I may be the only commenter here with a Saab as my daily driver (9-5 model). The appeal for me is partly design, as this article notes, but many other factors as well: it's fun to drive the manual turbo, a sedan with great cargo capacity (e.g. the skis easily fit in the trunk with pass-thru to back seat), known safety record, durability (yes things need to be fixed but they are generally not terminal issues), tows the trailer/boat fine with 3500# tow ability, good in snow (not AWD but gets the job done), etc. It's a labor of love but I think next step for me is a small utility pickup which won't be anywhere near as fun to drive.
You're not the only one. I still drive a 2005 Saab 9-5, but the station wagon. It is really comfortable to drive compared to other cars (I've driven mostly new Volvos, especially V40 and XC40 and I prefer the Saab any time).
I'm Swedish though, and my mom used to work at Saab back in the day when I grew up (as most of the people in that town did then).
Chiming in here from Finland as another 9-5 owner, 2001 model. Also a station wagon (or "farmari" as the Finns like to call it).
Definitely a much-loved model, I get appreciative comments regularly from middle-aged men whose formative years were clearly spent in Saabs. When I went to the Mercedes car dealership last weekend (thinking about upgrading to an electric vehicle), the salesman was in such raptures over my Saab he nearly forgot to try and sell me a new car.
