Saab 9-3 Sedan - A Little Quirky but Nice

Saab 9-3 Sedan - A Little Quirky but Nice 

Saab 9-3 Sedan - A Little Quirky but Nice

Well, if we knew the answer to that, we�d probably be making a great deal more money than we do now. "Rightness" is an X-factor that dances in and out of the grasp of every automotive engineer. Sometimes it�s predictable, and other times it turns up in unlikely places.

The Saab 9-3 is one of those places, and we�re still deciding if it�s an unlikely candidate for "rightness" or not. General Motors� Swedish-car department seems to have lost its way somewhat lately, with Subaru- and Chevrolet-based additions to the lineup, but the 9-3 is much more of a pure Saab creation, with lines that resemble those of classic Saabs. It�s available as a four-door sedan, station wagon-like SportCombi, or a two-door convertible. This car is the spiritual descendant of the 900 sedans and hatchbacks that helped to forge Saab�s reputation as a car as sturdy as it was quirky.

Most folks will recognize the 9-3 as a Saab product, in spite of a design that�s been watered down somewhat by General Motors. The four-element grille is distinctive, and the rounded and tapering front end is also a Saab hallmark. From the side it�s a bit more generic, but a strong character line that rises from front to rear and creates a subtle wedge effect ensures that the 9-3 won�t fade completely into the woodwork. For 2006 Saab has dropped the "Linear" and "Arc" models whose geometry-based names were the delight of nerds everywhere, and merged the two lines into a single base model. Even so, the 9-3 retains its basic Saabness even in the face of GM ownership and platform-sharing.

The most brazenly Saab-ish aspects of the 9-3 - the ignition key mounted in the floor, "night panel" dashboard blackout button and aircraft-style air vents - seem more like affectations than purposeful innovations these days. The 9-3 is comfortable and well-built, however. The seats are comfy chairs that pleased a number of different passengers during our test drive, and the interior is surprisingly spacious. Handsome red walnut trim is available. The optional navigation system allows the 9-3 to keep up with the Joneses of the luxury car market, but the small screen and tricky controls make it one of the least helpful systems we�ve used.

The 9-3 is undeniably a long-legged, confident handler that eats up freeway miles with gusto. A choice of turbocharged engines is offered; a 2.0 liter four-cylinder in base models and a 2.8 liter V6 for the Aero line. The base model we drove was a bit turbo-laggy from a standstill, but the 210 horsepower still offers an entertaining drive. The V6 in the Aero makes 250 horsepower and probably doesn�t do wonders for the 9-3�s tendency to exhibit a bit of torque steer in four-cylinder form. Transmissions are similarly split between model lines; a five-speed manual or automatic is offered in the base 9-3, and a six-speed manual or automatic in the Aero. We drove the five-speed automatic and found it to be a generally agreeable gearbox, with smooth shifts and admirable response times.

In spite of the turbo lag and wobbly wheel under power, the 9-3 has that all-important measure of rightness to its handling. The independent suspension includes a carefully tuned four-link rear that offers a degree of rear-wheel steering but maintains lateral stiffness; as a result, the 9-3 turns in eagerly and without feeling loose. Understeer is predictable and doesn�t spoil the fun. On the road, the 9-3 feels alive and eager to be driven, rather than bored with mundane tasks. It�ll run at high speeds with a Mercedes-like lack of drama; we sometimes found ourselves going faster than we intended, in fact. Thankfully for your license, the 9-3 will haul itself down from speed without drama as well, thanks to standard anti-lock brakes.

It�s a nice little package that often goes unnoticed in the constant flow of new luxury and mid-luxury cars from Europe. Enthusiasts will enjoy the 9-3 for its road manners; Saab fans will like it for the familiar quirks that haven�t been ironed out by General Motors. The rest of you will just have to meet the Saab and decide for yourselves. The 9-3 starts at $25,900. Our test car was equipped with heated seats and a navigation system, and stickered for $32,960.