2009 Saab 9-5 SportCombi

The Saab 9-5 wagon does have a nice big cargo bay, reviewers say. Like the rest of the 9-5 range, it's just a bit bigger than what you'll get with the less expensive Saab 9-3 SportCombi wagon (*est. $32,565 to $45,660). The Saab 9-5 wagon also includes a few luxury touches standard -- such as a wood-trimmed interior and fog lights -- that are optional on the Saab 9-3. The 9-5 gets a slightly bigger standard engine than the 9-3, too, to move its heavier body. Both Saab station wagons carry five passengers.

The 2009 Saab 9-5 wagon comes in three trim levels. All use the same 260-horsepower, 2.3-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine and five-speed automatic transmission (a five-speed manual is optional) and get the same gas mileage, based on official EPA estimates: 17 mpg city/27 mpg highway/20 mpg combined (18 mpg city/27 mpg highway/21 mpg combined with the manual transmission). All are front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive is not offered.

Reviewers say the base Saab 9-5 2.3T SportCombi (*est. $41,675) includes plenty of standard amenities, such as leather seats and a Harman/Kardon stereo with satellite radio. The Saab 9-5 Aero SportCombi (*est. $42,790) lowers the chassis 10 mm and adds a sportier suspension. The Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition SportCombi (*est. $43,270) adds some matte-finish front trim, more elaborate wheels and xenon headlights (an option on the other trims).

All are pricey choices, critics say, especially when you compare them with better-performing wagons such as the spacious, elegant Volvo V70 (*est. $32,900) or the compact, sporty BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon (*est. $36,025 to $37,925), both of which come more highly recommended.

"It's almost impossible to imagine anyone opting for a Saab 9-5 SportCombi over any alternative," says Alex Dykes at The Truth About Cars. Reuters reports that Saab sales fell 35 percent in 2008, and Dykes saw the evidence firsthand: When a Saab salesman pressed him to take a test drive, "the batteries were dead on ALL 12 wagons on the lot."

Saab has been offering some cash-back and zero-interest deals in an effort to jump-start sluggish sales. But Cars.com cautions that a Saab will probably lose its resale value quickly, thanks to uncertainty surrounding the bankruptcy filing. GM promises it will honor Saab's four-year/50,000-mile warranties forever, but The New York Times' Wheels blog points out bankruptcy scenarios that could force GM to break its promise. According to J.D. Power and Associates, Saabs are more likely to break down than other cars, although another top consumer organization says the Saab 9-5's reliability is above average.

The Truth About Cars' Alex Dykes tests the Saab 9-5 SportCombi wagon and bluntly tells readers what he thinks of it. Although he tests the 2008 version, not much has changed. Reader comments (and Dykes' answers) are enlightening, too. We found additional detailed road-test reports for the Saab 9-5 lineup at ConsumerReports.org, Edmunds.com and ConsumerGuide.com. Car and Driver also tests the Saab 9-5, but its report is very short. To get a complete picture of the 9-5's safety, we looked at crash-test ratings at both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. J.D. Power and Associates provides valuable information about Saab's reliability, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides official fuel economy ratings. Cars.com and The New York Times explain how Saab's recent bankruptcy filing might affect those who own a Saab or are considering buying one.