New Saab may have its faults, but it's no bland knockoff: with a low-rider attitude, the 9-3 delivers on the power

San Diego Business Journal, Oct 4, 2004 by Tom Jensen

With the possible exception of sport utility vehicles, the most crowded segment of the automobile marketplace is the so-called "near luxury" category of $30,000 sedans.

Every automaker from Audi to Volvo competes here, and most sell excellent cars with alluring mixes of luxury, performance and utility. Unfortunately, where they sometimes fall down is personality. Too many cars in this class look alike and feel alike.

And then there is Sash.

For 2005, the Trollhattan, Sweden, automaker has totally redesigned its 9-3 sedan, and in the process significantly improved most every facet of the vehicle and made it a real contender in its class.

The 9-3 is a four-door, front-wheel-drive sedan that Saab offers in three levels of features: The Linear, which starts at $25,995; the Arc, at $30,090; and the Vector, at $32,590. OK, the names are kind of dumb. But the cars are wonderful.

The test car was a 9-3 Vector, which was equipped with the optional touring package, sunroof, Saab "Semitronic" automatic transmission and steel gray metallic paint. Equipped as it was, the Saab carried a sticker price of $36,135.

The 9-3 Vector, like every Saab, is nothing if not iconoclastic. Saabs are different by design, which most of the time is a good thing, especially if you like cars that are unique and not me-too designs.

You'll notice the difference as soon as you get in: The ignition switch is on the floor, between the front bucket seats. Drivers will appreciate the 9-3's thick, leather covered steering wheel, which is perfect in aggressive driving situations.

And although the driving position of the 9-3 is bolt upright, it is impressively comfortable, and the cockpit is plenty spacious for a family of four. Other plusses include an air-conditioning system that can deliver meat-locker levels of cold air in just seconds, and Saab's night driving feature, which turns off all cockpit illumination except for the speedometer. Way cool.

On the debit side of the ledger, while the 9-3 has personality to burn, its eccentricities can be somewhat annoying. The major controls in the interior, for example, are not as intuitive to use as, say, those found in a Lexus or Infiniti. I never did figure out how to change discs on the CD player and, in general, the whole sound/climate control dash layout is somewhat intimidating.

On the road, the 9-3 truly excels. The 210-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine pulls like a rocket, with zero to 60 mph taking less than seven seconds. Chassis balance is exceptional, too, and I found myself grinning from ear to ear every time I found a section of twisty road where I could let the Saab unwind a little bit. The 9-3 delivers as much fun for the money as any car I've driven lately.

And extroverts among you will appreciate the low, lean and distinctive lines of the 9-3 Vector, which looks like it would be at home in the next sequel to "The Fast and the Furious." The 9-3 really isn't a low-rider, but the lines and angles of the body create an illusion that's about to scrape the pavement.

Compared with the bland, look-alike styling of most cars in this class, the 9-3 is a true revelation and a beauty to behold.

Overall, Saab has made tremendous progress with its new-generation 9-3 model, which is now one of the best $30,000 sedans available. To paraphrase an old saying, it isn't in a class by itself yet, but whatever class it's in doesn't take long to call the roll. This one's a winner.

Saab 9-3 Vector

Base price/as tested: $32,590/36,135.

Engine: 2.0-liter turbo four.

Horsepower: 210.

0 to 60 mph: 6.8 seconds.

Mileage: 21 city/30 highway.

Tom Jensen is managing editor of National Speed Sport News and is based in Charlotte, N.C.