- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
147kW, 300Nm
- Fuel
NA
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Sensible Swede
Saab's new 9-3 'sports sedan' is less radical, more racy than its predecessor, writes Jonathan Hawley.
For: Good performance, steady handling, communicative steering, high equipment levels and large boot.
Against: Lack of low-down torque, ordinary fit and finish.
Score: 3.5 stars (out of 5).
Saab has a reputation for doing things a little differently than most other manufacturers. You name the weird stuff and the Swedish car maker has been there.
In its past, it pioneered things such as two-stroke engines, front-wheel-drive, turbo-charging and hatchback bodies. Nothing terribly radical, but combine a few of these elements and it made for something out of the ordinary for the normally conservative world of luxury cars.
Which is why it is easy to look at the new 9-3 with more than a trace of alarm, if, like thousands of Saab customers in Australia, vehicles such as Audi, BMW or any number of other prestige cars seem a little too mainstream.
The just-released 9-3 range -- Saab's first new car in five years -- is an attempt to take on the big players in the luxury compact-car segment.
It carries on the Saab tradition by having turbocharged four-cylinder engines driving the front wheels, but the five-door experiment has been dropped in favour of an evolutionary styling variation of the previous model and the larger 9-5, and is available exclusively as a four-door sedan.
For the moment there are three models, starting with the 9-3 Linear 1.8t, which, confusingly enough, is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo engine producing 110 kilowatts.
Spend a bit more and you still get a 2.0-litre, although more turbo boost provides more power for the 129kW Arc and Vector, which are also better equipped. An even more sporty Aero arrives next year with a 155kW version of the same engine, and a lot further down the track there'll be a crossover 4WD version that might appease fans of the liftback.
Although prices start at $48,900 for the 9-3 Linear, it is not a great step up money-wise to the $56,900 five-speed manual version of the Vector tested here.
The extra dough buys more engine power, bigger 17-inch alloy wheels, upgraded seat upholstery, powered seats, a multi-function display unit on the instrument panel, and some plain-looking alloy interior trim that is nonetheless more interesting than the usual fake wood grain. But it is a well-equipped car if you take in the dual-zone climate control air-conditioning, cruise control and airbags for frontal, side and head protection.
There are a couple of extra features such as a cooled glovebox for drinks and the choice of programming systems such as headlamp control and air-conditioning for individual preference. Then there are the inevitable options such as a dealer-fitted accessory body kit (pictured). But don't expect pop-out cupholders yet: Saab's crack team of beverage-locating engineers designed a couple of units for the dash, decided they weren't happy with them, but instead of delaying the 9-3's launch, will make them available as a retro-fit early next year.
So if the anti-cupholder brigade is starting to foam like a decaf cappuccino, maybe it's time to talk about how the 9-3 drives. It's a lot better than the old model, which had trouble transmitting the torque of the turbo engines through its front wheels.
Despite the Vector's extra grunt, it takes a slippery road to break the front wheels loose and even then wheelspin is kept under control by the new 9-3's traction control system. There's a little torque steer -- that is, a slight stiffening of the steering under full power applications, but not enough to alarm.
Saab is billing the new 9-3 as a "sports sedan", and while it might be far from providing the sort of performance to which Australians are accustomed in a locally built V8, it does have some go. The 2.0-litre has strong mid-range torque, ample power when revved, and in sweeping bends or tighter and more twisty roads there's grip and handling prowess unknown in the old car.
Despite relatively low-profile tyres, the ride is comfortable even if the suspension gets noisy over bumps, and the steering has plenty of communication although the payback is in a gentle writhing in the driver's hands over undulating surfaces through corners.
Things are less happy in stop-start city driving, where the extra boost from the Vector's turbo engine means that just off idle there isn't a lot of instant go. Combined with poor initial throttle response, it means the manual version can be easy to stall from standstill. That won't bother the majority of drivers who choose the five-speed auto.
The 9-3 is significantly shorter and narrower than the 9-5. That means the rear seat has less than enough sprawling space for adults, and the seat itself has a short base with little under-thigh support. Countering this is a vast boot, plenty of seat adjustment for the driver, and, thankfully after the last model, four-way adjustment for the steering column.
The dashboard design is easily identifiable as Saab, with its subdued graphics, "night panel" system of turning all but the most necessary illumination off after dark, and its plain but clear graphics on the instrumentation. There are a few glitches, however, including a couple of ill-fitting plastic trim items.
Against its main rivals the 9-3 Vector is well priced and well equipped, and while it may have sacrificed some of Saab's individuality (apart from the centrally located ignition key), this is a big step forward. The auto transmission might well be the better choice, given it would work better with the turbo engine, and the lack of absolute Teutonic or Japanese attention to fit and finish may deter some buyers.
The new 9-3 is not quite a case of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em", but it stands out far enough from the rest of the pack to be a worthy prestige buy.
Nuts 'n' bolts
Saab 9-3 Vector
How much: $56,900 (man), $59,400 (auto) plus on-road costs.
Insurance: Premium $688 (RACV, wholly owned, driver 30-plus, rating one, medium risk suburb).
Warranty: Three years/100,000km.
Engine: 2.0-litre, DOHC, 16-valve four-cylinder turbo, 129kW at 5500rpm and 265Nm at 2500rpm.
Transmission: Five-speed manual or five-speed auto. Front-wheel-drive.
Steering: Rack-and-pinion, 3.0 turns lock-to-lock. Turning circle 10.8m.
Brakes: Ventilated discs front, discs rear. ABS standard.
Suspension: Front -- Independent by MacPherson struts with anti-roll bar. Rear -- Independent by multi-links with coil springs and anti-roll bar.
Wheels/tyres: 17 x 7.0-inch alloy wheels, tyres 215/50.
How heavy? 1455kg (manual).
How thirsty? 10.4L/100km average. Premium unleaded, 62-litre tank.
Equipment: Driver's airbag, CD player, side airbags, alloy wheels, ABS brakes, cruise control, remote locking, power windows, air-conditioning, leather trim.
Interior notes:
. Bulky instrument panel curves to face driver.
. No pop-out cup holders for now (just one in the centre console), but they can be fitted later.
. Vector gets alloy-look trim in place of the usual wood grain.
. Trip computer is high on dashboard and requires an awkward dial to operate.
Competitors:
Audi A4 1.8 turbo -- $58,070, 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Not a lot of performance, but bullet-proof build quality and the CVT auto is a ripper. Lacks handling edge for keen drivers and is reasonably costly.
BMW 320i -- $61,600, 4 stars (out of 5)
Highlight is the silky smooth 2.2-litre six, which has just enough punch to exploit the 3-Series' class-leading handling. Not cheap, but well worth the pricetag.
Mercedes-Benz C200K Classic (auto) -- $63,474, 4 stars (out of 5)
Equipment levels are sparse for the price and the supercharged four is a little coarse, but it has a smooth ride, agile handling, and the scaled-down Benz styling is on the money.
Prices correct at publication date.