Saab 9-5 Estate

Nigel Havers won’t remember me, but I sold him a car once. Nice bloke in those post Chariots of Fire days. The last time we met (or shared the same floorspace) was at the ’98 Birmingham Motor Show when he pulled the silky wraps off the new Saab 9-5 estate. TV’s Dangerfield still didn’t remember me, but he’s moved on from brash BMs to understated Saabs. In fact, we all have. On the Ruppert fleet at the moment is a 130K mileage 9000 and very useful it is too. Big as most estates, but then Saab don’t do estates, haven’t since the 95 20 years ago. A lot has happened in those intervening years. Big hatches are not regarded as very executive and estates are no longer the preserve of sample heavy reps, but are now aspirational, lifestyle, automotive must haves. Hence the 9-5 estate.

The good news is that it looks like a Saab, a company who have remained faithful to the wedge. Whereas most estates are just that, fairly dull executive housing developments, with a boxy extension attached at the back, the Saab is a rather more coherent architect designed affair. All new from the B pillar back, there is a rakishly swept forward C pillar like 900s of old. Saab can rattle on about how their models are always supposed to look like they are moving, but I’d simply call this estate handsome.

Often the problem with injecting some style into an estate is that it tends to lose most of its content, sf BMW Touring. The 9-5 though remains a more than useful holdall. Somewhere in load lugging size between Volvo’s V40 and V70 the 416 dm boot soon becomes 1490 dm with the rear seat folded. Strapping loads down is a doddle thanks to a couple of aluminium cargo tracks hidden beneath plastic strips, similar to the sort used to position aircraft seats. Simply clip a securing metal eye into the track and with the spring loaded straps, tie your loads accordingly. Apparently you could suspend the Saab from one of these, so it is nice to know that aircraft heritage has finally come in handy. A neat option is the sliding floor, which is easy to set up and according to Saab takes the weight of two fat barbecueing Americans (200kgs). Over here though it will stop the lifestyle DIYer getting a hernia at the builder’s merchants. In practical terms it locks in the upright position, so those bags of cement can roll right out again. The tailgate is well balanced enough to virtually raise itself and there are no ugly telescopic arms to get in the way, plus two helpful courtesy lights to illuminate your shins. Elastic nets, servile cupholders, glovebox fridge, 100kg payload roof rails, the 9-5 has got the lot, except that is for a third row of seats, as promised. Saab reckon they can’t offer to the same level of safety for seven passengers which is good enough for me and anyone who disagrees should buy a minibus.

So the 9-5 is practical, but it is also refined. Whereas most estates echo and creak like a haunted house, the Saab is as quiet and solid as the brick outhouse saloon. I know, I drove them back to back. A Saab PR lent me his 2.0 litre, then I hopped in the estate again. No difference. It ought to be a blindfold test. Saab believe the solid folding parcel shelf (like those in the old 9000) is a big help and it is certainly better than some flappy bit of roller blind canvas. The estate is also similar to the saloons on the road. The 2.0 litre is adequate, the 2.3 has a welcome amount of accelerating urgency and hooked up to the smooth automatic is just about perfect.

The premium price of 9-5 style estate perfection is £1000 over the saloon which undercuts equivalent, Audis, Mercs and BMWs. So there you have it. The 9-5 estate, smooth, handsome and available for work. A bit like Nigel Havers.

Saab 9-5 Estate ****
Price: £23,795-£26,795
Engine:1985cc 4 cylinder 150 bhp 240Nm
2290cc 4 cylinder 170hp 280Nm
Performance: 210km/220 0 to 100km 10.2/9.3 9.8, 9.9/100km
On sale in UK: February ‘99


James Ruppert
1999