Brushed aluminum dash panels give the Aero its sporty look. The Aero also has a leather-wrapped, four-spoke sport steering wheel that's the perfect diameter and thickness. It's pocked for better grip, between 2 and 4 o'clock on the right side and 8 and 10 on the left.
The 9-5 instrument panel is curved at the top in the same shape as the steering wheel, affording an unobstructed view of the speedometer, tachometer, fuel, temperature and turbo boost gauges.
Big buttons for the sound and climate systems are located in a large rectangle in the center stack, and they're easy to understand and operate. The audio controls for the Harman/Kardon stereo are great. Redundant audio controls on the steering wheel reduce distraction from the road, and the radio is wired hot so it can be turned on without the key. We wish all cars had this capability. The 9-5's dash vents are attractive and designed well for aiming over a broad range.
The leather-stitched shifter knob is pear-shaped on both automatic and manual transmissions; it has a great feel, making it pleasant to operate. Manual models feature a dash light indicating when it's time to upshift to conserve fuel, a feature we could live without.
Saab has historically offered unorthodox but generally effective solutions to interior needs, perhaps partly because Sweden is somewhat isolated from the rest of the world, perhaps partly because Saabs are designed by Swedes. In the 9-5, these solutions are clever and successful. A cup holder pops out of the dash from a vertical slot the size of a CD and pivots around to hold cans of soda or that grande cappuccino; it works well, but feels flimsy. A fixed cup holder in the center console is more stable but less convenient, especially if there's already lots of stuff in there.
The far end of the right side-view mirror glass bends to produce a convex effect that provides a wider view of the right lanes. It requires familiarization to determine the location of an approaching car at a quick glance. When moving from the left lane to the right lane, it could sometimes make an approaching car look like it was changing lanes and moving toward us. And we found it didn't work very well at all in the rain.
Interior lighting is excellent, including another one of those uniquely Saab features: A map light rotates in a directional ball, like the older-style adjustable reading lights in some jetliners. It's perfect for directing light to specific tasks. The placement of the gauges, the cup holder, radio switches and the map light indicate real thought on Saab's part. Most instrument lights can be switched off by pressing the Night Panel button to reduce eyestrain when it's dark.
Split visors shield the sun when it's in the corner of the windshield or when the driver changes directions frequently. On the downside, the glove box is small and the cruise control switch, located on the end of the turn signal stalk and hidden by the steering wheel, is inconvenient. In accordance with Saab tradition, the ignition slot is down on the center console, a feature I haven't always loved, but it turns out to be a convenient location on the 9-5.
Wagons feature a large, flat cargo compartment. Flipping the rear seat bottoms up and folding the rear seatbacks down reveals 73 cubic feet of cargo space. Smooth black painted metal covers the bottoms of the rear seats, making a nice clean surface that won't dirty or damage cargo, a nice attention to detail on Saab's part. The 9-5 offers significantly more cargo capacity than the BMW 5 Series wagon, and roughly matches that of the more expensive Audi A6. We were able to fit an antique dry sink and four tall ladder-back dining chairs into an Aero wagon. Loading heavy objects into the 9-5 is easy because it has a much lower load height than an SUV. Add a dog fence, and a 9-5 wagon is a great car for big dogs. Caesar the 150-pound mastiff found it quite comfortable and getting in and out was much easier for him than a sport-utility. Next Page