This review is for a 1999 9-3SE convertible with an automatic transmission. It was bought as a replacement for another car I owned and reviewed also, a 1988 Mercedes Benz 560SL which was a great car. The Saab can definitely spoil you, especially the SE version, because of all the standard ammenities that come with the car. I will try to describe in detail, different aspects of the car.

Handling:
This car for a convertible actually handles quite well. Going into turns quickly does not create much body roll or tire squeal. Unlike my Mercedes, it had more body roll and was not quite as tight going into turns as I liked. Both cars have equal skidpad marks at .80Gs. Because the Saab is almost 600lbs. lighter than the Mercedes, it is easier to toss into turns. The action of the rack and pinion steering in the Saab actually gives more road feel and without the twitchiness encountered in the Mercedes. The Saab actually feels very similar to another car I own, yes another Saab, a 1996 9000CS which I also reviewed. You do have to somewhat become used to a front-wheel drive car in handling vs. a rear-wheel drive car like the Mercedes. There is a tendency for understeer that you have to take control of before the steering wheel gets away from you. This is inherent in all front-wheel drive cars.

Engine:
All Saab engines being that they are turbocharged are a bit noisier than other cars when idling. Comparing the sound level, the Mercedes with its V-8 engine is much quieter. The Saab's turbo four cylinder engine is about as loud as my old Mercedes 190E, also with a four cylinder engine. So engine noise is not out of the ordinary. When idling, the turbo four is very smooth, similar in smoothness to a six cylinder engine. Smoother than my 190E but not quite as smooth as my 560SL. The turbo in this car comes on quickly and smoothly. I do not experience any turbo lag at all. All 185 hp is available almost instantly.

Transmission:
The four speed automatic shifts very smoothly and is in the same league as my 190E and 560SL. The transmission downshifts when I call for it and it doesn't "hunt" when going uphill like some other cars I have owned. Also, this car has two additional modes when needed. There is the Sport mode which helps the car to accelerate faster and yes it does work well. The second mode is the Winter mode for those times you are driving in icy situations and need to start the car in third gear.

Ride:
The ride is definitely European in flavor. Similar to a BMW 3 series or my 190E. There is definitely a European road feel to the car and not the detached feel that you have with some American and Japanese cars. The ride at times can be harsh due to the low profile 50 series tires as well as the excessive cowl shake when going over railroad tracks. The cowl shake in the 560SL isn't nearly as much as in the Saab. Now I know why Mercedes always produce such heavy cars. Luckily, the seats in this car are very comfortable and fit me like the proverbial glove. The seats are even more comfortable than either one of my Mercedes. It would be difficult not to find the perfect driving position since the 8-way power seats have infinite settings. There is even a lumbar support for both driver and passenger to help comfort you during those long trips. The rear seats which there are only two are contoured like two individual bucket seats and provide enough legroom even for two six footers. There is even enough room for me to carry my two boys in their carseats back there.

Performance:
Surprisely, the Saab with its four cylinder engine, is not that much slower to 60mph than my 560SL. 7.2 sec vs. 6.8 sec. but the top speeds is what surprised me. The Saab can do 143mph while the Mercedes 560SL only can do 137mph. If I throw in the 190E, it can only do 118mph. Gas mileage so far has averaged over 22 mpg using regular unleaded in a 50/50 mix of city and freeway driving. Just to let you know, all Mercedes Benz cars use premium unleaded.

Standard ammenities:
Wood dash.
Automatic Transmission with Sport and Winter modes.
Leather seats with leather surfaces on the doors.
One-touch power windows and door locks.
Alarm.
Power mirrors.
Keyless entry with trunk release.
Automatic Climate Control.
AM/FM Stereo with single disc CD player with premium sound including a subwoofer in each door and controls on the steering wheel to adjust volume, source and stations.
Power soft top which goes up or down in 22 seconds.
Alloy rims in 16" size fitted with Michelin Pilot HX MXM tires in 50 series profile.
Glove box.
Fog lights for front and rear of the vehicle.
Daytime running lights.
Front and side air bags for both driver and passenger.
3-person memory seating for the driver's seat.
Power seat controls for the passenger.
Night Panel. A feature that only illuminates the speedometer at night to reduce eye fatigue.
Locking gas cap door.
Telescoping steering wheel but with no tilt.

My 560SL doesn't even come close to the available ammenties the Saab provides. Much of the 560SL still was designed from an era where sports car should be still manual in everything, including their seats.

Interior Space:
Even though this car is classified as a subcompact, there is definitely enough space for four "Vikings" to fit in this car. As I said before, I even have enough room in the rear seats to fit both my boys in their car seats without much trouble. Trunk space with the top up is actually slightly larger than my 190E, 12.5 cu ft. vs. 12.0 cu ft. respectively. When the top is down, you lose 2.5 cu ft. so you are down to 10 cu ft. This is actually larger than my 560SL which has 7.0 cu ft. of trunk space. If you need even more trunk space, both rear seats fold down in a 50/50 fashion to provide you with 28.0 cu ft. of trunk space. The only downside I see with the interior is that trying to look behind the car while in reverse, there are several blind spots you need to be careful about. Also, the rear window is up high which limits your view in the rear view mirror somewhat. The ignition switch is located between the front seat on the floor. This took me some time to get used to but I can understand the logic behind it. It keeps you from having to reach for the ignition switch then the parking brake release in a conventional car. Once I was used to the design, I become a real fan of it.

Reliability:
So far in the time that I have owned it, I have not experienced any problems with the car. I have owned it for several months so far. Also, Consumer Reports rates this car as one of the more reliable cars available.

Noise:
As I stated above in the Engine section, this car is somewhat noisier at idle than my 560SL but quieter than my 190E. One thing I noticed quite dramatically is how quiet this car is with its top up. It is about as quiet as my other Saab or my 190E at 68dB. The 560SL with the top up for comparison is at 76dB. An 8dB increase! That is quite a difference. No wonder the automobile press says that the Saab convertible is one of the quietest convertibles out there. Also, wind buffeting is much less than my 560SL. In my 560SL, I needed a wind screen to enjoy driving it on the freeway with the top down. Saab does provide a wind screen but I haven't had the need so far.

In summary, I have really enjoyed driving the car. Its ride and handling satisfy my needs as well as the amount of space available if I have to bring others with me. I would not hesitate recommending this car to others.
Amount Paid (US$): 21000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1999
Model and Options: SE Automatic