The Saab 9-5 has 18 cu ft of cargo space. In practice that is 3 checked suitcases, or 9 carry-ons, or about 14 supermarket bags. A folded pushchair fits. Against 286 cars with a similar-sized cabin it sits above the average of 17.4 cu ft.
What actually fits in a 9-5
Cubic feet are an abstraction — 18 cu ft means nothing until you load it. Here is the same number in things people actually load, 3 checked cases or 9 carry-ons for the Saab 9-5, with a packing allowance — a boot is not a cube, and corners go to waste.
| What you are loading | How many fit | Each item |
|---|---|---|
| Checked suitcases | 3 | 27 × 21 × 14″ — 4.6 cu ft |
| Carry-on cases | 9 | 22 × 14 × 9″ — 1.6 cu ft |
| Supermarket bags | 14 | about 1 cu ft each |
| Golf bags | 2 | full set, about 5 cu ft |
| Folded pushchair | Fits | about 6 cu ft |
Counts assume 80% usable volume: luggage does not tessellate, and a wheel arch eats the rest.
Cabin or boot — where the space went
Every car is a fixed envelope, and designers decide how to split it between people and things — the Saab 9-5 gives 15.3% of its 118 cu ft to luggage. The share below is the honest way to compare an estate with a coupé of the same footprint, and among 286 cars with a cabin within eight cubic feet of the Saab 9-5 the boot averages 17.4 cu ft.
| Space | Volume | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger cabin | 100 cu ft | |
| Cargo area | 18 cu ft | |
| Total interior | 118 cu ft |
A typical split for a family car: room for people first, luggage second.
Against cars with a similar cabin
Compared with 286 models whose passenger space is within eight cubic feet — a fairer group than marketing classes, which put an estate and a coupé in the same bracket.
| Measure | This car | Similar cars | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo volume | 18 cu ft | 17.4 cu ft | +0.6 cu ft |
| In checked suitcases | 3 | 3 | +0 |
Cars with the same room
Closest matches by trunk volume — useful when the boot is the deciding factor and the badge is not. The Saab 9-5 sits at 18 cu ft, so these are the cars that carry the same load.
| Car | Trunk volume | vs Saab 9-5 | Checked suitcases | Measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln MKS | 0 cu ft | 3 | 2016 | |
| Infiniti EX35 | +1 cu ft | 3 | 2012 | |
| Pontiac G8 | -1 cu ft | 2 | 2009 | |
| Chevrolet Impala Limited | +1 cu ft | 3 | 2016 | |
| Buick Lucerne | -1 cu ft | 2 | 2011 | |
| Infiniti QX50 | +1 cu ft | 3 | 2017 |
Boot space is one number. Buying is a longer list.
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How we count
Cargo and passenger volumes come from EPA interior-volume records — the same figures manufacturers file for the window sticker, measured to a standard method rather than claimed in a brochure.
The luggage counts are ours — 3 checked cases for the Saab 9-5 come out of its 18 cu ft. We assume 80% usable volume, because a boot is not a cube: wheel arches, a sloping tailgate and the shape of the cases themselves waste the rest, which is why the Saab 9-5 counts as 14.4 cu ft of usable space rather than 18. Suitcase sizes are the airline standards — 22 × 14 × 9″ for carry-on, 27 × 21 × 14″ for checked, so the Saab 9-5 takes 9 of the small ones. Numbers are deliberately conservative; if we say four cases fit, four cases fit.
Frequently asked questions
How much cargo space does the Saab 9-5 have?
18 cu ft behind the rear seats, plus 100 cu ft of passenger cabin.
How many suitcases fit in a 9-5?
About 3 checked cases (27 × 21 × 14″) or 9 carry-ons, allowing for the fact that a boot is not a perfect cube.
Will a pushchair fit in a 9-5?
Yes — a folded pushchair takes roughly 6 cu ft and this car has 18, so it fits with room for shopping.
Is that a lot for this size of car?
Compared with 286 cars of a similar cabin size, it is above the average of 17.4 cu ft.
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