Car Reviews > Saab > 9-3 Convertible > Saab 9-3 Convertible Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Prices: £32,010
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 6-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Power/torque: 217 bhp/ 350 Nm 0-60 mph: 8.9 seconds
Top Speed: 143 miles per hour
Economy: 32.8 miles per gallon
Emissions: 199g per kilometre

The Swedish brand fights for survival with this new drop-top – but has it got the right stuff?

Saab has not had it easy of late, with frequent stoppages in production, unpaid workers, and the decision to pull out of the Frankfurt Motor Show for financial reasons. Therefore, the arrival of an updated 9-3 is something of an achievement in itself, although whether an update of a nine-year-old car will be just the ticket to revive the firm’s flagging fortunes remains to be seen.

The same changes have been made to the Estate and Saloon versions of the new car, as well as the range topping turbocharged petrol convertible that comes in Aero spec and with a bhp rating of 217.

The visual modifications are minor, with just a new grille, reshaped headlights, and fresh front bumper being in any way noticeably different. On the interior of the vehicle, there are also a few minor alterations in the form of metallic trim on the instrument panels while the Aero models also come with a rather cheap looking graphic surface added to doors, glove box and instrument panels alike.

It must be said that the soft-top 9-3 is still a good-looking car if you ignore the taillights, which seem almost to have been outlined with gaffer tape, but there is also no denying that the interior is really starting to look past its prime by now. While it remains simple to use and even somewhat pleasingly minimalistic in style, the fact is that in terms of overall quality, the vehicle is at least one generation behind its rivals, including the Audi A5 Cabriolet, and the graphics which are displayed on the GPS screen look tired to say the very least.

Fortunately, things do start to improve somewhat when you actually drive the thing. The brand new 2.0 litre petrol engine, which is capable of a bhp rating of 217, is quiet and smooth – at least until you actually stamp down on the throttle, at which point an exciting and very Saab-ish whoosh is heard coming from underneath the bonnet. The firm’s glory days are also evoked by the presence of a boost gauge situated in the instrument cluster.

A six-speed auto is optional – for another £1555 – but while it does provide somewhat serene progress, it is very slow to kick down and really make the most of the performance of the engine once the throttle has been squeezed. Those in a hurry should probably stick with the manual.

Other options include another 2.0-litre petrol turbo that has a bhp rating of 161, or the much more efficient 1.9 TTiD diesel, which can come with a bhp rating of either 158 or 178.

The increased feel does undeniably benefit the hydraulic power steering, something that is often lacking in many modern electric setups. However, while the 9-3 is a actually a great deal of fun to drive on fast, sweeping roads, the fact remains that Saab appears to be stuck in the past at a time when its major competitors have leapt forwards with the times. This is not a bad car, but it is far from a great one and Saab is going to need more forward thinking vehicles than this to survive.

by Autoweb