Test Driving The Saab 9-5 Wagon

June 2, 2000 

If you need a minivan, but wan't a luxury car, Saab has an interesting compromise for you, the 9-5 wagon. This is Jeff Gilbert, with a Car Chronicles test drive coming up on WWJ Newsradio 950.

Yes there are still station wagons on the road, and some are quite attractive, like the Saab 9-5 station wagon

It was very classy looking, has beautiful lines, is an attractive looking vehicle, handles well.

Courtney Caldwell is publisher of American Woman Road and Travel Magazine.

The Saab 9-5 is the replacement for the Saab 9000. It's actually less expensive, with a number of improvements. Like all Saab vehicle, the 9-5
has a turbocharged engine which is very responsive. But the vehicle is very comfortable, with a very rich interior.

With side air bags, and an automatically responding head rest, the Saab 9-5 is a very safe vehicle. Add on the wagon version, and you have some extra room...with more style than your average minivan.

There is the Saab quirkiness, which includes controls in areas you don't expect them...but the 9-5 is a comfortable classy vehicle, that gets four
stars on our one to five scale.

With a Car Chronicles test drive, I'm Jeff Gilbert, WWJ Newsradio 950.

Power and style in a station wagon...test driving the Saab 9-5 wagon. This is Jeff Gilbert, with The Car Chronicles coming up on WWJ Newsradio 950.

You take Saab's reputation for classy design and turbocharged engines, and put them in a station wagon and you get something very nice...in the Saab 9-5 wagon

For a station wagon, I think it's an incredible vehicle. It's in the upscale market, so it seems to be more inclined towards people who don't want a minivan.

Courtney Caldwell of American Woman Motorscene says the 9-5 wagon's cargo area is very user friendly. It scores a lot of safety points with side airbags and an innovative headrest.

But chekc out the ignition switch in the center console...hard to get used to...but Saab engineers say it locks the transmission and makes the car harder to steal.

Read more on line, but we give the Saab 9-5 Wagon four stars on our one to five scale.

With a Car Chronicles test drive, I'm Jeff Gilbert, WWJ Newsradio 950.