New Cars 2011: Saab 9-5

There was a time when Saab used to make good, if a bit unreliable products. Quirky swedish design reigned at Saab; it was impossible to mistake them for anything else on the road. In the early 2000s, though, they lost their way courtesy of GM. Saab styling cues were still present, but the cars weren't exactly what Saab used to be; they started trying to go upscale, and GM positioned them where Oldsmobile left off. Styling became an afterthought, and the general quality started to mimick that of other GM brands. Saab (under GM) even delved into areas untouched beforehand, including s sportswagon based on the Subaru Impreza WRX, and a midsize SUV based on the Chevy Trailblazer, Buick Rainier, and Oldsmobile Bravada; these new "Saabs" effectively earned the name "Saabaru" and "Saabrolet" respectively.
Enter the new-for-2011 Saab 9-5. Unlike the previous car, which I forget what it even looked like, this new one stands out in a crowd. Longer than the previous car, and much more of a true luxury car, this vehicle is up for grabs in the same category as the Mercedes E-Class, and Audi A6. In profile, it looks rather long-- it is quite so. From the quarter views, though, the Saab heritage is undeniable. The front houses that Swedish 'airplane' logo grille, and long, slimmish headlights; beautiful, I think. Towards the rear, the roofline when viewed from the front quarter, looks so much like that of the Saab 99 and earlier 900s it's eerie-- but nevertheless a good, crisp, line that harks back to Saab's golden days.
Inside, much of the car packs GM switchgear, but these days that's no bad thing. Gone are the rental-grade plastics, awful seatbottoms, and mediocre color combinations; this interior oozes uppercrust without being too gaudy. The dash is skewed toward the driver, which could pose some problems for the front seat passenger, but overall, the layout is nice. It's not a buttonfest like Mercedes, and it isn't loaded with random tech goodies like most Infinitis either; it's simple, clean, and to the point. Even Volvo could learn from this. While I didn't try out the back seat, front room was remarkably good. I felt comfortable in the 9-5 both will the seat all the way forward, and all the way back. Some of the bolstered seats on newer cars hurt my back and butt area, but these seats are fine. I'd like to take a good ride in one to see if my initial react turns out correct.
All in all, a very nice effort from Saab; they need to make the 9-3 this good, and here's hoping they survive long enough to do so.