Handling and steering response are terrific. It's fun to accelerate at the apex of a turn and feel the car pull you around the rest of the way, as the chassis and suspension hug the road. Saab extensively reworked the chassis and suspension of all three models last year for sharper handling and steering response. As a result, the 9-5 offers a great degree of control and driver confidence while still providing excellent feedback.

Some of the changes were particularly beneficial for the Arc model with its heavier V6 engine. There's less suspension pitching or other movements in the rear. The ride is firmer, but we found the Arc handles bumps well, damping and softening big bumps. We found the Arc offered good grip in corners, though, there is some traditional Saab body lean. Steering was slow, but precise.

For its part, the Aero feels firm over quick, light bumps. The chassis jounces up and down a noticeable amount. It's not sharp, nor uncomfortable, but if you peek out the corners of your eyes to the edges of the windshield, you can see the bouncing. The steering remains very steady through this, although less so when the power is on. Torque steer, that tugging sensation on the steering wheel when accelerating hard in a powerful front-wheel-drive car, is minimal in the 9-5, even in the 250-horsepower Aero, but it does exist. We noticed a slight amount of road vibration coming through the steering wheel of the Aero at low speeds, but this allows the driver to better read changing road surfaces. The Michelin Pilot tires on our 9-5 Aero were superb, quiet, yet responsive for handling and threshold braking.

The 9-5 is very quiet on the freeway. We noticed only the slightest hiss of wind noise, which went away when we closed the interior panel under the sunroof.

The Aero offers quick, responsive performance with its 250-horsepower turbocharged engine. It can generate impressive acceleration from a standing start. But the Aero's engine is best appreciated on the open highway. Squeeze down on the throttle while cruising at 70 mph, and you are instantly past that string of cars clunking along. It's easy to modulate the throttle, to get just as much thrust as you need. Squeeze gently on the gas and more power sends the car smoothly ahead. Push down harder and this is one quick ride.

The Arc offers up plenty of power from its V6 engine and the five-speed automatic is smooth and responsive. The Arc's V6 isn't as smooth as, say, an Audi engine, however.

We found the five-speed automatic transmission very responsive, downshifting smoothly to the appropriate gear without wasting time. Five gears (instead of four) keep the engine revving in the ideal power band for better response. For 2003, the Sentronic manual-shifting feature comes standard with all automatics. In the Normal mode, the transmission works like a normal automatic transmission. Choosing the manual model allows the driver to change gears by pressing a pair of buttons on the steering wheel. There's also a Sport mode that works like an automatic with sportier shift mapping. We found it made the shifting abrupt and less willing, however, at least on the V6-powered Arc. There's also a Winter mode for stable traction off line in icy conditions. We prefer the Normal mode, letting the responsive five-speed automatic do its thing.

Manual transmissions shift smoothly, especially when shifting between third and fourth gears. The clutch is hydraulically actuated and feels spring. Heel-and-toe downshifting is enjoyable. Saabs with manual transmissions have to be shifted into reverse before you can pull the key out.

The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is standard on all 9-5 models for 2003. It helps drivers maintain control by selectively applying the brakes to individual wheels to correct a skid. If the driver goes into a corner too fast for the conditions the system can correct for oversteer (when the rear tires skid) by applying the brakes to the outer wheels to gently bring the car back into line. The system also works when a slippery road causes the car to understeer (when the nose of the car starts to push wide instead of following its intended course). Saab worked closely with Bosch, the German company that supplies the system, to achieve optimum tuning. Saab tested the system extensively in the slippery Scandinavian Arctic and at very high speeds at the Hockenheim racing circuit in Germany. Saab claims its stability program is one of the best in the world.

The 9-5 is equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and an electronic traction control system (TCS). ESP works with the rest of this alphabet soup, helping the driver to maintain control in all sorts of conditions. It allows the driver to maintain steering control when jamming on the brakes, while stopping the car in the shortest possible distance.

Brakes on the Arc and Aero models were upgraded last year (2002). The rear discs were made larger and were vented for improved cooling during hard braking. We didn't try threshold braking repeatedly; but several hard, ABS stops from 70 mph showed that the brakes are extremely effective, bringing both the Aero and the Arc to a rapid, but uneventful halt. Whether used for a panic-stop or high-performance applications, the Saab 9-5's brakes are up to the task.

Optional bi-xenon lights are a huge improvement over even regular composite halogens, though the high beams seem to flare a bit.