It’s not very often I get to see much of the bonnet of a car when I’m behind the wheel, because of my smaller height or due to the steep slope of the car front. Even with the seat pumped up.

My other half says he doesn’t feel at all comfortable in a car if he can’t see the bonnet, and I’ve heard other male drivers say the same.

So being able to see so much of the front metal of the Saab 9-5 made a big impact on me, especially when it came to parking the big car, which is about as big as it gets. That, and the park assist which in the review car was an optional extra.

The car was the Saab 9-5 2.2-litre 125bhp TiD turbo diesel introduced here earlier this year. It comes with 1,215 enhancements on the previous 9-5 and will appeal to those seeking a big luxury car but who are discreet drivers, not looking for a big badge.

As Saab is a Swedish make, you get used to the lights being on all the time - as with all Nordic cars. With many local authorities here now asking motorists to drive with their lights at all times so as to be easily seen and so reduce accidents, this car fits that bill without having to switch the lights on.

I particularly enjoyed my spell with Saab 9-5, and revelled in its making light work of driving in heavy traffic due to its huge low down torque and the electronic acceleration control. Releasing the clutch gently allowed the car to pick itself up without the need to touch the accelerator, doing the stop-go job nicely for me especially in that never ending drag out the Naas Road in the late afternoon. End result - a less stressful journey home.

There’s also something about a big car that gives a woman a feeling of safety especially when she’s driving alone.

The review car came with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Automatic transmission is E3,000 extra.

The car is easy to drive and has a nice solid feel to it. Ride and handling are sharper than in the previous model because of a retuned chassis. The engine, though, is quite noisy and takes a bit of getting used to, especially in lower gears. The gearshift, though, works a treat.

Steering in the Saab 9-5 was ideal for me - not too heavy or light. The same goes for the brakes which don’t grab when applied but respond as they should.

Inside, the cabin is extremely spacious and quite luxurious. The review car came in shades of mid to a darker grey - a nice contrast to all the wood trim on the dash. Big leather seats are comfy and offer good support.

There’s a lot of attention to detail in this car. Take the leather gear shift, stitched on top with directions in a dark colour. The control panel on the centre console is in the same grey colour as the seats and the plastic material on top and looks well.

Instruments are easy to see and read at a glance, all incorporated into the one big screen and all are clearly visible through the top of the steering wheel. The big speedometer is bang in the centre, where it should be.

Good too is the radio which is easy to use, with a nice big knob for the sound control. I also liked the low scuttle line which affords better visibility for someone my height, and which, of course is part of the reason why I could see the bonnet, as mentioned when I started this piece.

Height also comes into play when, as in most cars, I have to move my seat forward a lot so as to get a good driving position, and so can’t prop my elbow on the front arm rest. While the seat moves forward, the armrest stays put.

The glove compartment is a little misleading in size as the bottom of the dash caves in to allow fairly huge passenger legroom space. Door bins are good but not huge and there are none at all behind. Cupholders are nicely engineered and ‘pop out’ when you want them. You’ll find them in the dash and in the rear armrest.

Talking about rear, the Saab has quite a massive boot. I’m assured it will accommodate four golf bags. That should go down well with the golfing fraternity.

They’d also be pleased with the combined fuel consumption of around 34.2mpg, not bad for a big car this size.

Another plus for motorists who don’t like the distraction of so many lights on the dash, they can use the night panel switch which turns off all inside lights except the speedometer. It just makes night driving that little bit less distracting.

And when you reach home, as with all Saabs, you have to put the gearshift into reverse to be able to remove the key, effectively locking the car into gear. The key is located to the left of the driver’s seat, behind the gearshift.

Standard equipment across the 9-5 range includes ABS, Side Impact protection, active head restraints, front drivers and passengers airbags, front side airbags and Saab’s anti-theft protection alarm and dual zone automatic climate with controls for driver and passenger.

Customers will pay E44,450 for the very basic specification, but can pay up to E48,450 for the top of the range. The car comes in Linear, Arc and Vector trims. The 2.2-litre TiD turbo diesel with the Arc trim is priced at E48,350.

Competitors include the Audi A6, Ford Mondeo upper levels and the BMW 5 series.

And especially for you guys reading this, if you hear a wolf whistle, it’s probably not from the woman parking her Saab 9-5, but from her car which has a very similar sound when the remote is blipped! Don’t take offence.