Saab 9-3, 1998 - 2003
4517Rating4.00% worse than average rating of competitors (4.0)Review number: 17 RecommendsYes 0% No 100%
The Saab 9-3 is a compact luxury car produced with three- or five-door hatchback and two-door convertible bodies. 9-3 shares its platform with the Opel Vectra and with the Cadillac BLS. This is the smallest Saab except for the short-lived model 9-2X, which was built on a Subaru Impreza base. This model was the last Saab to have a H-series engine developed by the company. The first-generation 9-3 is essentially a refurbishment of the last-generation Saab 900. Externally, the changes have been very minor, but improved vehicle handling and significantly improved safety with the now standard side-impact airbags and head protection. Both the Saab 9-5 and Saab 9-3 were the first cars in the world to score the highest score in Euro NCAP tests in a side impact. Later, the Volvo S40 turned out even better. The 9-3 was also produced with a new low-pressure turbo engine, and for the first time Saab received a diesel engine borrowed from Opel Vectra.