An affordable, sporting and appealing alternative "sport sedan"

I should start off by clarifying. I own a 2005 model Saab 9-3 "Linear" 2.0t Sport Sedan, and my father just purchased a 2006 9-3 Aero V6. This review will cover both vehicles. Also, for some strange reason (probably GM's positioning of Saab as a "luxury" vehicle) everyone seems to want to compare these cars to BMWs, Audis and Mercedes even though they're really more on-par with VWs and Volvos... I will do the same just for argument's sake.

I should also tell you about myself. I'm a 29-year-old auto repair shop manager. My wife and I have owned several different vehicles over the past 8 years. I consider myself an automotive enthusiast, but not in the same way writers for "Motor Trend" and such are.

The Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan range can be somewhat confusing as far as engine and trim combinations go. Especially since they change from one year to the next at times. In 2005, when I purchased mine, there were three trims: Linear, Arc and Aero. The Linear (or base model) featured a 2.0t (notice the little "t") turbo four-cylinder engine that is no longer available. The Arc and Aero both came equipped with a 2.0T engine (big "T"... actually the same engine as the 2.0t, but with a more powerful turbo), with the Arc being trimmed more for luxury and the Aero more for sporting appeal and handling. For 2006, the Linear and Arc monikers have been dropped and the base model simply renamed for the engine it carries: 2.0T. The 2.0T basically offers the same equipment as the previous Arc, only minus the wood effect interior garnishes and swapping wheels with the Linear. The big news for 2006 is the "new" Aero. The Aero trim actually goes forward largely unchanged... except under the hood. A new to Saab turbocharged 2.8L V-6 is now there in place of the 2.0T (officially, in Saab-ese, this new engine is called the 2.8T). This new V-6 engine offers 250hp and 250ft-lbs of torque, and is based on the GM 2.8L V-6 found in the Cadillac CTS.

I purchased my 9-3 to replace a 2003 Nissan 350Z 6MT that had unfortunately been very problematic and had also been somewhat disappointing in "real world" performance. All the track performance data, skidpad results and 0-60 times performed by magazine guys don't mean a car is fun to drive on a commute... unless all you're looking for is horsepower bragging rights to your buddies. So let's start our review of the 9-3 there.

Simply put, the Saab 9-3 in either 2.0T or Aero (2.8T) guise will not give you horsepower bragging ability. Nor 0-60 time bragging ability or much anything else. If you primarily value what Road & Track scores a car... well, buy a BMW. What it does give you is plenty of low to mid-range torque on demand. This means virtually rocketing forth from a stop and passing most other cars on the highway as though they're standing still. What it won't get you is massive top speed or the ability to beat a modified Mustang Cobra at the drag strip. As if you care.

The four-cylinder 2.0T has a slight amount of turbo-lag (a delay between pressing the pedal and power response from the engine caused by the turbocharger having to "spin up"), but the 2.8T V-6 in the Aero has practically none, especially once the vehicle is moving for passing maneuvers. Some people really, really hate turbo lag... I guess it's one of those things you'll need to drive for yourself and see if it bothers you or not. I personally find it exciting and that it adds some interesting technique to driving, since manipulating the RPM range allows you to control the behavior of the turbo... I guess it depends on how much of a "motorhead" or "engineering geek" you are. Other people just find it annoying.

Other than massive torque, the other big benefit of a turbocharger is improved fuel economy. You won't find too many other 210 or 250-horsepower cars that can attain upwards of 30mpg on the highway. The four-cylinder model can easily acheive 24-27mpg in the city... mine averages around 26mpg in a fair amount of stop-and-go. Keep in mind you'll need to feed it premium, given the turbo.

The 2.0T comes standard with a 5-speed manual that has a bit of a long throw, but is easily manipulated. The same can be said for the 6-speed manual fitted to the Aero 2.8T. Both have enough nice, positive engagement feel to be sporty, and have big meaty leather clad shift knobs. They aren't so notchy as to be difficult, however, and can actually be hustled through shifts nicely despite the non-sporting throw distance. The automatic trannys perform well, and are quite responsive. The "manu-matic" shift-yourself mode works well, but is kind of a novelty as it is on most cars with this feature.

Handling is another area of judging a vehicle's performance that many people are prejudicial about. It's also highly subjective. Throwing skidpad numbers aside (which really aren't that bad for this car in either trim level... the Aero actually scores rather respectably), either car handles with aplomb. While certainly some drivers may feel front-wheel drive is less than optimum, in real-world conditions it's fantastic. On the track, under controlled conditions, of course everyone would prefer rear-drive such as a BMW has. You can do nifty things like drift, throttle-steer and other such things. For those of us that are mere mortals and that drive on public highways in traffic, we won't get the opportunity to do much of that. Not without causing an accident or attracting the ire of the police. Never mind that there is loose gravel, sometimes rain and snow in our way... all of which are more dangerous with rear-drive. The 9-3 carves up curves and twists nicely. I find myself able to take curves and hold lines as well as I could in my 350Z, and in fact, I can do so even better in inclement weather thanks to front drive. Some say the front-wheel drive just doesn't "feel" right compared to rear-wheel... well, Saab has tried to compensate for that with their "ReAxis" passive rear-wheel steering system. It does make the car feel more like a rear-driver... but you still can't make it "push".

I find no complaints in either the 2.0T or Aero's ability to corner or do emergency maneuvers. The 2.0T is slightly more compliant (probably a combination of a slightly less stiff suspension and taller sidewalls on the 16-inch wheels) while the Aero is taught and muscular feeling on its lowered suspension and 17" low-profile tires. Neither's ride is punishing, but it certainly isn't a Buick, either. Basically the 2.0T offers a nice compromise between comfort and performance, while the Aero takes a slight bias toward performance and sacrifices a bit of the compliance found in the 2.0T.

The exterior styling of the 9-3 is understated and classic. I am confident it will appear just as beautiful in 10 or 20 years as it does today. The car retains the now-trademark Saab 3-section grille and tail lamp shape from the previous 9-3/GM900 bodystyle, but dresses it up in a 9-5 influenced 4-door sedan body that is sufficiently swoopy and stately at the same time from any angle. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of older Saabs which look horribly dated now, nor of much of the current competition, particularly the Audis and BMWs that have become so terribly avant-garde lately. They will stick out in automotive styling history like sporty Japanese cars from the mid-80's do today. Some may prefer the edgier, more complex lines of competitors regardless. Those who prefer their sport to be a little less conspicuous will find respite in Saab's lines. Build quality is "above average" with a few fitment issues occasionally seen in some examples, but with most fitting solidly and with minimal, if any, rattles. Paint is applied beautifully and slick, and seems quite durable.

The interior is a subject of much debate since the 9-3's debut. Materials quality is overall above average and comparable to higher-line Volkswagens and Volvos. Soft-touch plastics are used throughout, as well as rubber-skinned soft-touch buttons and grips. It is not quite as nice as a BMW or Mercedes, so long as the BMW has actual leather and not fake "leatherette". The interior is about as understated as the exterior, aside from the Aero with its rakish seats with two-tone inserts, which will remind one of a BMW M3 of bygone years. The overall design is best described as "classic Eurosedan with Saab quirks". That means there are strange but nifty (at least in my opinion) touches here and there, such as the center console ignition, fold and spin cupholder, cooled glovebox, weird-looking but functional headrests, SID (Saab Information Display) center-dash HUD (more on "him" later), etc.

Leather seating surfaces are comfortable and supple, but I know some will prefer the 2.0T to have more bucketing (the Aero's seats are almost Recaro-esque in contrast). The interior comes in an off-white "parchment" color and a dark grey (both with a black dash and upper door color), both of which exude a certain air of clean design and uniqueness. One quality niggle that has been persistent with this vehicle is that buttons that are often used may find their rubber skin peeling off in a few years. Electronics quality issues of previous years of this bodystyle seem to be gone.

Many people also find the climate and radio controls to be confusing... I believe the term often used is "sea of buttons". There are quite a few, and the design harkens back to early 90's high-end eurocars such as Mercedes, where it seemed like the amount (and ambiguity) of buttons on the dash was a sign of affluence. In reality, the Saab's buttons are not too hard to figure out, and are actually quite logical. But, compared to most other cars that have simplified their controls, this may seem a tad dated. Controls all have a nice positive feel to them, and I like the layout of the switchgear on the stalks. Having a knob rather than a button for volume is a plus to me, but not having a number or "bar graph" readout for volume level may seem weird at first. It is worth noting that many functions, such as speed-dependent volume, instrument panel lighting behavior, trip computer functions, etc. can be customized to each driver's liking. Let us also not forget the expected oddity of the center console mounted ignition switch... it's now operated by a totally electronic key, which means that the 9-3 is almost truly theft-proof.

A note is that in 2007 the 9-3's dash has been simplified quite a bit, particularly in the radio and climate areas... unfortunately, it has seen the demise of the top-center mounted SID (Saab Information Display) screen that acted much like a HUD for important info, trip computer functions and radio dislay. I actually rather liked the unique SID display present on my 2005 and my father's 2006 model 9-3.

The sound systems on the 9-3 have also been subject of some criticism. They are more than adequate in my opinion, having plenty of bass and mid-range capability, and a nice clear sound. Unfortunately, there is some noise/hiss and in these days of subwoofers and big amps, the amount of "loudness" may not satisfy everyone. Steering-wheel controls for most common CD-player and radio tuning functions are standard and work very nicely. Unfortunately, there are two phone integration related buttons that don't do anything on US cars.

Cabin space is rather nice... there is enough rear leg room to accomodate all but very tall/large adults. One might be surprised at how commodious the accomodations are considering the outer dimensions and the competition. The trunk is also nicely large. Front seats adjust to accomodate tall and short alike, and the steering wheel manually telescopes, which is a very welcome thing as well.

Safety is standout on the Saab. It has been rated very highly both in the US and abroad for crash-worthiness. It also sports all sorts of standard airbags and stability-control features that fortunately aren't terribly intrusive to sporting driving styles (they can be turned off if you absolutely must, but I find they nannies aren't too prudish not to allow you a little wheelspin when you want it).

Maintenance cost on these vehicles are negligible during the warranty period (which is 4 years for the entire car), because Saab includes all required maintenance during the warranty. It should be noted, however, than many people particular about their cars may want to change the oil more frequently than the recommended 12000 miles, however. Do-it-yourselfers will find oil changes to be relatively easy so long as you have the right tools, and not terribly expensive, even though the car requires Mobil1 Synthetic oil. Once outside warranty, however, it should be noted that maintenance and repair can get expensive, particularly if you pay the dealer to do it rather than doing it yourself or an independent mechanic... it is European, after all.

Pricing is great on both models. One should be able to negotiate a purchase price of around what one would pay for a Toyota Camry for the 2.0T (mid 20's), and something well under similar high-performance sports sedans for the Aero (just over $30k), depending on how they are optioned. And while we're talking about options, it should be noted that both trims come very well equipped, with only certain matters of taste left to be purchased separately, such as a sunroof, auto tranny and heated seats. One downer is that like some other Euro makes, Saab charges extra for "metallic" (non-solid) colors. What this means is that both Saabs offer appearance, equipment and performance more akin to a BMW or Audi for "average family sedan" pricing. Beats the heck out of a Jetta anyday. Insurance costs also seem to be a bit lower than similar vehicles, largely due to low theft rates and good safety.

All in all, I highly recommend the Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan. If you can appreciate great, if quirky, design and desire something a bit different from the crowd with great "real life" performance at a good price, you'll like this car.