The Saab 9-3 is one of those places, and we’re still deciding if it’s an unlikely candidate for "rightness" or not. General Motors’ Swedish-car department seems to have lost its way somewhat lately, with Subaru- and Chevrolet-based additions to the lineup, but the 9-3 is much more of a pure Saab creation, with lines that resemble those of classic Saabs. It’s available as a four-door sedan, station wagon-like SportCombi, or a two-door convertible. This car is the spiritual descendant of the 900 sedans and hatchbacks that helped to forge Saab’s reputation as a car as sturdy as it was quirky.
Most folks will recognize the 9-3 as a Saab product, in spite of a design that’s been watered down somewhat by General Motors. The four-element grille is distinctive, and the rounded and tapering front end is also a Saab hallmark. From the side it’s a bit more generic, but a strong character line that rises from front to rear and creates a subtle wedge effect ensures that the 9-3 won’t fade completely into the woodwork. For 2006 Saab has dropped the "Linear" and "Arc" models whose geometry-based names were the delight of nerds everywhere, and merged the two lines into a single base model. Even so, the 9-3 retains its basic Saabness even in the face of GM ownership and platform-sharing.
The most brazenly Saab-ish aspects of the 9-3 - the ignition key mounted in the floor, "night panel" dashboard blackout button and aircraft-style air vents - seem more like affectations than purposeful innovations these days. The 9-3 is comfortable and well-built, however. The seats are comfy chairs that pleased a number of different passengers during our test drive, and the interior is surprisingly spacious. Handsome red walnut trim is available. The optional navigation system allows the 9-3 to keep up with the Joneses of the luxury car market, but the small screen and tricky controls make it one of the least helpful systems we’ve used.
The 9-3 is undeniably a long-legged, confident handler that eats up freeway miles with gusto. A choice of turbocharged engines is offered; a 2.0 liter four-cylinder in base models and a 2.8 liter V6 for the Aero line. The base model we drove was a bit turbo-laggy from a standstill, but the 210 horsepower still offers an entertaining drive. The V6 in the Aero makes 250 horsepower and probably doesn’t do wonders for the 9-3’s tendency to exhibit a bit of torque steer in four-cylinder form. Transmissions are similarly split between model lines; a five-speed manual or automatic is offered in the base 9-3, and a six-speed manual or automatic in the Aero. We drove the five-speed automatic and found it to be a generally agreeable gearbox, with smooth shifts and admirable response times.
In spite of the turbo lag and wobbly wheel under power, the 9-3 has that all-important measure of rightness to its handling. The independent suspension includes a carefully tuned four-link rear that offers a degree of rear-wheel steering but maintains lateral stiffness; as a result, the 9-3 turns in eagerly and without feeling loose. Understeer is predictable and doesn’t spoil the fun. On the road, the 9-3 feels alive and eager to be driven, rather than bored with mundane tasks. It’ll run at high speeds with a Mercedes-like lack of drama; we sometimes found ourselves going faster than we intended, in fact. Thankfully for your license, the 9-3 will haul itself down from speed without drama as well, thanks to standard anti-lock brakes.
It’s a nice little package that often goes unnoticed in the constant flow of new luxury and mid-luxury cars from Europe. Enthusiasts will enjoy the 9-3 for its road manners; Saab fans will like it for the familiar quirks that haven’t been ironed out by General Motors. The rest of you will just have to meet the Saab and decide for yourselves. The 9-3 starts at $25,900. Our test car was equipped with heated seats and a navigation system, and stickered for $32,960.
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by Chris Jackson
www.car-data.com
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