Christian Wardlaw’s Opinion of the 2006 Saab 9-5’s Comfort:
If there’s a bright side to the Saab 9-5 2.3T, a major selling point aside from fuel economy and a deeply discounted price tag, it’s comfort. The Swedes have always designed superb seats, and the front chairs in the 9-5 are no exception to the rule. You sit tall in a sculpted bucket that is plush yet supportive. The driving position is perfect with an excellent forward view. The upper door panels are flat on top with a gentle radius at the edge, softly padded and a great place to rest your arm. A tilt and telescopic steering wheel helps the driver get comfortable, too, and the head restraints are right behind your noggin, ready to make every attempt at preventing whiplash should someone ram you from behind. The center console bin has a soft armrest on top that slides forward to accommodate shorter drivers. The steering wheel is thick, wrapped in leather, and offers thumb rests at the 10 and 2 positions. The spots where you rest your legs on the driver’s door panel and the dashboard are designed for comfort, as well. Indeed, you get the distinct impression that you could drive this car all day without suffering fatigue.

The rear seats aren’t as hospitable, but they don’t represent a penalty box, either. Leg room is snug but adequate, as is toe room. The seat is a bit too low to the floor, but offers decent thigh support. There’s a big head restraint for safety’s sake, and a fold-down center armrest. Our test car also featured a rear heated seat, a nice touch appreciated most by the Saab faithful in the Northeastern U.S.

Loading cargo into the trunk is a breeze. The opening is huge despite the use of gas struts to support the lid, and the liftover height is remarkably low. If you’ve got a bad back, or lack muscle tone, the 2006 Saab 9-5 is your friend. Plus, the trunk is absolutely huge inside.

Mandy Ison’s Opinion of the 2006 Saab 9-5’s Comfort:
The 2006 Saab 9-5’s front seats wrap around the driver with padded bolsters. The seats are deep and I felt sunken into leather luxury, though a bit confined. There are no arm rests and the windowsill was situated too high for me to comfortably prop an elbow. The center console storage lid is padded and the perfect height, though the jutting side bolster of the driver’s seat dug into the back of my arm when I tried resting my elbow there. The 9-5’s rear seats are spacious and cushy, though a real test would require a long road trip as a back seat passenger. The driving position itself is low, though my view through the windshield was blessedly unhindered. Being of average height, I found the turn signal and wiper stalks hard to see behind the steering wheel. Accessing the center console storage bin by flipping the top was awkward and I literally felt my right shoulder pop. No rummaging for an ear bud while driving for me!

Ron Perry’s Opinion of the 2006 Saab 9-5’s Comfort:
The first thing I noticed after sliding into the front driver’s seat was the nice, snug fit. I am of medium build and the seats really formed to me nicely. I do wonder, however, whether drivers of larger size would be comfortable. Saab uses soft touch surfaces on every part of the interior except for the center console, which not only looks nice but also adds comfort to areas where knees and elbows make contact. The Saab 9-5 offers up lots of headroom front and back but knee and foot room are tight in the backseat. The big drawback to the foot room is that the metal seat slide rails protrude into the foot well and are always getting kicked. Assist handles are available for all occupants but will likely only see use by those needing extra assistance because the openings are large and offer plenty of room for entry and exit.

Thom Blackett’s Opinion of the 2006 Saab 9-5’s Comfort:
Get past the issues with the erratic transmission, and the 2006 Saab 9-5 would be a great long-distance runner for the avid roadtripper looking for a comfy ride. Front passengers are afforded plenty of room and well-cushioned bucket seats with long bottom sections and adequate bolsters, though the seatback is a bit narrow. Large, adjustable headrests come in handy after hours behind the wheel; door armrests are padded, as is the sliding center armrest. A tilting and telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel allows for an ideal driving position.

Like the front seat passengers, riders in back are treated to an inviting environment. A comfortable heated bench features slightly bucketed outboard seats, a useful padded center fold-down armrest, and lots of room. Long-legged riders might rub their knees, but the front seatbacks are soft so there shouldn’t be any need for Band-Aids.