Saab

9-3 Saloon/Estate/Cabrio/X

Available in saloon, sport, convertible or the stunning new X formats, the 9-3 series offer a very desirable motoring option. Recognised as one of the safest cars on the road, they are packed with classy features and outstanding equipment levels.

 

 

Test Drive

Saab 9-3 Saloon Turbo 1.9 TTiD 130bhp

There’s always something very refreshing when you test drive a Saab – maybe it’s that ever-reliable Swedish background or even the cool design features that keep it high on a wish-list.

Whatever it is, I always look forward to getting behind the wheel of what is guaranteed to be a feature-packed vehicle that loves to show off in its own special way.

And the 9-3 supplied for my test drive certainly lived up to my high expectations.

There is an almost simplistic feel to the cabin – there’s no bells and whistles, but all the quality creature comforts are there in full. There’s dual-zone climate control, a night panel function, cruise control, a great audio system, one-touch electric windows, Saab’s Information Display system which includes a Profiler function for personalised settings.

In fact, everything you could wish for is fitted to this car, but in an unassuming way.

The exterior boasts neat streamlining with smart light clusters, tinted windows with heat absorbent glass, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and a follow-me-home headlamp function.

Comfort levels are exceptionally high and there is plenty of leg, elbow and head room for rear seat passengers too.

But for me, this car is all about performance. The 1.9-litre diesel-powered engine is deceptively fast and with cabin noise kept to a minimum, cruising at motorway speeds in peace and quiet is easily achieved.

In and around town, the driver benefits from good all-round visibility and the six-speed manual transmission is very smooth and responsive.

Capacity in the already generously-sized boot can easily be increased further thanks to split folding rear seats and there are a number of useful storage options throughout the cabin.

And as one would expect, Saab has fitted a comprehensive list of safety specifications to this model, including anti-lock brakes, cornering brake control, numerous standard and dual stage airbags, electronic brake force distribution and plenty more besides.

And with pricing just under £26.3k, it seems this vehicle has everything. If I had to find fault, then there were a couple of occasions when I couldn’t find the car in a busy car park because it blended in so well.

But that small issue aside, what a great car – full of quality technology, great performance capabilities and the perfect car to go about your day in a quiet, unassuming way.

Test Drive

Saab 9-3 SportWagon Aero 2.0T XWD 5dr

IF you’re looking for a vehicle that will deal capably with anything Mother Nature can throw in its path, then look no further than Swedish technology.

For if you combine all-wheel-drive with an efficient 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine the result is a smooth, road-hugging ride full of thrills but thankfully no spills.

That’s just what the Saab 9-3 SportWagon delivers… plus a whole lot more.

It’s true – the £28k-plus asking price for the Saab will eat into your savings and is a tad steep, but every so often you get what you pay for and the 9-3 is a prime example of outstanding value for money.

Standard features alone on the 9-3 include cruise control, an onboard computer, seven-speaker CD system, dual-zone automatic climate control with a chilled glove box, plus 18in alloy wheels. Optional extras add an excellent DVD sat nav system with 6.5in colour touch screen, tinted windows, leather heated front seats, dual electric seats with memory settings for all the family and bags more.

So it has looks and class, but what about the drive itself? For me this is where the fun really begins.

Brimming to bursting point with power, the 2.0-litre turbo-driven engine delivers plenty of oomph and with that all-wheel-drive, you are guaranteed road-holding you can depend on in all conditions and on all surfaces.

For city congestion and built up areas, the 9-3 is a dream to drive, but it’s out on the open road that it really comes into its own as you shift smoothly through the six speed transmission.

Another feature of this vehicle is being able to watch the turbo needle race round the dial as you press down on the accelerator – it may not seem like much, but still good fun.

And when it comes to safety the 9-3 has an impressive list, including anti-lock brakes, electronic stability programme, active head restraints, numerous airbags and, thankfully, a great alarm system.

All in all, the Saab 9-3 is a whole lot of car that sits comfortably in so many categories.
It would attract the comfort and economy-conscious business driver, families looking for sheer quality and even the image-conscious.