Saab's new flagship model, the 1989 9000 CD, is an impressive roadholder.
A fine suspension package helps it handle curves and winding stretches with ease. A turbocharged, 16-valve four-cylinder engine helps the car tackle even mountain roads with zest. Anti-lock brakes make sudden stops uneventful. And attention to ergonomic detail inside takes the weariness out of travel.Saab can be proud of this, its first U.S. offering of a sedan and one of the largest among European sedans sold here. The 9000 CD is new, yet still Saabish in that it continues the Saab tradition of performance and practicality.
For example, the test car - with five-speed manual transmission - got 24.6 miles per gallon, a surprisingly good show of practicality considering the maneuvers it went through. The four-cylinder engine was thrifty, but the turbocharger contributed plenty of zip. The powerplant is the same as the one in the 9000 Turbo.
"We have been taken to task for not going to six- or eight-cylinders like some other Europeans, but we think that with the 16-valve four-cylinder and turbocharger, we have the best of both worlds," said Jim Ventrilio, Saab spokesman. "Saab boasts that the engine has the potential to not only surpass 130 miles per hour but to cruise at such speeds without complaint literally for days on end."
Handling was enjoyable, with good traction and agile performance. Saab engineers its 9000s to place 60 percent of the weight over the front-drive wheels for stable maneuvering. The 9000 CD has the same, rounded styling in front that also is a Saab hallmark. But the rear is decidedly new. For this new model, the automaker added 6 more inches in length to its 9000 Turbo hatchback and put in a large, flat trunk with 19.8 cubic feet capacity.
The trunk lid pulls up easily, and you don't have to heave items up and over the car body. Behind the rear seat armrest is a small door that can be opened to allow long items, such as skis to pass through and be carried inside the auto.
"We felt there was a market for (a sedan) in this country, looking at the BMWs and Mercedes," Ventrilio said. Other competitiors include the Audi 200 and Volvo 760 series, he said.
The test 9000 CD had leather interior, so the base price was nearly $32,000. Standard features included sunroof, anti-theft alarm, and AM-FM stereo-cassette with seven-band graphic equalizer.
Fit and finish inside and out was superb. The front seats were immensely comfortable, having been orthopedically shaped for support without causing drowsiness or muscle tension.
The front seats also were heated, had eight-way power adjustment and lumbar support. The dashboard was easy to read - no digital stuff here. Even the clock was the traditional model with hands.
The interior was spacious, although a 6-foot-2 fellow complained his head brushed the roof when he sat in the back seat. But legroom was clearly adequate, and the car could carry five in fine style.
Saab also has nice touches. The company put red lights at the opening of the seat belt fasteners so they are easier to find at night. The center console storage space had a subtle green light inside, not a glaring, bright one. And all the knobs in the instrument panel are rounded, so there's no protruding, dangerous elements in a crash. Saab has one of the highest owner loyalty records in the industry.
"Our dealers tell us they've been selling to some of the same people for the last 20 years," Ventrilio said. Buyers typically are males in their early 40s. They are highly affluent and college educated, according to Ventrilio.
It looks as if the 9000 CD could bring in even more buyers as the company looks to expand in the West and Sunbelt. Ventrilio said since the 9000 CDs were available in decent quantities starting in January, the cars outsold their sibling, the 9000 hatchback models for each of the first three months of 1989.
In total, 879 of the 9000 CDs were sold in the period, and Ventrilio says the company plans to import 4,700 this year. Consumer Reports magazine has no rating on the new model but ranked the 1986 9000 Turbo average in owner reports of trouble. The 1987 model ranked worse than average.