From Sweden, these machines are aimed at the individuals amongst us. Chiefly at those who can afford the BMWs and Mercedes, but who want something out of the ordinary.

Though it has to be said Saabs are closer to mainstream today than in their earlier days. That’s inevitable in a world where competition is extremely tough and smaller players can’t survive without some assistance from the big boys. Saab is owned by General Motors, though it’s allowed plenty of freedom in the important areas of design.

The ignition key on all modern Saabs is once again between the seats, following a time when, mistakenly, it was put on the steering column just like every other car. The key location was originally used to minimise the distance between the rear mounted battery and the starter motor on the old six-volt Saabs, but which today is a strong selling point of all Saabs.

Though the Swedish marque has a definite sporting feel, it is a thoroughly practical machine in just about every way. Interior space is very good thanks to the use of front-wheel drive.

Saab has done a good job of taking out most of the undesirable characteristics of FWD. However, pushed to its limit, the 9-3 has an awkward nose-heavy feeling. The high-performance Viggen can be a bit of a handful under hard acceleration. Unless you know what you are doing you should either be very careful, or get some advanced driving lessons. Preferably the latter.

The 9-3 is pleasant to drive, with excellent high-speed stability and the capacity to cope with rough and ready Australian roads. That’s because driving conditions in Sweden are pretty tough in winter time and cars have to be strong and solid to handle them.

 

Saab 9-3 was introduced to Australia in June 1998, although it was a major revamp of the old Saab 900 rather than a completely new model. November 2002 saw the arrival of an all-new 9-3. This time it was sold only as a four-door sedan, Saab feeling that buyers of upmarket buyers preferred sedans to hatchbacks. Previous 9-3 ‘sedans’ had actually been five-door hatches.

The biggest success story in the Saab 9-3 range has been the two-door convertible. Often topping its class in the sales race in Australia, it’s a four-seater, though it’s best if the rear-seat occupants are on the small side. Prior to the latest model, the new convertible didn’t arrive until October 2003, the soft-top had too much scuttle shake on rough roads, but the new convertible pretty well eliminated the problem.

Most Saab 9-3 engines are four-cylinder turbocharged units, with capacities of either 2.0 litres or 2.3 litres, the former being by far the more common. The turbochargers are tuned to different stages, using either light-pressure, medium-pressure or high-pressure depending on the output required. A 2.8-litre V6 engine option, again with a turbocharger, was introduced to Australia in December 2005. It’s unlikely you will find one of these on the used market at this stage.

The Saab 9-3 comes with a five-speed manual gearbox in a few cars, and a six-speed manual in the sporting Aeros, but most Australian imports run full automatics. These were four-speed in all variants until the all-new 2003 sedan, introduced in November 2002, when they received a five-speed unit. The old convertible continued with the four-speed until the new model of late 2003 when it too got the five-speed. The auto mated to the V6 engine is a six-speed unit with sequential overrides.

 

Saabs are reasonably easy to work on, but it’s probably best to leave repairs to experts. Spare parts prices and the cost of servicing these Swedish cars, are about average for this mid-range European class. The Australian Saab dealer network isn't as large as some, but it operates efficiently and we hear few complaints.

Insurance companies often don’t like turbocharged engines. Speak to your Saab dealer about a list of companies that understand what Saab turbos are all about.

Saab has gone through slow times in recent years, this has affected resale values, though these do seem to be improving at present due to the introduction of new product and a strong push in the sales race.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Rust is seldom a problem in cars built to cope with the rigours of northern-European winters, but check carefully, just in case. Most rust problems in Australian Saabs are caused by poor crash repairs, not by flaws in the cars.

A convertible may have been caught out in the rain, check the carpets, and the metal beneath them.

Check the condition of the engine oil for a burnt smell and look and for a thick, sludgy appearance.

Try to start the engine when it’s stone cold, preferably after an overnight stop. It should kick over within a second or so and idle smoothly from light-up.

Listen for a loud whining sound from the turbo under acceleration. They are generally reliable and long lasting, but bad driving can lead to expensive failures.

On the test drive feel for any hesitation in acceleration once the initial turbo lag has passed.

Drive the Saab slowly in a full circle in one direction, then the other and listen for clicking sounds from the universal joints at the front wheels.

Automatic transmissions shouldn’t hunt up and down through the gears, nor be noisy in their operation.

Make sure a manual gearbox operates smoothly and quietly and that the clutch action isn't too heavy.