In order to celebrate 60 years, Saab is offering a 60th Anniversary Edition on its 2007 9-3, which includes Ice Blue Metallic exterior paint.The Saab 9-3 was one of the first test cars I ever drove. It was cute and black, and I fell in love immediately.
The love affair has lasted more than four years now. I’m still in love. But, as with every relationship, the more involved you get, the more you learn about the other party. And, the more you find those traits that make you just a little bit crazy.
So it is with the latest version of the Saab 9-3. It’s still a great car that I can literally drive for hours without getting uncomfortable. But I have to admit, favorite car status is in danger.
One of the things that attracted me to the 9-3 was its quirky nature. I liked the waffle cone air vents and the cup holder that pops out of the dash and the key that looks like a wine stopper and the ignition on the center console and the unique audio interface. That’s what made the 9-3 a Saab and not just another GM product.
While much of the Saabness remains, I am starting to see some GMification.
The most obvious place the 9-3 has been GMified is the audio interface. It has that large center dial on the dash to adjust the volume surrounded by the preset buttons and topped by a glowing green digital screen that displays station information. It’s certainly more user friendly than the previous interface. But it’s generic and unattractive.
Some of the interior materials have also been GMified. By that I mean they do not show the level of quality that should be associated with a luxury brand. Take the quirky cup holder as an example. It’s still just as quirky, but it’s also incredibly flimsy in a way that I don’t remember. I thought I’d break the holder just by putting an 8-ounce water bottle in it.
Then there was the issue of the sliding armrest. I’m short enough and sit far forward enough that I don’t even touch the armrest. But I had a passenger during the test week who kept bumping it with his elbow, and it would shoot forward or backward depending on where he hit it. I don’t know if it was broken or poor planning, but either way it didn’t win any points with this driver.
GMification aside, I do still love the 9-3. It’s small, zippy, comfortable and gets decent gas mileage. Not to mention the fact that the base price for a 9-3 is now at $26,250, which puts it in a more affordable range.
Another thing that continually draws me back to the 9-3 is the driving position. Whether I’m using the power adjustable or manual seats, I can always find that perfect position. Then the tilt/telescoping steering wheel gives me space to breath as I can push it down and away to match my far-forward seat position.
I have great visibility out of a 9-3 with minimal blind spots. Which is why the right side mirror with the magnifying sliver at the edge threw me for a loop. I drive by my mirrors, and that little distortion constantly had me second guessing what was or wasn’t in my blind spot. I didn’t like it, but I do know others who swear by it.
The test vehicle had the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine. I know that the up-level Aero model now comes with a V-6, and it’s fun and fast, but I really like the four-cylinder. With 210 horsepower, the engine is perfectly powered for the car as it is. Not to mention that you get better gas mileage.
Fuel estimates for the four-cylinder 9-3 with a six-speed manual transmission ring in at 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. My average fuel consumption in the test vehicle dipped to 25.8 mpg when I was primarily driving in the city. But, when I had a 3-hour road trip and nothing but highway, my average jumped to 27.5 mpg.
The 9-3 comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, and luckily that’s how the test vehicle came. I love the Saab manual transmission because it’s smooth, clean and easy. You don’t accidentally put it in the wrong year, and you don’t have to force it. In fact, it’s kind of like sliding a knife through butter.
The test vehicle had the optional 60th Anniversary Edition Package ($1,825), which included special 17-inch wheels, seating surfaces, exterior paint, XM Satellite Radio, Bose audio system and eight-way power adjustable seats. The most noticeable feature with this package is far and away the Ice Blue Metallic paint. Even at night it glistens. During the test week, I received several compliments and comments about the car in general but the paint specifically.
The test vehicle had some other hefty options that thrust the final price past $30K. I question a power moonroof that costs $1,200, plus OnStar, which is standard on $21K vehicles such as the Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Impala, is an $895 option on the 9-3. The only other option was the heated seats and headlamp washers, for which I’d gladly pay $550 to get the heated seats alone. The final price of the test vehicle with options and destination was $31,265.
Now that the 9-3 and I have settled into our four-year love affair, I’ve definitely uncovered a couple of those traits that drive me crazy. But when I look at features such as the standard front and rear side-curtain airbags, I know I’ll keep coming back for more.
And, for the record, when people ask me what car I’d buy, I do still answer: Saab 9-3.
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