxes and running costs will be quite high.