Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £19,995 to £28,751
Individuality, detail design and generous equipment levels, room, comfort and safety equipment. Turbo engines very effective.
Pricey, and a little inspirationless to drive. Quality not top-notch.
In 9-3 guise (this model was previously badged 900 and has been around for quite some years) Saab's smallest can no longer match the class best.
Quirky floor-mounted ignition is a fiddle 'til you're familiar, and visibility rearwards is not great. The 9-3's controls are otherwise easy to use, if not as effortless as those of Japanese cars. Some minor controls are distant. Of late, Saabs have not scored well in this respect, and the 9-3 is not an exception. The potent engines provide exhilarating acceleration, but the front wheels have too much trouble delivering this power to the road. Keen drivers will prefer the sportier Alfa 156 and BMW 3 series.
Most 9-3's are quick enough. The base 2.0-litre turbo has 150bhp, while the Aero is startlingly quick. The Turbodiesel is a stout performer, but it's not terribly refined compared to the competition.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Saab 9 3
wrote on 20 09 2007
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wrote on 23 08 2006