Category: Convertibles 
Price Range: £26,030 to £34,622
Distinctive image; excellent new diesel engine; E85 option; solid and comfortable; good value
Thirsty petrol engines
Substantially updated and more powerful, the Saab 9-3 Convertible is a very nicely thought-out all-rounder.
Some problems with the Fiat-supplied diesel engine in the last range - exhaust gas valves, water pump and timing belt failures - and independent specialists recommend frequent oil changes for the 2.0 petrol engines to avoid sludging-up, but otherwise, Saab seems to have got on top of the problems that affected early 9-3s.
The cloth roof folds neatly and cleanly, and while it's going to be more vulnerable to vandals than a tin-top, it's tough and offers good insulation: leaks are unlikely.
Structurally, this 9-3 Convertible is rigid and solid, and well-built - it's assembled, virtually by hand, by Magna Steyr in Austria. Saabs have always been tough and rugged, going on to very high mileages and this new 9-3 should be no exception.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Saab 9 3 Convertible
wrote on 13 09 2007