Around The Web
striking and very different from its competitors in the $40,000-plus luxury-car market
Car and Driver »
modern and sleek Scandinavian design from front to rear
MotorWeek »
possibly the best-looking interpretation of traditional Saab design ever
Motor Trend »
the Saab 9-5's interior is still a little too reserved, kind of like the automotive equivalent of Sweden's famous Ice Hotel
Edmunds' Inside Line »
STYLING | 9 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
striking and very different from its competitors in the $40,000-plus luxury-car market
Car and Driver
modern and sleek Scandinavian design from front to rear
MotorWeek
possibly the best-looking interpretation of traditional Saab design ever
Motor Trend
the Saab 9-5's interior is still a little too reserved, kind of like the automotive equivalent of Sweden's famous Ice Hotel
Edmunds' Inside Line
For 2011, the Saab 9-5 has been completely redesigned into a much more sophisticated sedan that, quite frankly, looks great from all angles. The design eschews two common design traits of modern luxury sedans: all the creases and cutlines, and the high tail and high beltline. The result is a luxury sedan that looks fresh and different, with smooth, glossy sheetmetal and a softened, somewhat rounded tail that hints to the hatchbacks and sedans of Saab's past, combined with a crisp, aggressive front end and the sparing use of brightwork both there and to accent the model's unusual, slanted-back roofline. It's a great design, appearing simple at first yet complex in its graceful curves and sharp detailing.
Inside, Saab heritage is reassured with details such as the swoopy instrument panel that cants most controls a bit toward the driver, as well as the expected ignition button located on the center console rather than the steering column or dash. The dash flows cleanly around to the doors, while the instrument panel has bright, backlit green gauge needles and a prominent turbo boost gauge, presented in that Saab-retro all-lower-case font, as other nice details for the in-crowd. A chunky, flat-bottom steering wheel greets the driver, and various shiny trims accent the cabin, with a nice combination of dark and glossy in the sporty Aero model. About the only issue we could see is that the design might appear a little drab inside with some of the color combinations.
Conclusion
The 2011 Saab 9-5 takes a different design path compared to most luxury sport sedans, and there's a lot here to like inside and out.