How reliable is the Saab 9-5 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Saab 9-5, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 65.6% across 6,721 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What do testers most often warn about on a Saab 9-5?

The most common advisory is "Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users", noted on 25.6% of all Saab 9-5 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Saab 9-5 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 124,860 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Saab 9-5 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Saab 9-5 cars tested, 70% are petrol, 30% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Saab 9-5 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 6,721 recorded MOT tests of the Saab 9-5, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 6,721 MOT tests, 65.6% of Saab 9-5 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Saab 9-5 fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, which appears in 15.6% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 124,860 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

65.6%unadjusted, not comparable6,721 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the 9-5. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 6,721 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Saab 9-5 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning15.6%
299 occurrencesLamp not working explained
2.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired11.4%
219 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
3.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement10.0%
192 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
4.Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction9.3%
178 occurrencesEngine management light on, or not working explained
5.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements8.7%
166 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
6.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements8.7%
166 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.5%
162 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
8.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.9%
152 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
9.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen7.1%
136 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
10.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded7.0%
135 occurrencesBrake pipe corroded explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Saab 9-5 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users25.6%
1,721 tests
2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements23.8%
1,599 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
3.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded20.8%
1,398 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
4.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured17.8%
1,195 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn17.2%
1,153 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
6.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded15.8%
1,059 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
7.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened15.1%
1,013 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
8.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded13.4%
899 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained

What gets tested

The 9-5 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 124,860
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol69.9%
Diesel30.0%

Trim names grouped into this model (24)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

9-5 AERO
9-5 AERO AN 2.3T HOT A
9-5 AERO AUTO
9-5 AERO S-A
9-5 AERO TURBO4 AUTO
9-5 AERO TURBO6 XWD AUTO
9-5 AUTO
9-5 LINEAR
9-5 LINEAR HEARSE
9-5 LINEAR SE TID 150 A
9-5 LINEAR SPORT 2.0T
9-5 LINEAR SPORT 2.0T S-A
9-5 LINEAR SPORT TID
9-5 LINEAR SPORT TID AUTO
9-5 SE V6 TURBO AUTO
9-5 TURBO EDITION B/P A
9-5 VECTOR SE TID4
9-5 VECTOR SE TID4 AUTO
9-5 VECTOR SE TTID4
9-5 VECTOR SPORT 2.0T
9-5 VECTOR SPORT 2.0T S-A
9-5 VECTOR SPORT 2.3T S-A
9-5 VECTOR SPORT TID
9-5 VECTOR SPORT TID AUTO

Check a specific Saab 9-5

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Saab models

Saab 9-3 — 63.6% unadjusted
Saab 900 — 63.5% unadjusted
All Saab models

Common questions

How reliable is the Saab 9-5 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Saab 9-5, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 65.6% across 6,721 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Saab 9-5?: The item recorded most often is "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning", which appears in 15.6% of failed Saab 9-5 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Saab 9-5?: The most common advisory is "Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users", noted on 25.6% of all Saab 9-5 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Saab 9-5 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 124,860 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Saab 9-5 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Saab 9-5 cars tested, 70% are petrol, 30% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.