Saab 9-5 TTiD

It’s certainly not perfect, but this is the best 9-5 you can buy. While the engine is relaxed and economical, it provides punchy performance. The car also has dramatic looks, a spacious and  comfortable cabin and lots of kit as standard. That said, it doesn’t trouble the BMW 5-Series or Mercedes E-Class. And when you consider a flagship Skoda Superb is a better buy in every way for £6,000 less, the 9-5 will remain a niche choice.

So far, we haven’t found the sweet spot of the new Saab 9-5 range – but is this twin-turbo 
diesel the pick of the bunch? 

Its 2.0-litre engine delivers 187bhp, and propels the car 
from 0-62mph in less than nine seconds and on to 143mph. And while it rattles, the unit has lots of low-down urge, despite 47.1mpg economy and 159g/km emissions. 

In Aero form, the TTiD borrows the HiPer strut front and H-Arm multilink rear suspension found on the flagship 2.8-litre V6 turbo models. It also comes with a Sports chassis as standard, but we’d recommend the optional DriveSense package (£975), which allows owners to switch between Comfort, Intelligent 
or Sports modes for the 
steering and suspension.

The 9-5 rides well on its 
19-inch alloys, only struggling with broken surfaces, although the numb steering means it’s 
not very rewarding to drive. 

Aero spec brings extras such as turbine-style alloys, special bumpers, a lowered ride height and bi-xenon lights – plus alloy pedals, electric leather sports seats and a colour multifunction display.

The rear seats provide lots of space, while the boot is vast, with clever cargo options. 

At £32,000, this 9-5 is far from cheap, but it does offer the best mix of ability in the new range.