Category: Convertibles 
Price Range: £26,030 to £34,622
Comfortable, creak-free and very complete car that should prove a pleasure to own
Some wind noise hood-up, not terribly exciting to drive, confined in rear
Attractive styling, few flaws and good to be in
Saab's four-seater convertible is one of the most popular premium-brand drop-tops, out-selling rivals from BMW (3-Series), Mercedes (CLK) and Audi (A4) for many years. The Saab has scored by offering a combination of style, practicality, safety and class at a price undercutting its German rivals - plus the fact that many prefer the Swedish car's slightly less brash image and more distinctive styling.
This 9-3 Convertible is the third generation of a series which started life in 1987 as the 900 Convertible, part of the 9-3 range launched in 2002, and considerably more up to date than the previous model.
Saab made improvements in every direction, but most significant is a body structure almost 300% more rigid than the old car's, to the benefit of refinement, road behaviour, safety and the general aura of quality. The fabric hood folds cleanly and quickly at the touch of a switch and, although the 9-3 Convertible hasn't been through the Euro NCAP crash tests, Saab claims that it would perform as well as the 9-3 saloon - which scored the full five stars for crash protection.
Novelties include partial body-colouring of the interior with some hues - a very effective feature - and very light-coloured upholstery, water-resistant cloth trim and, new for Saab, a boot that expands when the roof is closed.
Overall, the new 9-3 Convertible represents a vast improvement over the old and if it isn't quite as polished as the Mercedes CLK, it nevertheless offers a very capable package for usefully less money.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Saab 9 3 Convertible
wrote on 13 09 2007