Saab 9-3

For almost a decade Saab tried valiantly and vainly to compete in the prestige sedan market with a five-door hatch. First the 900, then the 9-3, fought for your dollar against BMW's all-conquering 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz's C-class. Best it could do was run with the second stringers from Audi and Volvo. Not any longer. In the automotive equivalent of "can't beat 'em, join 'em", Saab has surrendered to popular opinion and replaced the hatchback with a conventional four door sedan.

That said, the new 9-3 retains plenty of quintessential Saab values, not the least in the way it looks and drives. Elegant and exciting, the all-new 9-3 - yes, Saab says it really is all-new - offers plenty to lure your prestige dollar away from the top Germans.

Three 9-3s are available from the car's launch in November. 2002: Linear 1.8t, Arc 2.0t and Vector 2.0t, with prices ranging from $48,990 to $56,990. Don't be fooled by the 1.8t badge on the base model 9-3 Linear, all 9-3s get the same basic 2.0-litre, turbocharged, four cylinder engine in two different states of tune - 110kW/240Nm for the Linear, 129kW/265Nm for the Arc and Vector.

The 9-3 Aero will be the performance flagship when it arrives in March/April 2003 priced over $70,000. Its version of the same turbocharged, 2.0-litre engine produces 155kW of power and 300Nm of torque. Saab claims the Aero, with its six-speed manual gearbox, will accelerate from rest to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 235km/h.

External differences between the Linear, Arc and Vector are minor, the 1.8t badge the only obvious giveaway for the Linear model. Look to the wheels and tyres - 15inch with 5-spoke alloys on Linear, 16inch with 10-spoke alloys on Arc, and 17inch with 5-spoke alloys on Vector - for the biggest visual difference. Body coloured front and rear bumpers, and sills, are the only other way to tell the more sporty-oriented Vector from the Arc.

The 9-3 comes heavily equipped, particularly in the areas of active and passive safety. Anti-lock brakes are standard - natch - coupled with electronic brake force distribution and corner braking control. Electronic Stability Program and traction control are standard, the latter necessary for the front drive Saab, which can be overwhelmed by the engine's turbocharged power in tighter corners or on slippery surfaces.

Both front airbags are dual stage, inflating at speeds related to the severity of the crash, while the 9-3 also has roof-rail airbags in the front and rear seats, and side airbags in the front. Three-point seat belts in all seating positions, with pretensioners, are standard.

All 9-3 variants come fairly well equipped with climate control air conditioning, in-dash CD player, remote central locking with engine immobiliser, cruise control and, of course, electric windows and mirrors. The driver's seat adjusts for height, length and backrest rake - manually on Linear, electric on Arc and Vector. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes, making a comfortable driving position easily achieved.

Typically Saab, the ignition barrel is located centrally behind the gear shifter. The handbrake has been integrated as a centre console rail, and the central dashboard still tilts slightly towards the driver, making for a cozy, clever layout. One thing we didn't particularly like was the display screen for the audio system and trip computer. The graphics are unusually chunky and look very outdated - it doesn't sit with the prestige feel of the rest of the car. However the display unit situated on the top of the dash is a nice, practical touch.

There's no less than 45 different buttons and knobs on the dashboard, along with six more on the steering wheel, which can be a bit daunting initially, but fall to hand readily after a little acclimatisation. Still, too much distraction from the task of driving is never good.

Leather upholstery is standard on the Arc, the cheaper Linear gets what Saab calls "a high quality, woven textile", while the Vector gets a sporty looking mix of the two. All three cabins exude class and quality, the Vector's two tone seats add sportiness to the vibe. The back seat includes a central armrest which allows boot access, and the seat back split folds 60/40.

Saab's goal with the new 9-3 is to deliver "a unique, fun-to-drive experience that promises to set new standards for the premium, compact sports-sedan class". To that end the 9-3 has undergone the most extensive chassis development program ever undertaken by the Swedish car maker. It's based on the same platform as the 2003 Holden Vectra, which means wheelbase is up 70mm, body width is up 55mm, front and rear tracks are up in-excess of 60mm, while overall length is unchanged. The 9-3's ride height is 10mm lower than the superceded model.

This much wider, longer footprint should translate into better on-road abilities, and it does, unequivocally. But then the base was fairly low, previous compact Saabs suffered from less than average ride quality, peaky engines and jolting kickback through the steering wheel. This Saab answers those criticisms admirably, it points and steers better than ever before, and the chassis, with its passive rear steering - called ReAxs by Saab - is razor sharp and responsive to the helm.

Saab did not have a 110kiloWatt Linear model available to test at the launch, CarPoint spent equal time in the 9-3 Arc and 9-3 Vector. Both models exhibit plenty of poise and ability in corners, and ride fairly well across broken bitumen - the car did feel a little floaty and soft over undulations, however.

The 129kiloWatt engine is a classic quiet achiever, hauling the 1476kg sedan around with little fuss and bother. Even a couple of fairly steep goat tracks didn't phase the high-torque, 2.0-litre engine, or the five speed automatic gearbox, which kicks down smoothly and willingly into the power band. Saab's new Sentronic automatic gearbox allows sequential gear shifting for sporty driving, or set and forget 'D' driving for the urban crawl.

Fuel economy claims (AS2877 govt std) are quite impressive for a turbocharged engine, the 129kW Arc automatic rated at 10.3l/100km city cycle, 5.9l/100km highway.

It's hard to fault the new 9-3, but it's equally hard to find where it truly excels - where it improves the breed. Sure, bluetooth technology is optional ($1500), and will allow you to access the internet, receive email, and generally treat your car like a mobile office. Active head restraints are also a first, and will filter down to other GM products - including the VZ Commodore. Saab's Trionic 8 engine management system is perhaps another advantage, but not a reason to buy.

Add 'prestige' to your salesman spiel and expectations increase. Quality, features, safety and performance all take precedence over value for money - though the latter is still a major factor in the buying decision. The new 9-3 meets those expectations easily, capably, and while it is slightly cheaper than the equivalent BMW, perhaps its biggest advantage is in offering something different. Something that stands out from the usual executive carpark fodder.

First impressions are good. We're giving the new 9-3 a tentative thumbs up ahead of a longer, more in-depth test in early 2003. We just wish they'd kept the old cupholder - best there ever was.