Automobile.com Blog

By: Nathan D. Adlen

I’m not the only one! Many people have had a moment in their life that forced them to hide a deep rooted desire. Perhaps it was something that you liked or wanted. For me, high school was the pinnacle of my hidden life. I hid the fact that I liked Duran Duran and Depeche Mode from my heavy metal and punk friends. I hid the fact I was involved with drama from the guys on the football team and I never told my cousin that I had a crush on his SAAB. I drove a 65’ Mustang back then - yup, I was a big faker.

Now that I’ve come clean, I have to confess my knee-jerk reaction to General Motors acquiring SAAB was negative. With the massive parts and platform sharing (which began in earnest in the mid 90s) I was concerned that General Motors might take away SAAB’s individuality. To me, SAAB was as different as wearing a tuxedo with a mohawk and Converse high tops. It’s not that I hated GM, but SAAB was so unique, eccentric and cool compared to your run-of-the-mill transportation. I was bracing for the worst.

Apparently, my worries were unjustified as I sampled a 1999 9-3 and enjoyed every minute (despite the noticeable torque steer when pulling through low speed corners). SAAB made great cars that were engineered better than anything else sold in the US and the new generation looked promising. The avant-garde boxy shapes of the past are gone. However, the new sleek designs still look like what a SAAB should be. Also, the hatchback is discontinued leaving a nice station wagon in its place called the “Sportcombi.”

I opted to look at the bargain-basement 9-3 Sport Sedan which will run just a bit over 30 grand if you lay off many options. Still, this thing is loaded with tons of standard features and is in my estimation one of the best values out there. You get a standard 2.0 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder that’s good for 210 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque way down at 2000 rpm. Despite the excellent power, I averaged about 25 MPG on mixed driving and I have a bit of a lead foot.

Before I continue, let me state that I liked this car so much that I nearly forgot about its newest brother, the all-wheel-drive Turbo X which will compete directly with all-wheel-drive luxury cars from BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volvo, Lexus and so on. I can’t wait to get my hands on one and if the buzz I’ve heard is any indication, this will be a great machine.

The 9-3 was very well appointed with leather trim, 8 way (very comfortable) driver’s seat and several driver’s aids such as expensive looking 16 inch wheels, traction control, electronic stability control, ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, SAAB’s exclusive Active Head Restraint (which helps prevent whiplash using the head-rests) and the standard litany of airbags and restraints. Combine this with some of the highest safety ratings available and you are off to an excellent start for a base model.

I am not as enthusiastic about safety packaging as I am about having fun while driving and the 9-3 does not disappoint. Before you test drive one, don’t fall into the ideals set up by my contemporaries about comparing this car to the rear or all-wheel-drive competition. It has great grip and SAAB has excised the torque-steer demon, making the 9-3 a fantastic cornering machine. On its own, you gain excellent feel for the road and it takes no time to get a gist as to what the tires are doing. Dropping a gear and squirting out of a tight corner is a pleasure and you are rewarded with a pleasant whoosh from the engine.

On the highway, the SAAB is a very pleasant ride. You can tell it is a tight car that registers the shape of the highway, but it is never intrusive and is on par with many far more expensive machines. Backseat comfort is fine so long as a tall person does not sit behind another tall person. Front seat comfort and visibility is top notch and this is one of the few cars whose pillars are positioned in such a way that they do not cut outward sight lines.

Looking at the exterior, it did not take me long to see the massive improvements over the older SAABs in quality and design (just like the interior). The tight body panel gaps and slick rake of the SAAB looks downright attractive – especially in dark colors. No lines are over exaggerated and the darkening of the ice sculpture-like taillights along with the new, steel trim are great additions. I dare say it is a nice car to behold, inside and out.

The interior is rather mellow, nothing overstated and the two tone trim gives off a premium feel. I like the high placement of the audio and comfort controls which were fairly easy to use. Though I feel the key placement between the seats is a bit gimmicky (a SAAB nostalgia bit) and wastes space, it is kind of handy for those who have lots of junk on their keychain and are sick of it striking their right knee as they drive.

To my surprise the glove compartment is cooled to about 45 degrees using the AC system and can hold good sized bottles (many Chrysler built cars have this option too). Standard heated mirrors were a real plus too. It took less than five minutes to melt off a fairly thick buildup of slushy ice, with no assistance from me – nice. Love the trick drink holder too; just wish there was one more.

Performance wise, I enjoyed the 6 speed manual immensely. Good gear spacing and fairly short throws made this car easy to shift in traffic and fun to shift on back roads. The 5 speed automatic is less exciting, but it rewards you with effortless commuting and great gas mileage. In the automatic, I noticed a slight lag when putting your foot down. The lag was only noticeable when cruising at very low speeds or when punching it at high speeds (which is due to the selection of another gear and a miniscule touch of turbo lag).

What struck me most exciting about this car was its overall ability to cover the snob gap between those who shelled out thousands more for high end machines and those who opted for cheaper driving options that you would never consider a SAAB competitive with. In other words, this car (at just over $30,000) costs about the same as a Hyundai Azera Limited (a nice, but somewhat less exclusive statement) yet, rivals more expensive machines.

I would have no problem parking in a top end restaurant’s parking lot or at a local burger joint’s drive-up window. This is a great machine for the up and coming junior executive, banker, manager, new attorney etc. It is an image machine that pampers you, rewards you and gives a nod to those who like to be a little different.

SAAB is worth a look if you are in the market for an affordable luxury machine and they sweeten the deal with a fantastic warranty. There is a bumper-to-bumper new car warranty for four years/50,000 miles and scheduled maintenance is covered for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first (saving thousands in scheduled maintenance – as long as you go to a SAAB dealer). The powertrain is covered for five years or 100,000 miles too. This is one of the most comprehensive warranties out there and can save some serious cash over the long run.

To put it another way, the 2008 SAAB 9-3 is a screaming bargain and a hell of a good machine - nice!

Tags: Car Reviews //