2008 Saab 9-5
midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2002-09 models built after November 2001
Tested vehicle: 2002 Saab 9-5 Arc 4-door
The Saab 9-5 was re-engineered for the 2002 model year with structural changes to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes. All 2002 and later 9-5 models manufactured after November 2001 also include airbag modifications to further improve occupant protection (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door).
The tested car was manufactured after the modifications had been made.
The frontal offset crash test ratings also apply to the station wagon version of the 9-5, known as the SportCombi, beginning with 2002 and later models manufactured after November 2001.
The 9-5 was modestly restyled for the 2006 model year.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well.
Smeared greasepaint indicates where the dummy's head hit the B-pillar, roof rail, and head restraint during rebound. Head accelerations from these hits were low.
Forces on the right knee and lower leg were high enough to indicate the possibility of injuries.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEF0208 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 12 |
| Left (cm) | 15 |
| Center (cm) | 15 |
| Right (cm) | 17 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 10 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 4 |
| Right (cm) | 2 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 3 |
| Rearward (cm) | 1 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 4 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEF0208 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 206 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 34 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.2 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 15 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.27 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 29 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 2.6 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 5.0 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 1 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 13 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.40 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.90 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 1.3 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 5.4 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 105 |
| Right | 76 |
Side: original test
Rating applies to 1999-2009 models
Tested vehicle: 2004 Saab 9-5 Arc 4-door with standard front seat-mounted combination head and torso airbags
The Saab 9-5 was introduced in the 1999 model year. Although engineering changes were made to improve frontal crashworthiness beginning with 2002 models built after November 2001, these changes were not expected to affect side-impact performance.
The 9-5 was modestly restyled for the 2006 model year.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection The dummy's head was hit by the pillar behind the rear passenger door and the window glass and window sill of the rear door. The pillar is required by federal standard to provide some protection for occupants' heads. The impacts with the window glass and sill did not produce high head injury measures, but the head protection is inadequate. |
|
View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.
View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbag and damage to the occupant compartment.
Action shot taken during the side impact crash test showing the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side airbag.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy's head was hit by the pillar behind the rear passenger door and the window glass and window sill of the rear door.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES0409 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -2.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CES0409 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 186 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.2 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 39 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.7 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 26 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 20 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.73 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.39 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 2.9 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 3.0 |
| Combined force (kN) | 5.7 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.8 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 63 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 34 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | CES0409 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 281 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Compression (kN) | 1.3 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 40 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.8 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 44 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 33 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.75 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.62 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.8 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.3 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 1.0 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 161 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | -48 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: All seats AHR
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | All seats AHR |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 32 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 48 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Fail |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 11.0 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 72 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 12 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 337 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.