Saab 9-3 Sportwagon Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Saab 9-3 Sportwagon range
Prices: £23,095-£29,630 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 11-19
Emissions: 122-186g/km
Performance: [1.9TTiD] 0-60mph 8.7s / Max Speed 137mph
Fuel Consumption: [1.9TTiD] (combined) 61.4mpg
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

BRING LOAD, SWEDE CHARIOT

Our Rating: 7.7 / 10

Saab’s 9-3 Sportwagon continues to bring a welcome dash of style to the executive estate sector. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Good looks and big practicality make the Saab 9-3 SportWagon a desirable choice for compact executive buyers looking for some extra space in the rear. Technologically, the Saab still trails the top German models but in terms of everyday usability, it has a lot going for it and the lower running costs in this latest model are impressive.

Saab’s 9-3 Sportwagon probably won’t be the first car that springs to mind if you’re looking for a premium-badged compact executive estate. But perhaps it should be. Can the car you’re thinking of offer up to 180bhp of diesel power yet still return 122g/km of CO2 to keep your tax bill down and eke out nearly 62mpg on a regular basis? We’re guessing not. But low running costs aren’t everything. If they were, you’d have bought something a lot more boring than this. And boring, the Sportwagon certainly isn’t.

We’re about to go into details as to why as you read on, but let me just give you a taster. Its Twin Floor Storage facility. Here’s a press pack quote: "By pulling a chrome, aircraft-shaped handle, the main boot floor can be folded and relocated for access to a recessed sub-floor." This instantly gave rise to the intriguing question of just what shape is an aircraft? Was this boot floor handle a delicate chromed Vickers Vimy biplane that popped up or could it be a sleek Saab Gripen? The straight wings and chunky stub ordnance hardpoints of a Northrop A-10 Tankbuster would be a whole lot easier to grasp. Unfortunately, the truth was a little more prosaic and ‘aircraft-style’ would probably have been somewhat nearer the mark. That’s about all that does give serious cause for disappointment about the 9-3 Sportwagon.

In recent times, Saab has given the 9-3 a welcome shot in the arm with a couple of big steps forward in terms of engineering. As well as a range-topping 180bhp TTiD 1.9-litre diesel engine, there’s also the XWD ‘cross wheel drive’ model – effectively an all-wheel drive version with a Haldex differential to direct drive to the rear wheels where necessary. This will forever solve the rather wayward power deployment of range-topping front-wheel drive 9-3s.

Aside from this impressive diesel, which uses a twin-stage turbo to deliver all that power, there are more conventional turbo diesel models both with an extra 10bhp these days. The 1.9-litre 16v is now good for 160bhp, while a cheaper 8v engine now serves up 130bhp. Petrol buyers are catered for by a 122bhp 1.8i, a turbocharged 1.8t, and 175bhp and 210bhp versions of an all-aluminium 2.0-litre turbo as well as the big banger in the line up, the 280bhp V6 turbo. This will get to 60mph in 5.9s and run on to 152mph. There are also two BioPower engines that run on a bioethanol E85 mix – choose from either a 1.8t or a 2.0t here.

Other recent tweaks include a recalibrated engine management with improved fuel injection and combustion control. There are revised gear ratios to match new power and torque characteristics. Low rolling resistance tyres offer reduced road friction, whilst improved aerodynamics, with rear underbody deflector blades aid efficiency, as does reduced weight achieved through lighter construction and sound-deadening materials. There’s also a revised torque converter for automatic transmission models that features optimised shift programming.

Despite all this, the driving experience hasn’t changed all that much – which means that it’s as good as an Audi or a Mercedes but a little less involving than a BMW 3 Series. The ride and handling compromise remains very well judged but the more powerful models highlight the pressing requirement for all-wheel drive which Saab has rather belatedly woken up to. Comfort inside the car is excellent thanks to great seats and a multi-adjustable driving position.

Like the Sport Saloon and Convertible models, the Wagon is one of the best-looking cars in its class, the tight overhangs and chunky proportioning giving it a real presence and the latest models also feature the clamshell bonnet with all external rubbing strips removed to give a cleaner look. Unlike many vehicles that campaign in this class, the Saab offers s