9-3 SportCombi retains that unique Saab feel

Distinct Swedish traits make this family car with panache stand out from the herd

Nov 24, 2007

Special to the Star

Some years ago a pair of Swedish girls I'd met in a London hostel asked me what kind of luck they might have hitchhiking across Canada. I assured these two – blonde, blue-eyed, beautiful – that they would certainly receive a warm welcome from Canadian drivers.

I have no idea how those two eventually made out, but not every Swedish visitor can expect an enthusiastic response.

Saab, for example, has been viewed as something less than a knockout by Canadian drivers. The brand has been just a little bit offbeat for mainstream tastes, with box office returns more Bergmanesque than boffo.

Saab owners have been described as a cult, but the company also has a reputation for innovation, safety and rally performance.

Also some weirdness, though. Saab likes to trace its roots to an aircraft company, but the aerodynamic shape of its first prototype car in 1949 was hammered out on top of a pile of horse manure, according to the Saab museum. Usually the marketing department stakes a claim on that territory.

Saab has had its share of corporate high points, but the takeover by General Motors in 1990 was viewed by many as a threat to its unique Swedish identity.

Consider the 9-3 SportCombi tested here, for example, which is based on a chassis platform similar to the Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6, something that sounds discouragingly mundane.

Fortunately, the fine-tuning by Saab's engineers means that the cars leaving the Trollhattan assembly line in Sweden feel nothing like a domestic GM product.

Even getting started in a Saab seems quirkily different, as it initially leaves you hunting for the ignition switch located between the seats in the centre console. Saab designers moved it there years ago after noticing drivers were getting kneecapped by the ignition in crashes, and have left it as a signature design element, despite subsequent advances in ergonomics.

The switch ignites a turbocharged 2.0 L inline four, which delivers a smooth flow of power up to a peak of 210 hp at 5500 r.p.m. The output offers a pleasantly elastic feel, mild-mannered at low revs but with an eager ascent up the rev scale, especially using the closer ratios of the manual six-speed transmission that is part of the standard package.

Shifting action of the six-speed at first seems comparatively long and rubbery, yet there's something sensuous about its character, especially mated to the engine's elastic power and mellow turbo punch.

A stronger shove forward is available from the optional 2.8 L V6 offering 250 hp at 5500 r.p.m. and peak torque of 258 lb.-ft. at 2000 r.p.m., compared with 221 lb.-ft. at 2500 r.p.m. for the inline-four. Also optional is a five-speed automatic with a manual shifting function.

Tempting though a more powerful engine might be, the standard 2.0 L four feels sweetly balanced with the chassis, which offers a supple ride quality, yet a tenacious hold while carving through turns.

Some torque steer can be felt through the front-wheel drive design, but you can get on the gas out of a bumpy corner without provoking harshness or unruly tugs from the steering.

A multi-link rear axle provides a measure of passive steering through the rear wheels, which also toe-in slightly under braking to enhance stability when the four disc brakes are pressed hard.

On flat, smooth pavement, the SportCombi might seem more softly sprung than desirable, but I enjoyed its well-planted feel over rough pavement, which made me grateful the Swedish designers were familiar with the kind of frost-damaged pavement so common on our back roads.

Electronic stability control, which tweaks individual brakes or the engine's power to prevent a skid, provides additional reassurance.

For 2008, the SportCombi will be available with a sophisticated electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system mated to a higher-boost V6 producing 280 hp – a $2,200 option. That sounds promising, but for the standard four-banger, the front-wheel drive chassis offers a friendly balance.

The 2007 model I drove was equipped with a 60th anniversary package that included unusually comfortable and supportive power front seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, a stellar 10-speaker sound system with a six-CD changer and satellite radio, a sunroof, walnut interior trim and a few other niceties, which added $3,395 to the base price of $36,635. Also installed was GM's OnStar network communication system, a $995 option including one year's service.

In practical terms, I loved the small and nimble feel of the SportCombi while navigating city traffic, yet the ease of popping the rear hatch to gain access to a flat and open storage area also gave the Saab some of the utility of a crossover or small SUV design.

At the same time, the turbo flavour, six-speed gearbox and a certain indefinable Saab sensibility mean you're not just running with the herd. It's a family vehicle with some panache.

General Motors vice-chair Bob Lutz has called the Saab division "a jewel in the GM crown," which some might think carries a whiff of that manure pile. But I think he's right.

I missed my chance with those hitchhikers – but the SportCombi is a Swedish visitor I'd be happy to embrace.

Toronto Star