Christian Wardlaw’s 2006 Saab 9-5 Driving Impressions:
Expectations are low when you know a car’s fundamental engineering and design date to the mid-1990s, so I don’t have much to complain about with regard to the 2006 Saab 9-5’s driving character. The 9-5 2.3T shudders when you crank the anachronistic console-mounted ignition, and grumbles at idle. Commendably, when accelerating or cruising, the usual vibration and noise of a four-banger doesn’t intrude much on the cabin. Acceleration is adequate. Turbo lag seems to be more an issue when the transmission is left in Normal mode; switch over to Sport, and the 9-5 is more responsive, if less smooth. Our test car also had a manual mode with buttons on the steering wheel, but it’s a gimmick rather than something actually useful. Mid-range punch is where a turbo’s benefits are most noticeable, and that’s true of this Saab. Fuel economy is also a strong point.

Torque steer isn’t much of an issue. I drove on rain-slicked streets during the morning commute, and aside from the inside wheel breaking loose when accelerating out of turns, the 9-5 tracked straight and true. I liked the steering, which communicates decently with the road surface, is responsive, and offers just-right levels of steering assist. I did not, however, like the brakes. First, my foot landed too high on the brake pedal every time. Second, to get maximum braking power you really need to push hard on the pedal. Ride and handling are agreeable, if you don’t mind the hobby-horsing caused by the stiff suspension and the short wheelbase. Saabs used to have compliant rides coupled with significant body roll. It seems the opposite in this latest Swedish attempt at a luxury sports sedan.

Mandy Ison’s 2006 Saab 9-5 Driving Impressions:
Let me say from the outset that having the ignition placed in the center console takes some getting used to. We all have habitual moves when getting in or out of a car and this definitely took me out of my comfort zone. Once I got the 9-5 fired up and started my drive, I decided that I’m not in love with how the 2006 Saab 9-5 accelerates thanks to its significant turbo lag. It often felt sluggish off the line, and I had a difficult time gauging how much pressure to apply when keeping pace with stop-and-go traffic. I would suddenly find myself not only catching up to traffic too quickly, but having to apply the brakes in order not to tailgate. On a positive note, I merged into freeway traffic without drama.

The Saab 9-5 braked adequately; however, on one occasion my foot hung up on the back of the brake pedal while switching from the gas pedal. I was able to disentangle my foot quickly, but the catch certainly caused my heart to jump. The steering was responsive without being touchy and I was comfortable with driving one-handed during long highway stretches. On two-lane roads the Saab feels rock steady and glued to the road through twists and turns. Though I don’t tend to drive through turns with the intention of pushing limits, I felt no undue body lean or any alarming loss of control when taking turns sharply. In short, it felt like a solid piece of machinery. However, the ride is stiff through cracks, grades or bumps at highway speeds, amplifying road defects. The ride was also surprisingly noisy for what is supposed to be a luxury car. I didn’t feel cocooned in peaceful silence but aware of grating imperfections in the highway.

Ron Perry’s 2006 Saab 9-5 Driving Impressions:
Torque steer is the name of the game when it comes to the Saab 9-5. From a stop there really isn’t much in the way of power or torque until enough throttle is applied and then the turbo changes all of that. Once spooled, the turbo pulls the 9-5 forward with surprising force but torque steer quickly becomes an issue. Rapidly accelerate from a stop or get on the gas too hard while turning and the steering wheel oscillates wildly, becoming the center of your focus. To the unaware this could be a scary episode. Steering and brake feel are good, as is the ride quality. The Saab 9-5 leans hard when pushed into corners but remains trackable and transfers what is happening at all times to the driver. Never did I feel unsure of what was happening or feel like I might get surprised at any second. In normal traffic the Saab 9-5 is a delight to drive and outward vision is good but the distortion from the optically enhanced passenger’s side mirror is distracting. Once I got used to the torque steer, I found the Saab 9-5 an enjoyable car and one that I would choose for both short and long trips.

Thom Blackett’s 2006 Saab 9-5 Driving Impressions:
It returned 23.4 mpg after being flogged by a number of drivers. That’s the best thing I can say about our 2006 Saab 9-5 test car. My other thoughts relative to the car’s driving character are a blend of positive and negative, ultimately leading me to wonder why someone would opt for this $37,000 ride over more memorable competitors from the likes of Mazda, Infiniti, and BMW, to name just a few.

With 260 horsepower on tap, the turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine provides plenty of oomph, provided one is OK with the lag. The last 2006 VW GTI I drove, a turbo model running in the low $20s, was almost lag-free. Interesting. Around town at slow speeds, the 9-5 is as responsive as any other pedestrian sedan. Once the turbo is spooled up, the Saab reaches high speeds quickly, but Perry is right – torque steer becomes evident when you’re really on it. Hampering the engine of our tester was an optional five-speed automatic transmission. In regular mode, the shifts are smooth but frequent as the transmission bogs the engine in a high gear then gets the rpms racing as it suddenly opts for a lower gear. A sport mode keeps the revs up higher by delaying shifts, making the 9-5 pull harder on spirited runs. However, the system disengages every time the driver shifts, so using reverse in a quick turn-around means you’ve got to reselect sport mode after returning to D for drive. A minor point, but still a pain. Engineers have also added paddle shifters that are an utter bore to use, especially since the driver can’t downshift if the computer deems the action inappropriate, despite it being obvious that a downshift wouldn’t put the engine near redline.

Handling and braking were much more straightforward. The latter was simply excellent, virtually fade-free after a battery of high-speed panic stops and offering consistent pedal feel. Mixed among the morning commuters, the 9-5 provided a comfortable, quiet ride with responsive steering and plenty of road feel. Out of the city and on the twisties drivers will discover too much body roll. Despite this, the squealing Pirelli tires hang on tight and make the Saab 9-5 a fun car to toss around in the corners.