Saab 9-3 TTiD Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Saab 9-3 1.9 TTiD
Prices: £26,495-£27,495 - on the road
Insurance Group: 14 [est]
Emissions: 159g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 8.0s / Max Speed 140mph
Fuel Consumption: (combined) 47.9mpg
Safety: Twin front & side airbags, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Traction Control, Cornering Braking Control, Saab Active Head Restraints
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height (saloon) 4635/2038/1466mm

WORKING 9 TO 3

Our Rating: 7.7 / 10

In the fast-moving world of the modern automotive marketplace, the manufacturer that stands still is quickly reduced to a speck on the horizon. Saab hopes its TTiD engine can help its latest 9-3 keep pace with the compact executive elite. Steve Walker reports

The smooth, fast and economical TTiD twin-turbo diesel engine could be the best powerplant in the Saab 9-3 line-up. The car has been around for some time but it’s still a relevant compact executive saloon, even if it must rely on value for money and the fact that it isn’t German for most of its sales successes. It’s very comfortable and relaxing motorway car that can still raise a smile on twisty roads.

Saab has long prided itself on the leftfield appeal of its vehicles, happy to operate on the margins as a sanctuary for freethinking individuals determined not to follow the crowd and buy German. Spooky reliability and dashboards modelled on your sideboard stood them in good stead for a long time but more recently, big horsepower figures and sharky styling have been relied upon to draw the customers in. The 9-3 TTiD model covered here is a variation on this theme, blessed with a 180bhp twin-turbocharged diesel powerplant and a front end that’s more aggressive than a basket of honey badgers.

180bhp is a useful amount to squeeze from a 1.9-litre diesel engine. TiD-badged versions of this unit that develop 120 and 150bhp are also available in the 9-3 but these lack the additional T of the TTiD and more crucially, its second turbocharger. Getting big power from a comparatively small capacity engine has helped Saab retain a strong fuel economy showing and keep weight down. This is weight over the front axel too, right where it could have highlighted the shortcomings of a powerful front-wheel-drive car in a market populated by rear-wheel-drive rivals. Where the Germans tend to employ six-cylinder diesels in order to achieve power of the TTiD’s magnitude, the 1.9TTiD looks a sensible solution for the 9-3, that enticing horsepower figure only overshadowed by the highly muscular 400Nm torque rating.

Powerful Saab models of the past often had trouble deploying their hefty bhp outputs effectively. As the turbocharger got into its stride and the wave of torque hit, the front wheels would struggle for grip and violent torque steer would often ensue. Today’s front-wheel-drive 9-3 models effectively overcome these problems with a carefully-honed chassis achieving superior grip and the smooth power delivery of the TTiD unit.

The engine uses a pair of turbochgargers working in sequence. A smaller blower spools up quickly to boost pulling power at low revs while the big hitter comes on stream once the engine’s into its stride. It means that turbo lag – that pregnant pause between throttle input and the power coming on stream – is effectively reduced. It all helps make the 9-3 TTiD an amiable companion for everyday driving. The committed enthusiast will probably always plump for a rear-wheel-drive alternative but the Saab’s composure and comfort on the motorway, coupled with its power and well-judged handling, give it a good balance for many drivers.

The latest facelifted 9-3 inherited its dramatic frontal styling from the Aero X concept car that caused quite a stir at the 2006 Geneva motorshow. It’s definitely not short of aggression and the 9-3’s malevolent front end seems sure to have the desired effect on outside lane dawdlers when it looms up in their rear view mirrors. The extensive use of chrome to trim the grille and the bumper recesses that house the fog lights on plusher derivatives may not be to everyone’s taste, especially those who favoured Saab products because they were notably less ostentatious that the German alternatives. The smoked glass tail lights must also have a question mark over them, especially on the SportWagon estate bodystyle. For some they will smack too readily of the aftermarket equivalents often seen fitted to souped-up Citroen Saxos and Vauxhall Corsas.

Unlike many vehicles that campaign in this class, the SportWagon estate version offers some serious carrying capacity. There’s 419 litres available with the rear seats in place and a whopping 1,273 litres of space available with the seats folded down. The recessed sub floor allows valuables to be stowed out of the view of prying eyes and can also be used to store wet or dirty gear without muddying everything else up. Despite its sporting looks, the rear hatch is actually fairly steeply raked, allowing fo