I can’t imagine a better way to spend a Saturday morning than to run 13 miles, then pile four stinky runners into a car and head for breakfast. Thankfully, I happened to be driving a 2008 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible. With the top down, stinky didn’t matter.
Like its sedan sibling, the convertible model also gets a makeover for 2008. So, though much of the interior stays the same, the exterior gets a major facelift.
2008 Saab 9-3 Convertible
Engine: 2.8-liter, V-6 high-output turbo
Horsepower: 255
Torque: 258 pound-feet
Wheelbase: 105.3 inches
Length: 182.9 inches
Height: 57.9 inches
Width: 70.9 inches
MPG (city/hwy): 15/24 (AT); 16/26 (MT)
Base price: $46,385
As tested: $49,780
I really like the new face of the 9-3. From the headlights to the grille, the whole front fascia looks lean and mean. The one thing I wasn’t a fan of on the sedan, however, transferred over to the convertible: the taillights. I don’t know what Saab was thinking, but the way the taillights are situated, it looks like they are pieced together with black tape. Not a fan.
The test vehicle had slick arctic white paint combined with the optional sand-colored convertible soft top ($600). The overall two-tone effect was really nice. The soft top folds completely into the trunk, leaving a polished exterior line that doesn’t require a tonneau cover. Trunk space does shrink when the top is down, but it still leaves a respectable 8.3 cubic feet of cargo volume.
One my favorite details on the new convertible is the hard-coated exterior-colored rim that surrounds lip of the vehicle in a continuous line from the driver’s side of the windshield to the passenger’s side of the windshield. I like this much better than the leather or vinyl that other convertibles use because the vehicle looks finished – top up or down.
With the new trend of hard-top convertibles in non-luxury vehicles, I find it interesting that Saab has clung to the soft top. Wind noise is minimal, and even the patter of rain was dampened through the thick layers of the canvas top on the 9-3 Convertible. So, as far as soft tops go, the 9-3’s is one of the best. But still, a hard top would look so much better.
On the inside, the cockpit of the 9-3 is just all-around comfortable. The audio controls on the center stack are easy to reach, and being housed in the generic General Motors interface, they were intuitive if not entirely attractive.
Even though Saab sold out with the audio system, much of the quirk that made a Saab, a Saab remains. Old favorites include the waffle-shaped air vents, the cup holder that pops out of the center stack and the ignition situated between the driver and passenger seats.
The test vehicle had leather seats that were included with the Aero model, but rather than the typical monotone seating surfaces, the test vehicle had two-tone seats with a twist. Usually two-tone seats are dark with light accents. In the case of the test vehicle they were light with dark accents.
One of the first things that attracted me to the 9-3 was how perfectly I fit in the car. From the standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel to the height adjustable seats, I was able to obtain the perfect driving position and felt that the 9-3 was custom-made just for me.
Thankfully, in the 2008 model, that hasn’t really changed.
Though the first 9-3 I drove had all manual seat adjustments, a power driver’s seat is standard for the 2008 model year. I liked the easy up, down, front, back adjustments, but the one thing that was missing: an additional adjustment for the knees. I felt like I was sitting high enough, but would have liked to lower only my knees for better access to the pedals.
As an Aero model, the test vehicle got the up-level 2.8-liter high-output turbocharged V-6 engine that delivers 255 horsepower. While this was incredibly fun to zip around in, the base 2.0-liter high-output turbocharged I-4 engine is also quite fast. And it gets better gas mileage (19/29 mpg). With the standard manual transmission, the 9-3 Aero gets city/highway mileage of 15/26 mpg. The test vehicle had the optional automatic transmission ($1,350) and had mileage estimates 15/24 mpg. I did about 500 miles of highway driving during the test week, and my average miles per gallon hovered around 22.
Because of its petite size and peppy engine, the 9-3 is always one of my favorites in terms of ride and handling. It’s easy to maneuver through highway traffic, and it parallel parks very well. It handles phenomenally well around corners, and it’s smooth and steady for those long road trips.
One of the things I’ve always liked about the Saab 9-3 is that it’s a pretty neat little luxury vehicle with a starting price under $30K. But adding options or extras jacks up the price pretty quickly.
Base price for the 9-3 is $28,190. That includes electronic stability control, traction control, side-curtain airbags, dual zone automatic climate control, rain sensing wipers, OnStar and XM Satellite Radio. If you want the Aero model, you’ll add 17-inch wheels, a sport chassis, sport seats, Xenon cornering headlights and steering wheel audio controls as well as almost $7K to the bottom line. Adding a convertible into the equation adds more moolah to the price tag, with a base MSRP of $40,700 for the 2.0T model. An up-level Aero model, such as the test vehicle, has a base price of $46,385. Ouch.
The test vehicle added every option except the navigation system. Thus, the as-tested price of the test vehicle was $49,780. That’s approaching BMW 335i Convertible territory, and the 3-Series Convertible comes with a hard top.
Overall, the Saab 9-3 Convertible isn’t a bad car to have on a sunny weekend. Even with stinky runners in tow. I would, however, ask Saab to ponder two things: A hard top convertible and new taillights.
Otherwise the ride in the 9-3 was practically perfect. As always.
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