SAAB 9-3X SportWagon review

"The SAAB is a little long in the tooth, but there's life in the old dog yet"

What is it?

SAAB has applied the “Allroad” formula to its 9-3 estate. That means the suspension has been hopped up by 35mm to give it that pseudo-SUV stance, there’s a bit of cosmetic plastic cladding and there’s the all-important four-wheel-drive system.

What’s it like on the inside?

There’s no escaping the fact that the SAAB 9-3’s interior is starting to feel its age. It’s not that it’s a bad interior, but there’s shiny plastics and dull design details which just wouldn’t feature in the equivalent Audi A4 Allroad or Volvo XC70. But while you can give the 9-3X some stick for looking a little dated looks-wise, the SAAB tradition of stunningly comfortable and quirky cabins is alive and well. The seats are deep and cosy, there’s a spectacularly over-engineered cup holder and the 9-3X gets the excellent ‘Night Panel’ button which kills the lights on all the instruments except the speedo to minimise glare on those cold winter nights.

What’s it like on the outside?

The 9-3X is a handsome car. As with the inside, the looks are starting to feel the onset of age. But the SAAB is growing old gracefully, with a chiselled, attractive nose, fairly generic flanks and some nice taillights which feature SAAB’s ice design theme which we’ll hear more of with the launch of the new 9-5. The 9-3X is better in light colours too, as you get a greater contrast between the car’s metalwork and its pretend-SUV plastic cladding.

What’s it like to drive?

Just like the Audi A4 Allroad, the extra suspension travel allows the 9-3X to waft over bumps, and makes it a very comfortable long-distance cruiser. It’s not the most dynamic car you’ll ever drive, but the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine has some punch and makes quite a nice noise. The gearshift is really rather vague though. And that’s not a bad way to describe the driving experience either, as the SAAB removes you from the experience. For some, this is all wrong, but for the SAAB faithful, the relaxation provided by a car that makes journeys this forgettable is part of why people keep coming back to the brand.

Verdict

The SAAB 9-3X isn’t a driver’s car, but it’s a car that you can drive day in, day out in comfort with a minimum of fuss. It’s still got some style, despite its age, too. However, the lack of a diesel engine with the four-wheel-drive transmission limits the appeal of a car which already has a limited appeal.

By Tom Phillips