Saab’s 9-3 has long been an engaging if somewhat unambitious performer. This time round, have the gloves come off? Andy Enright reports
The Saab 9-3’s place in the world was once quite clear. You bought one if you couldn’t stretch to an Audi, a BMW or a Jaguar. The latest model has loftier aspirations and Saab is being empowered to shoot for the stars. It’s still early days yet but the signs look very good for this revised 9-3.
If the latest 9-3 model doesn’t look too much different to the car that’s been on sale here since 2002, then persevere. There are in fact over 2,000 part changes, all trying to give the latest car a nudge upmarket. The results are not totally unconvincing. Perhaps most convincing of these is Saab’s clever XWD all-wheel drive system, now offered as standard on the improved flagship 2.8-litre petrol V6 Aero 280bhp model and as an option on the 2.0-litre petrol turbo 210bhp variant.
All of which is vital if Saab is to stand any chance of wresting sales from the compact executive sector class leaders, BMW’s 3 Series, Audi’s A4 and Mercedes’ C-class. Hitherto, this car has only been able to battle with worthy but second tier players like Lexus’ IS, Volvo’s S60 and Jaguar’s X-TYPE. Certainly against these cars, it now looks a much stronger proposition.
The two big engineering steps forward with this 9-3 come in terms of both all-wheel drive and diesel. Diesel first: there’s now a 180bhp TTiD 1.9-litre unit intended to really take the fight to the Germans, with a twin-stage turbo to deliver all that power. If that’s too much, there are also 120 and 150bhp diesel models with either eight or sixteen valves. Petrol buyers are catered for by a 122bhp 1.8i, a turbocharged 1.8t, and 175bhp and 210bhp versions of an all-aluminium 2.0-litre turbo as well as the big banger in the line up, the 280bhp V6 turbo. This will get to 60mph in 5.9s and run on to 152mph. There are also two BioPower engines that run on a bioethanol E85 mix – choose from either a 1.8t or a 2.0t here.
If you want the XWD ‘cross wheel drive’ system – effectively an all-wheel drive set-up featuring a Haldex differential to direct drive to the rear wheels where necessary – you’ll need to opt either for the flagship 2.8-litre V6 Aero or specify it as an option on the 2.0T 210bhp model. With XWD in place, the rather wayward power deployment of range-topping front-wheel drive 9-3s should forever be solved.
"All the signs are that Saab is ready to take a big step forward…"
The driving experience hasn’t changed all that much. The ride and handling compromise is still very well judged and comfort inside the car is excellent thanks to great seats and a multi-adjustable driving position. Our only comment is that the pedals are a little clumsier than you’d expect in a car with enthusiast pretensions.
The front end of the latest 9-3 isn’t quite so outré as its bigger brother, the 9-5. The Dame Edna spectacles are thankfully absent and in their place is a classier finish to the front grille and a set of LED light strips that sit across the top of the headlamp pod like an illuminated eyebrow. They do look very smart but after the Audi R8 and now this Saab, we could get a glut of the things. Call it the styling fetish of 2007/08, much like jewel effect lights and clear indicators have been in the mid Noughties.
The clamshell bonnet is a very deft touch, at once drawing on Saab’s history and visually widening the front of the car. All external rubbing strips have been removed to give a cleaner look and the Saloon and Convertible both adopt the Sport Wagon’s smoked white rear light clusters. The cabin is a little more muted than before, Saab cutting back on the silver painted plastics which can only be a good thing. Otherwise there are still plenty of traditional Saab design cues such as the key located on the transmission tunnel and the slab-fronted fascia panel. Build quality is good if not quite as gratuitously overengineered as some premium rivals. In fact it’s possibly not as slick as a Ford Mondeo inside the 9-3, which probably says as much about Ford’s aspirations as it does Saab’s.
With a Convertible, a Saloon and a Sport Wagon estate, the 9-3 covers a fair bit of ground which is crucially important for Saab, a company that has only two main product families. The Swedes have worked towards simplifying the model range a bit and they needed to as the old line up chopped and changed all the time. As it stands, there are four trim levels: Airflow, Liner SE, Vector Sport and Aero. All cars get features such as alloy wheels, twin front, side and curtain airbags, dual zone climate control and a seven-speaker CD stereo.
Airflow models are the entry level variants and feature 16-inch alloy wheels. Step up to Liner SE and there’s also rear parking assist and a Saab comfort pack. Vector Sport adds a sportier chassis, ESP stability control and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. Range topping Aero trim receives sleeker bumpers, sports exhausts, bi-xenon headlights, bigger brakes, heated front seats and at least one engine unique to Aero trim. These prices show that while Saab claims to be mixing it with the big boys, it has remained solidly pragmatic when it judges exactly what the market will bear.
Saab tends to score reasonably well in terms of cost of ownership with decent if not spectacular residuals and low insurance ratings for the amount of brake horsepower available. The 9-3 is no exception. Perhaps the most interesting models in the range are the BioPower cars. Saab’s Trionic engine management system automatically detects whether you’re running on bioethanol or unleaded petrol, or indeed any conceivable mix of the two, and adjusts the car’s ignition for optimum efficiency.
Ethanol has a much higher octane rating (about 115) than ordinary petrol, so you go quicker and it also burns more efficiently. Saab estimate a 20 per cent gain in brake horsepower and a 16 per cent boost to torque. The 9-3 BioPower uses an 85 per cent ethanol, 15 per cent petroleum mix. Therefore the fuel isn’t from a totally renewable source, but it represents a good start and 90 per cent of all 9-3s sold in Sweden run on E85. Those amongst you who paid attention in chemistry classes will know that the net products of ethanol combustion are carbon dioxide and water. So where’s the environmental benefit? Aside from being able to replenish the fuel stocks, the plants harvested to create the ethanol consume more carbon dioxide in their growth cycle than the resultant fuel will emit when burnt, meaning a net depletion of CO2. Now that is clever.
There’s little doubt that Saab has worked hard to improve many aspects of the 9-3. With the wider introduction of XWD models, the sales proposition of top versions is much stronger, if not quite in the same league as some of its German rivals, but bear in mind that this car is priced accordingly.
All the signs are that Saab is ready to take a big step forward. But does that make the 9-3 a car you should consider right now? The BioPower models most certainly. The 180bhp TTiD model is also interesting but is priced too close to BMW’s 197bhp 325d to make it a worthy buy. If you like the idea of all-wheel drive, then plushest versions of the 9-3 look good against comparable 2-wheel drive German alternatives, but otherwise, we’d argue that the 9-3 becomes a relatively more convincing proposition the less you spend.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Saab 9-3 range
PRICES: £19,005-£31,900 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 11-17
CO2 EMISSIONS: 147-279g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.9TTiD] 0-60mph 8.7s / Max Speed 137mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.9TTiD] (combined) 44.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Traction Control, Cornering Braking Control, Saab Active Head Restraints
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height (Saloon) 4635/2038/1466mm