Saab 9-3 Sport SALOON 1.8i
Its amazing the stuff you can find down the back of the cushions on your sofa. I knew my future wifes parents were good sorts when a surreptitious delve down the back of their couch yielded a platinum Amex card and a confirmation note for the full Sky Sports channel setup. Theres an equivalent to this limbo in the automotive world which can turn up little gems like the Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon 1.8i.
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Saabs 9-3 has been fighting hard to keep its head above water in precisely this sector but the latest 1.8-litre versions could succeed by sheer dint of their sparkling value for money. Prior to this normally aspirated 1.8-litre model arriving on the market, the entry level point to the 9-3 Sport Saloon range was the turbocharged 150bhp 1.
8t at over £20,000. True, you got a whole lot more bang for your buck than with the blown Saab than with the starting points on the BMW/Mercedes/Audi ladder but the price was more than BMW were asking for the 316i ES of the day and this caused more than a few waverers. The 122bhp 9-3 Sport Saloon 1.8 opens proceedings at a mere £17,215, against which the premium badges have no answer whatsoever.
Buyers seeking extra practicality can also opt for the SportWagon estate model.
"Saab have retained their traditionally muscular feel in the engines low and middle ranges without the expense of a turbocharger"
By using an electronic throttle and a variable length intake manifold, Saab have retained their traditionally muscular feel in the engines low and middle ranges without the expense of a turbocharger. The added benefit is that the 9-3 Sport Saloon 1.8i offers competitive economy and emissions figures. With a combined fuel figure of 35.
8mpg and emissions of 188g/km, the 9-3 1.8 isnt going to break the bank in terms of running costs. The engine offers sprightly if not ballistic acceleration, accelerating through the 60mph benchmark in 11.1 seconds and topping out at 123mph.
The 9-3 features so-called adaptive service intervals whereby the car decides when it needs a service and these can be anything up to two years/18,500 miles apart. Ally that to a very reasonable Group 11 insurance rating and a predicted residual value of 38% after three years and the 9-3 1.8i looks a very compelling prospect indeed. The ride and handling are better than any previous mid range Saab model.
Just when you think the ride has been optimised for high-speed cruising, the Saab's suspension shows that it knows what to do when presented with a corner. It deploys its power noticeably better than Saabs of yore as well. Despite being fitted with traction control electronics, the 9-3 is rarely forced to fall back on their safety net. Five trim levels are available with this engine.
As well as the £17,215 entry version, there are the more familiar Linear, Linear Sport, Vector and Vector Sport variants. The Linear model weighs in at £18,960 with the Vector versions costing from £20,810. Even the base variant is classily appointed with a black cloth interor, dual-zone climate control and a punchy Saab audio system as standard. Linear opens proceedings with alloy wheels and fabric trim but opt for the Linear Sport and bigger alloys, front fog lamps and dual zone climate control are added.
Vector has a sporting theme with more supportive leather seats and even bigger wheels, while the Vector Sport supplements this with stability control, parking sensors and an upgraded stereo. The cabin of the 9-3 has been brought further up to date with a variety of improvements but it still remains resolutely Saab with all the controls angled towards the perpetually grinning pilot. The 9-3 Sports Saloon features a dash thats more upright than Dixon of Dock Green, the ignition next to the handbrake and a cupholder mechanism that can reduce design students to hushed reverence. More recent innovations include the shift to rotary controls and the rationalisation of the digital display information into one zone at the bottom of the speedometer.
All models now feature dual zone climate control and most get an MP3-compatible CD player with an auxiliary audio input to attach your iPod. The distinctive Saab air-vent controls are finished in chrome and this metallic theme is referenced at a number of points around the cabin. The 9-3 Sport Saloon 1.8i offers the same 5-star best-in-class Euro NCAP safety ratings as the rest of the range and its one of only two cars in the UK to pass What Car? magazines security attack test with 100 per cent impregnability.
Although the 9-3 Sport Saloon may run the risk of falling down the back of the automotive sofa, its therefore doubtless that itll fall into the wrong hands. If you appreciate a car thats a little different from the run of the mill but which wont wallop you in the wallet as a consequence, the 9-3 Sport Saloon 1.8i makes a safe bet.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon 1.8i
PRICES: £17,215 - £22,460 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 11
CO2 EMISSIONS: 188g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 11.1s / Max Speed 123mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 26.4 (extra urban) 45.6 (combined) 35.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Traction Control, Saab Active Head Restraints
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4635/2038/1466mm
