Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 



Niche within a niche. Image by Kyle Fortune.

Niche within a niche
Saab's 9-3X looks the part, but the lack of a 4x4 diesel option limits its appeal enormously.

   



<< earlier review     later review >>

Reviews homepage -> Saab reviews

| First Drive | Brighton, England | Saab 9-3X SportWagon |

Saab's 9-3 estate gets a plastic clad, suspension-raising makeover to create the 9-3X, a crossover 'SportWagon' to appeal to the outdoor set. Available in 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol guise with Saab's XWD 4x4 system, the more obvious 1.9TTiD diesel choice with its similar performance, identical looks and better economy is the more desirable - until you discover it's only offered in front-wheel drive.

In the Metal

The 9-3 has always been a great looking estate car and the chunkier bumpers of the 9-3X SportWagon only add to its visual appeal. In the black of our test car they're not so obvious, but pick yours in a lighter colour and the contrasting dark wheel-arch extensions, sills and under bumpers give the Saab a real off-road look that's right up there with its Audi allroad and Volvo XC70 rivals. The Saab's taillights have more than a hint of Apple's cool design language about them and inside the driver is placed in a simple, clearly-designed environment with the typical smart Saab touches like a cleverly folding cup holder, the transmission tunnel ignition key and the very cool 'nightpanel'.

The plastics inside aren't going to beat Audi's but it's finished nicely enough, though there's no denying that the Saab's interior is now feeling rather old compared to its competition.

What you get for your Money

Aside from the butch looks the 9-3X gets XWD - in the petrol car at least. It diverts drive to the wheels that need it most, which should give the 9-3X pretty respectable off-road ability on farm tracks and the like. It's more likely to be seen outside ski chalets though, the 9-3X and its ilk being the darling of the ski set, the low estate car roof being the perfect place to put a ski box and the chunky plastic cladding helping protect it from errant poles, skis and snowboards in the resort car park. The XWD is oddly only offered with the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which means your fuel bills will be lumpier if you're planning on driving to the Alps in it than if you did in its turbodiesel sister - or rivals.

Driving it

The 9-3 has never really stood out among its premium competition on the road. That's much the same with the 9-3X, though the addition of the country-set looks does have a calming effect and that's no bad thing. At best the drive is forgettable, which for many will be part of the appeal. It's easy, though if you're the sort of driver who wants to feel the road through the steering wheel and sense what's going on through corners then you should perhaps look elsewhere. The 9-3X is competent, with decent levels of grip, a smooth, free-revving engine that's deceptively quick and a ride that manages to balance control and reasonable comfort.

The 35mm raise in ride height doesn't upset the 9-3X's composure too much, and although not sounding like much of an increase in height does give the Saab a more authoritative feel behind the wheel.

Worth Noting

If you can live without the XWD 4x4 system then the 1.9TTiD is the better bet. The 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol version manages 62mph in 8.2 seconds thanks to its 207bhp, but use that all the time and you'll never see anything near its 34.9mpg combined consumption figure. The Saab is pretty cheap given its badge and positioning though, undercutting Audi's cheapest A4 allroad by around £5,000, and even being cheaper than Subaru's Outback. For around £25,000 the Saab is a good-looking and practical machine.

Summary

The Saab 9-3 might be well past its sell-by date but the Swedish firm has added some appeal with the addition of the 9-3X model. We'd really want a diesel version combined with four-wheel drive, as the 2.0-litre turbo petrol 4x4 model is a small niche within an already small niche.

Kyle Fortune - 8 Oct 2009



  www.saab.co.uk    - Saab road tests
- Saab news
- 9-3X Sportwagon images

2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.

2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.



2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2009 Saab 9-3X. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 






 

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©