Major Options:  Jet Black Metallic, Sentronic Automatic Transmission, Front Heated Seats and Headlamp Washers, Navigation System and Premium Package.

Consumer Guide® Fuel Economy:  23.23 mpg (what's this?)

Problems During Test: None

From The Back Seat
Chuck Giametta Despite GM's mucking-up the Saab brand with the woefully misguided 9-2X and 9-7X, the 9-3 2.0T somehow makes it through with its Swedish heritage in place. That's a wonderful thing, for the result is a compact car with its priorities well in order. The astutely tuned suspension, natural-feeling steering, and sensible 16-inch tires combine for a balance of real-world ride and handling that's all but disappeared from the automotive landscape. The cabin is lean and roomy in a refreshing sit-up-straight and eat-your-whole-grains kind of way. And the thrifty turbo four works its little heart out to furnish stealthy speed. Your best bet is to stick with the under-$30,000 versions in this line: They're nicely equipped and you'll cushion the pain at resale time. I'm not sure why the 9-3 feels worlds apart from the Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6, but all who value mature individuality should be pleased it does.

Kirk Bell Option pricing tends to be high, so I think the best deal is a lightly optioned 2.0T. The engine provides plenty of pep, the interior ambience is fashionably high-tech, and the car has light, crisp handling.

Mark Bilek The 9-3 remains a very interesting alternative to me-too 3-Series clones. It's fun to drive, economical, affordable, and can play the role of sport sedan or family sedan. I'd like to see a little more rear-seat leg room and better ergonomics, but on the whole, 9-3 is a good value.

Rick Cotta In refinement, price, and prestige, Saab seems to straddle the line between "regular" and "premium" brands. A 9-3 2.0T comes standard with a host of features that can cost extra on some premium rivals, making its $26,000 base price seem almost a bargain. Yet its compact interior dimensions may be a problem for some buyers, who could find any number of similarly equipped midsize cars for the same money. And that brings us back to the question as to which side of the regular/premium line you place the Saab--and how much that's worth.

Major Options:  Blue Metallic, Sentronic Automatic Transmission, Front Heated Seats, Headlight Washers, Navigation System

Consumer Guide® Fuel Economy:  20.6 mpg (what's this?)

Problems During Test: None

From The Back Seat
Mark Bilek At $38,000 dare I say this 9-3 sport wagon is competitively priced? It's got leather, power everything, navigation, the powerful V6. It's a great car and a great alternative to BMW, Audi, and Infiniti. I'd do away with the fussy navigation system controls, however.

Rick Cotta $35,000 will buy a nicely equipped 9-3 Aero SportCombi, and that seems a fair value to me--partly because there are so few direct competitors. Rear seat room is tighter than it should be, but the Aero otherwise provides a fine combination of utility, luxury, and sporty performance.

Major Options:  Silver Metallic Paint, Front Heated Seats, Headlamp Washers, Touring Package

Consumer Guide® Fuel Economy:  21.74 mpg (what's this?)

Problems During Test: None

From The Back Seat
Chuck Giametta Given that they're based on the same basic platform, it's a wonder how much sportier and sophisticated the 9-3 convertible feels compared to the Pontiac G6 convertible. Given that the Saab Aero model, which we tested, cost some $10,000 more than a G6, that may be understandable. A 9-3 2.0T ragtop reduces the price difference to about $7000. Still, I don't imagine that the difference in feel comes down so much to dollars as it does to engineering acumen. Couldn't GM amortize some of that expensive Swedish expertise by sharing it with its other divisions? It seems to be taking this tack with Saturn for the Aura.