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2008 Saab 9-3 Review

STYLING | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

distinct Scandinavian charm - refreshing break from the mainline aesthetic
Edmunds

inspired by the sleek Aero X concept
Motor Trend

bold new nose
MyRide.com

a mid-cycle enhancement
Autoblog

radical new front and rear-end redesign
New York Times

The 2008 Saab 9-3’s redesign increases Saab’s unique, stand-alone style with aggressive exterior and subtle interior modifications.

So says Car and Driver, “the new face does what every freshening hopes to accomplish—make the old car look seriously dated.” Apart from the Saab show car-inspired styling (from the Aero-X), subtle improvements to items like door handles and taillights “give the 9-3 a more-expensive-looking demeanor.” The New York Times notes the “radical new front and rear-end redesign,” which Kelley Blue Book finds “distinctively fresh.” Autoblog feels it’s “a handsome face for Saab.” Edmunds notes its “distinct Scandinavian charm - refreshing break from the mainline aesthetic.”

In general, there are cheers for the interior, which changes less than the exterior but is blessed with subtle improvements like a switch from gray to black. Says MyRide.com, “there was little left over to redesign the interior, which is why it looks so similar to the interior in the outgoing version of the 9-3.” Autoblog appreciates “a simpler interface with less buttons than recent Saabs we remember.” Inside, the Turbo X model also gets carbon-fiber trim and a different steering-wheel design, and it only comes in Jet Black Metallic.

Conclusion

Saabs have always been unique, but the 2008 Saab 9-3 takes big steps in the direction of handsome and aggressive.


Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

In base form, the 2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi is easy to compare with the Audi A4 Avant 2.0T, which also comes with a torquey turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Next to the 9-3, the A4 has an especially upscale interior, and though starker, the Saab’s cabin feels pleasantly different than other cars in its class. The Saab’s Swedish rival, the Volvo V50, is a smaller model that also comes with available all-wheel drive in top T5 trim and is especially agile and fun to drive. But the V50 is considerably smaller than the SportCombi. The BMW 3 Series Sport Wagon isn’t offered in the sedan’s top, 300-horsepower 335 trim—just as a 328i or 328xi (all-wheel-drive) model. Outside of the much pricier Audi S4 Avant, the very rapid Aero or Turbo X SportCombi might just be the fastest wagon its size.

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See the Saab 9-3 in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999

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