2009 Saab 9-3: One bright spot in Saab story
BRIAN EARLY FOR THE TORONTO STAR
Although dulled by the optional automatic, the Aero XWD sedan is a swift car that’s also comfortable inside.
The purchase of GM's Saab subsidiary seems all but a few rubber stamps away from completion, yet you have to wonder what low-volume Swedish exotic-car manufacturer Koenigsegg expects to get out of this deal beyond additional manufacturing capacity and a heightened sense of Swedish patriotism.
While there's a new 9-4X crossover and the replacement for the 9-5 series imminent, my guess is that Koenigesegg sees the immediate potential of the only current Saab worthy of mention, the 9-3.
Starting at $36,255 and thus ostensibly a competitor to other premium compacts – particularly European models such as the Audi A4, BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-class, and Volvo S60/V70/XC70 – it's still unlikely that many buyers have this or any other Saab on their radar.
It's easy to point the finger for the Saab brand's current lack of cachet as a lack of advertising or corporate support from parent company GM, but it's more realistic to blame a range of products that failed to elicit either passion from enthusiasts or desire from luxury car buyers.
Being known primarily for outside-the-box designs and turbocharging were not enough, nor was the ad copy tie-in to Saab's aircraft-building origins. The few Saab loyalists decried the adoption of GM platforms and engines.
However, the past three years have been kind to the 9-3, and it deserves more notice than it garners.
Since 2006, Saab has added the option of a delightful and punchy 280 hp turbocharged V6 (used in Aero models); tweaked the 9-3's interior and restyled the front end.
For 2009, Saab expanded the availability of the "cross-wheel drive" all-wheel drive system introduced last year to include the base "2.0T" turbo four-cylinder models. (XWD can be fitted to both the sedan and SportCombi wagon body-styles, creating credible A4 Quattro competitors.)
My $49,165 "Carbon Gray" Aero XWD sedan tester therefore represented the upper end of this Trollhättan-made product line, its boosted V6 coupled to a six-speed automatic and the AWD system.
Even dulled by the optional automatic (a slick-shifting six-speed manual is standard), with 295 lb.-ft. of torque, this is a swift car, with a robust midrange that's great for overtaking, and excellent chassis composure whether jeopardizing your licence or cutting and thrusting in urban traffic.
Fitted with the available Aero Sport Package, with its "ultra sport chassis" and 18-inch Pirellis, it was fairly stiff-legged over broken pavement, but we're not talking sports car harsh, just decidedly firm.
When paired with the V6, XWD gains active torque split for the rear axle, adding side to side control to XWD's automatic front-to-rear proportioning. The result is surprisingly neutral handling, particularly under power, where you can feel the rearward bias helping to push you around the corner – a feel foreign to past Saabs, with the possible exception of the few Subaru WRX-based 9-2X's that found buyers.
True, some of the cabin fittings and materials lag those found in the 9-3's foes, but the overall construction appears sound and stylish, if a tad understated, despite some metallic trim and the grey inserts in my Aero's comfortable leather seats.
Rear seat space is about typical for this segment (on the tighter side of cozy), while the trunk is reasonably sized and usefully shaped – Acura TSX and TL, take note.
I can't say that I was keen about the Aero-specific "Bat-symbol" steering wheel, which looked cool but wasn't pleasant to grip, however I did like the "Nightpanel" button, which leaves only the speedometer and a few ancillaries illuminated to reduce distraction and fatigue at night (items requiring attention light up).
That other Saab trademark, the centre console-mounted ignition switch, takes a bit of getting used to; the biggest downside is the potential cupholder space it usurps – this is not a big beverage-compatible automobile.
I used my Aero for a rain-soaked, faster than necessarily prudent trip to attend a family event in Montreal, doing a fair bit of touristy city exploration while there, still managing 12.3 L/100 km (23 m.p.g.) economy on regular grade fuel.
Pan GM's parenting skills if you want; the 9-3's strengths lie in the odd-couple combination of Saab's unorthodox engineering and the big-corporate resources that provided its chassis (distantly related to the Chevy Malibu) and engines (both are variants of motors used throughout GM's range).
It's been a long process, but Saab's renaissance finally appears to be underway. I can't wait to see what comes with Koenigsegg's added passion.
Freelance writer Brian Early can be reached at bandb.early@sympatico.ca
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