Category: Executive 
Price Range: £19,580 to £29,536
Comfortable ride, fine interior design, distinctive image, powerful and characterful petrol engines, good crash protection, improved diesel
Only one diesel engine to choose from now; though fast, not that sharp a drive; 2005 facelift won't please the conservative Saab faithful
Interesting and well-made alternative exec, if hardly state-of-the-art; estate models make the most sense. The updates of autumn 2005 have gone a long way, however, towards keeping the 9-5 appealing in an ever-more competitive market sector.
Most major components are well-proven, so reliability is likely to be good. Saab gets variable results in owner satisfaction and reliability surveys, but while there was the early duff example, these days, 9-5 owners seem to be very content and only minor (usually electronic) faults are reported.
There were some premature clutch problems in the torquey 3.0 V6 diesel versions - which also ate front tyres at a rather ridiculous rate - but that model, which didn't sell in any great numbers, has now been discontinued.
It's also worth noting that Saab owners tend to report good customer service and excellent relationships with their dealers (many Saab garages are independently and family-owned, rather than controlled by large chains and conglomerates) and there are many high-quality non-franchise Saab specialists around too.
Build quality of the 9-5 seems excellent, with the 2005 overhaul bringing higher-grade plastics and fabrics for the cabin; it would be difficult to find an uneven panel gap, rough-edged finish or loose trim detail in any 9-5.
