For 2003 Saab has fully redesigned its smaller car, the 9-3. The new car, like the one it replaced, is based off a GM corporate platform, in this case GM's new Epsilon platform. This platform will also provide the basis for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005 Pontiac Grand Am, and next Saturn LS (or whatever the 2005 or so crossover that replaces the LS is called). Notably, the new 9-3 is not available in the hatchback configuration of the previous 9-3. Instead, it is initially only available as a sedan, with a convertible to follow. With a GM platform and no hatch, why buy this car? Saab’s marketing suggests because it is fun to drive. Well, is it? I took two for a test drive to find out.

Update: Most professional reviews of this car have made much of the lack of a hatch. These people seem to have forgotten that in the in the 1980s if you got the 900 (the old name for the 9-3) with four doors it came with a trunk, not a hatch. A five-door was available elsewhere, but not in the U.S. (at least not after 1983, the earliest year I personally paid attention). The 5-door was introduced for 1994, under GM ownership and using a GM chassis from the Opel Vectra (i.e. Cavalier cousin). So the return to a four-door configuration cannot be blamed on GM. An independent Saab took the same route two decades ago.

This review covers the base Linear model, the only version available at the time of my test drive. My review of the 2004 9-3 Aero (nee Vector) can be found here .

Saab 9-3 Reliability

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Styling

The new 9-3 retains some Saabishness to the styling, mostly in the wedge profile, outline of the side windows, and prevalence of sweeping curves. The upright windshield of pre-GM Saab 900s is long gone. Though it looks better in photos, in person the car still looks pretty good, just more generic than I expected. From some angles it looks hunkered down and aggressive (especially with the 17” wheels optional on the base car), as intended. From others it looks a bit portly in a Germanic way. From other angles still it just looks plain. Overall, I prefer the 9-5.

I like areas of the interior better. Not the dash. It’s far too busy and full of matte black plastic. But the door panels and center console are artfully executed. The materials appear of premium quality, though more solid than luxurious.

Accommodations

When I test drove the car, only the base “Linear” model was available. (The performance trim, the “Vector,” was due in March.) Only the base seats are available in this model. They have zero lateral support, a strange design decision given the sporty positioning. An uplevel model with the sport seats would be a must for me personally.

The driving position is not as good as in other Saabs. The seat is lower, and the cowl (top of dash) a bit higher. With the seat in its lowest position I felt as if the steering column were mounted a bit too high—something I’ve also noticed in BMWs. Raising the seat an inch fixed this. I test drove a 9-5 the same day. I liked the driving position in that car—with its considerably more open view forward—much better.

The secondary controls on the dash are poorly designed. Their layout makes little sense, and the salesman had to show my how to access many radio and climate control functions. As in many recent European and Japanese luxury cars, an attempt at “hi-tech” has created much unnecessary complexity. Like other Saabs, the new 9-3 has the ignition mounted down between the seats. This I don’t have a problem with.

The padded door armrest is a nice feature for those of us who like to steer with only the left hand. In the Linear this armrest is cloth, even with the standard leather seats. In the other models it is leather.

The rear seat was more cramped than I expected, especially in terms of knee room (toe room under the front seats is better than in most cars). About equal to those in a 3-Series or A4, but much less room than in the 900s of the 1980s, which were virtually midsized in many interior dimensions. (In the 1990s the 900 was renamed the 9-3.) Overall, the rear seat was just adequate for my 5-9 frame.

Storage space is plentiful, both inside the car and in the trunk. The rear seat folds to create a pass through. Unlike in the 9-5, the seat cushion does not have to be tilted forward before folding the seatbacks. The tradeoff for this convenience is that the resulting floor is not flat; instead there is about a two-inch lip.

On the Road

Again, I only drove the “Linear.” Overall, I found more refinement than I expected, but less fun. The 175 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four in the Linear is based on GM’s corporate Ecotec 2.2 liter (Chevrolet Cavalier, Pontiac Grand Am, Saturn ION and L-Series, etc.). (Click on hyperlinks to read my reviews of related vehicles.) It moves the car moderately well once the turbo spools up. (The 210 horse 2.0 in the other trims should be considerably quicker, if still not blazing.) Although boost lag is less than in turbos of yore, it’s still there. Consequently, the engine feels a bit soft at initial tip-in. As with nearly any turbo, planning ahead is necessary to get power precisely when you want it. On the positive side, the engine sounds and feels very refined for a four-cylinder, and torque steer was absent. (The Saab-designed 2.3 liter four in the 9-5 Aero felt about equally refined, but a minimal amount of torque steer was present along with much more torque.)

I drove a manual for a short distance (the car was already sold) and an automatic for additional miles. Saabs have never had great manual shifters, and the 9-3 does not break with this tradition. It’s notchy, which I tend to like, but a bit vague going from gate to gate and smooth shifting does not always come easily. All in all, neither good nor bad. The six-speed in the uplevel “Arc” and “Vector” models could be better. For the Linear, the automatic seems better suited for the character of the car.

Handling is very smooth and nimble, yet still not much fun. Responses are a bit dull for that, at least in the Linear (even with the optional “sport wheel package,” with low-profile 17” tires). The body leaned in turns more than I expected given the competition, but this was less of a problem for me than the basic feel of the car. I felt that a conscious choice had been made to prioritize smoothness over sharpness, at least for the Linear. Better for the mass market, I guess. (I much more enjoyed the sharper handling of the 9-5 Aero.) The payoff is a smooth ride. Quiet, too. This bodes well for all of the cars GM plans to base on this platform, but for enthusiasts I hope the Vector feels much different.

Safety

Usually I don’t talk about safety, but the 9-3 does possess more standard safety equipment than just about any other car under $30,000: ABS, stability control, brake assist, curtain airbags, safety headrests, and on and on. The Swedes are known for this sort of thing. An Infiniti G35 claims as much standard safety equipment for a few thousand more comparably equipped. But I wouldn’t count on as thorough an execution.

Pricing

For quick, up-to-date new car pricing, and especially user-specified price comparisons, check out the website I created: www.truedelta.com. Why yet another vehicle pricing website? Well, I personally lacked the patience to keep using the others. They were too slow and required too much effort, especially when trying to compare prices. So I taught myself some programming and created a site where there is no need to dig through option packages, prerequisites, and the like one by one -- the TrueDelta algorithm figures these out for you in one swift pass.

The price of the car is fair, but no bargain. With manual transmission, metallic paint (about $500 as with other premium Euro brands), Launch Package (sunroof, power seat, CD-changer, upgraded stereo, 16” alloys), and heated front seats the sticker runs to $30,090. Edmunds suggests that the typical dealer discount brings this to $28,600. GM typically offers cut-rate financing as well.

An Audi A4 1.8T (without all-wheel-drive) with similar equipment stickers for $29,535, but dealers supposedly only discount about a grand, making the typical transaction price quite close. A tough call. The Audi is more stylish and perhaps more prestigious, while the Saab has an edge in refinement and utility.

A Volvo S60 comparably equipped stickers for $31,665, and costs about $30,500 after the typical discount. I personally don’t care for the sloppy handling and touchy brakes of Volvos. I’d rather have either of the above cars.

A comparably equipped VW Passat GLS 1.8T stickers for $26,005, and costs about $24,500 after discount. It offers more room than any of the others, but is not quite the same class of car.

The Japanese luxury brands don’t cater to the sub-$30,000 sedan market, at least not until Acura introduces the TSX (based on the European Accord). The Infiniti G35 at about $32,000 presents stiff competition for the 9-3 in Vector form. Compared to the Linear, it’s a roomier and much higher performing car. Although the quality of the interior materials in the Infiniti is arguably lower, the largest difference lies in those subtle details that distinguish European cars. Much the same can be said for the Acura TL.

Last Words

At least in Linear form the 9-3 does not deliver the driving excitement promised in the ads. It does deliver a European brand, notable refinement, and extensive safety features. I suspect that most people interested in a Saab vs. the alternatives will be happier with either the Vector trim or the 9-5. Although the 9-5 lists for much more money, leases for that car are heavily subsidized, considerably narrowing the gap. I hope to drive a Vector at some point. (A year later I finally drove the performance-oriented 9-3. My review of the 2004 Aero can be found here .)

Given the image Saab seeks with this car, I must wonder why they launched the car with only the more vanilla base trim. If they had to choose one trim to start with, they should have started with the Vector and added the mass market models later. I guess they wanted to push a low base price, but if they’re relying on price to sell these cars they’re already in trouble.

To learn more about my reliability research and sign up to participate in it, or to perform thorough up-to-date new car price comparisons, visit www.truedelta.com. A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Amount Paid (US$): 30,090
Model and Options: Launch Package, heated seats