Author's note: My car is an early-production 2003 model which allows me to give worthwhile feedback on usefullness and reliability. Saab changed the model designation of Vector to Aero for 2004, along with a couple of options. These changes are reflected in my review.


Why I Purchased This Car

This is my second Saab, the other being a 1986 9000 Turbo which I bought (very) used when in college.

I have owned many cars since then and actually went to the dealer to look at VW Jettas. I looked them over, decided to come back later for a test drive, and grabbed a Saab 9-3 brochure just for fun on my way out.

Two days later, after having read that Saab brochure, I returned to the dealer, brochure in hand. I never did test drive that Jetta.

I did, however, test drive a Saab 9-3 Linear Sports Sedan. After a short bout with the sales rep in the back seat, I booted her out and took it for the afternoon. The car had style, it was quiet, well-built, fun to drive, yet still quirky enough that it stood out as a unique Saab automobile (yes, the ignition is in the center console).

The 9-3 comes in 3 models: the Linear (base), Arc (luxury) and Aero (sport). The only model available at the time I purchased my car in January 2003 was the 175 hp Linear (the other models have a 210 hp engine and became available in March 2003). The 175 hp engine is designated 2.0t (note the lowercase "t") vs. the more powerful 2.0T for the Arc and Aero.

The first 9-3 I test drove had the Sentronic 5-speed automatic transmission. This is the first car I had driven with an automatic that had the manual shift option. I found the shifting in automatic mode to be seamless, but in manual mode it took about 2 seconds to change gears after telling it to do so by clicking the shifter. This was somewhat annoying as I felt I was ready to shift again before the transmission responded to my first request.

Then I drove the 5-speed manual (6-speeds come standard on Aeros). The car was faster, the shifter was fairly smooth and precise (much improved over my old 9000). Overall I liked it much better that the Sentronic.

I bought the 5-speed. Fully loaded, the car came with heated seats, OnStar (including a built-in hands-free telephone... yes, my car has its own phone number), bi-xenon HID headlights (the "bi-" means you get HID with high beams as well as low beams), upgraded stereo including a 6-disc in-dash CD changer and automated Infotainment display, power driver's seat, dual-zone climate control, glass moonroof, auto-dimming rearview mirror, 3 built-in garage door openers and a lowered sport suspension with 17" wheels and low-profile high performance tires.

I thought I really didn't want or need all these options, but after over 2 weeks of negotiations, the dealer discounted the selling price to match my offer. It stickered for $32,085 and I paid $29,997. This was combined with a lease that has a finance charge of .9%, while most leases charge about ten times that amount. Now that I have had the car well over a year, I can't imagine living without all the features. I am so spoiled, that it can be difficult driving someone else's car and realizing that I have to turn on the heated seats myself. Sounds silly I know, but you get used to this automobile taking care of you.


How This Car Has Performed

My new Saab drives like a dream. It is sure-footed, quiet and fairly quick. Handling is secure and the ride is well-controlled, although very firm due to the sport suspension. The high performance tires tend to be noisy.

Just about everything is automatic and driver-programmable, including the heated seats, heated mirrors and rear window defroster. The stereo adjusts volume to vehicle speed so you can hear the music on the interstate and not be blasted out of your seat when you reach the end of an exit ramp. It also resets to a lower, driver-selected volume when the car is restarted so you don't go deaf if you turned the car off listening to loud music.

Almost every automatic feature can be programmed to manual by the driver if you prefer to be in control.

The Arc and Aero models include these features as standard plus options such as automatic windshield wipers (yes, they turn themselves off and on and adjust their speed as to how hard it is raining) and a parking assist feature which warns you if you're about to back into something or run over someone.

Glitches to date are many, but Saab and the dealer agree that this is due to my vehicle's early production date. I could have lived without them. Included are a cracked inside driver's door grip, the front passenger tire rubbing the wheel well on very sharp, slow right turns (as when parking... this was due to the optional larger wheels and tires and stopped by itself at about 5,000 miles when the tires had worn a little), and a stereo that wouldn't produce full treble and bass unless the adjustment knobs were fiddled with each time you started the car and sound that popped a little when the volume was adjusted while playing a CD. The yaw sensor, part of the stability control, has been replaced twice. The floor mats have been replaced twice due to wearing out. I just clicked past 18,000 miles on the car.

Everything has been replaced under warranty. But the funny thing is, to fix the stereo, the car's main Electronic Control Module was replaced. The entire car is run by a central computer, from the power windows to the parking brake indicator light. I'm not sure if this is a good thing. By the way, the parking brake indicator light switch had to be replaced as well.

The car will display everything for you such as which side of the back seat is folded down, to release the parking brake, to make the passenger put on his/her seatbelt (only if someone is actually sitting there), to close the trunk, to close the doors. Any day now it's going to tell me how to fly to the moon. With OnStar, it also has voice recognition for the telephone and wireless communications. And the car does talk back to you in its own voice, so you always have someone to converse with while driving alone on long trips.

However, if you're looking for true Saab uniqueness, such as torque steer and major turbo lag, don't buy this car. Buy a used 2002 or older 9-3 or a 900. And if you really need a hatchback, there's the new 9-2X available (which we all know is a Subaru Imprezza in drag).


Special Features

Just about everything is programmable in this new Saab. You can custom tailor your preferences for the auto climate control, heated seats, rear window defroster, anti-theft alarm, auto radio volume, speedometer illumination, auto-dimming mirror, and the list goes on and on. It will take several weeks to list the capability of the user interface and just as long to figure out how to work it. But once you do, it's pure control-freak bliss. I love it.
To give you an idea, the owner's manual is a whopping 257 pages long. And that doesn't cover any of the stereo functions or OnStar. That's another manual with 120 pages inside its cover.

And if there's anything you don't know how or can't figure out how to do, the dealer will show you, free of charge.

Beyond what the owner can program, there are a host of other features the dealer can do, also at no charge while under warranty. The list is way too long and confusing to explain here, I strongly suggest visiting the Saab website at www.saabusa.com.


What I Like About It

Almost everything.

This car is packed with so many safety features such as: six airbags (dual-stage for the front plus side and rear passenger protection), electronic stability control (traction control plus anti-skid control), mechanical braking assist (if it senses a panic stop, it mechanically brakes as hard as possible, allowing the ABS to take control), cornering control (applies certain brakes in hard cornering), etc., etc. The list goes on and on.

This car wants to be driven fast, and I was not a necessarily fast driver by nature. But now I am so thank goodness for the programmable speed alert and cruise control! I average about 26 mpg in mixed driving but it will give a solid 35 mpg cruising at 80 mph on the highway.

Oddly enough, the headrests. They are superbly comfortable and designed so that, when raised, you can actually lean your head back and be in a perfect driving position. I'm used to ones that, when you tilt your head back, you look as though you've dosed off.

The car key, or lack thereof. It is a fob with a large blunt tip that has the standard lock/unlock/trunk release buttons plus a button to light up the car so you can find it at night. You insert the blunt tip in the ignition in the center console, twist and release, and voila... the car is started. Even though you start it like a regular car, it releases the starter motor by itself once the engine has started. Pretty neat. And if the battery is dead and the car won't unlock, then, and this is the really cool part, you firmly press the Saab logo on the fob and pull it apart. All of a sudden you're holding a hidden metal key in your hand. But where do you put it as there are no keyholes on the car doors? Well, that's hidden as well. You pry off a small cover on the driver's door handle and there you go... instant keyhole. Then you simply unlock it like a regular door, snap the cover back on the door handle and push the fob back together. The battery has never gone dead, but it's there just in case and your friends will love trying to figure out how to get that fob apart.

All of the buttons, computer readouts and custom functions make it seem as though you're flying the Space Shuttle. There over 80 knobs, buttons and switches to play with.


What I Don't Like

Sometimes the over 80 knobs, buttons and switches to play with.

Okay, let's get down to brass taxes.

I know many previous Saab owners will be disappointed that this new model is not available as a hatchback. It does however have a 60/40 split-folding rear seatback plus an opening behind the rear armrest if that's all you need.

The leather emitted an odd smell at first, almost fishy, especially when you got in the car on a hot day. It wasn't a bad smell, just different. Plus the leather is cheap. It is not from whole hides but rather patched pieces that are pressed with a grain design which makes it tough. The front seats are neither soft nor very supportive, but they are comfortable enough on long trips. The rear seat is also comfortable, but leg room can be a bit tight. This will be a common complaint in this class from people with long legs such as myself; however, the 9-3 is a class leader in this area, offering more rear leg room than even the BMW 3-series and the Audi A4.

The interior materials in general from the pillars down are of substandard quality. The dash and tops of the interior door panels are a hard, pebble-grained plastic. Not the soft leather-grained material we are used to. The illuminated controls on the steering wheel are fantastic, but push a button on the climate control and the whole panel sinks in. Hello Trolhatten?

This Saab has a display called the SID (Saab Information Display). It sits on top of the dash near the windshield, displaying the warning alerts, trip computer functions, time, date and most stereo functions as well. This means you have to look up at the top of the dash to see what's going on with the stereo. Not very ergonomic. You can duplicate most of the functions on the Infotainment stereo display itself, but it takes some button pushing to get there. The process is way too complicated, even for me.

The graphics in the SID display are very clean and precise. The graphics on the screen of the Infotainment display are very course and remind me of a green-screen computer monitor from the 1980s. Saab needs to upgrade the Infotainment screen graphics capability to match the SID.

Gone are the really cool and familiar green, yellow and red gauges from previous Saabs. The new ones use a different font and are green with purplish-pink red zones. They are generic and do nothing to excite the senses, especially as there is no longer a yellow zone on the turbo gauge to let you know you that you are producing some serious boost. A little too removed for my taste. I hope Saab comes to their senses and promptly corrects this.

Let's face it... Saab is now owned by GM. The brake calipers are clearly visible through the beautiful 5-spoke wheels but have a GM stamp right on them. Ouch! Even though the 9-3 has been tested as a car that stops in shorter distances on wet pavement than most do on dry, do we really have to see the GM insignia on our Swedemobile?

Tire noise. But I did buy the handling package, and when I turn a tight corner, I'm glad I have them. Otherwise, the car is quiet and I wish the tires would quiet down a bit as well.


Overall

I do love this car, even with its faults. But, considering I purchased an early production model of a brand new car, I still consider the faults as many. Several of my problems have not been with the car, but rather with the dealer's service department. Let's face it, cars are so sophisticated that even the mechanics don't know what to do with them when something goes wrong.

Loyal Saab owners will have to adjust to a few changes, but once you test drive one for awhile, you'll be scratching your head as to how you can buy such a car at this low price.

Does it have a few problems? Does it have quirks? Of course, it's a Saab! But I would not like to own it when it is not covered under warranty.

Is it for the everyday car buyer? Maybe not my model, but I would recommend the base Linear without the Infotainment system and auto climate control. This will drop over a third of the buttons in the car.

If you want a something different, a unique car... try it... you'll like (if not love) it.

Amount Paid (US$): 29997
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: 2003 Linear w/ Touring, Launch and Sport Pkgs, Heated Seats