First DriveShortly after its debut at the Paris Show last fall, Saab invited us to slip behind the wheel of its new 95 station wagon in Barcelona, Spain. Directly descended from the Swedish automaker's latest luxury sedan, this 3700-pound midsize front-drive wagon shares its same basic dimensions and running gear, including a MacPherson strut/multilink suspension, beefy four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, power rack-and-pinion steering, and 215/55 tires on 16-inch cast alloy wheels.
Saab execs stressed that retaining a sporting character was as important as gaining additional utility in the development of their new hauler. With the same taut yet supple undercarriage tuning found in the sedan, the 95 wagon proved as capable on twisty backroads as it did slicing through mid-city traffic snarls.
Passive safety was another key design concern, and the wagon comes with a host of save-your-lifestyle items headed by dual front airbags, front side/torso bags, three-point belts with pretensioners at all five seat locations, and Saab's own Active Head Restraint System headrests.
The most obvious area where the two 95s differ is in ultimate hauling capabilities. Complementing its generously proportioned passenger compartment, the wagon's 37.0-cubic-foot cargo bay has more than twice the capacity of the sedan's conventional trunk. And it'll swallow up a whopping 72.9-cubic-foot payload with the 60/40 rear split-bench seat folded. Another nice touch in the 95 wagon is Saab's unique CargoTracks system. In addition to conventional cargo netting and tie-downs, CargoTracks adds a pair of special rails fitted with trick adjusters and elastic straps that can be quickly locked into place to securely hold any type of bulky object.
Two engines will be available in America, both turbocharged DOHC four-valve/cylinder offerings. Base motivator is a 2.3-liter four that makes 170 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. Those desiring a bit more performance can step up to the 3.0-liter V-6, which develops 200 horses and 229 pound-feet of twist. The former can be paired with either a five-speed manual gearbox or an electronically controlled four-speed automatic, while the latter comes only with the autoshifter. In real-world use, both felt more than adequate, possessing sufficient grunt to haul the wagon up narrow, winding mountain roads and pass with relative confidence on motorways. However, in this land of relatively cheap gasoline, we'd still opt for the slightly more potent six. Both versions come with a power sunroof and Harman/Kardon audio package, but choosing the bigger engine also adds traction control and leather upholstery to the mix.
The 95 wagon goes on sale here in April, and Saab expects to sell about 3500 units the first full year. The four-cylinder model will start around $32,000 with a loaded V-6 topping out around $38,000. Those of you considering a sport/ute in this price range may want to wait to drive this better-handling, more fuel-economical, easier-to-park alternative.