2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi

2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi Quick Facts

Base Price:	$28,885*
Price as Tested:	$37,870
Horespower:	210 Hp @ 5500 r.p.m.
Torque:	221 lbs.-ft. @ 2500 r.p.m.
0 to 60:	N/A
ABS Brakes:	Standard
Side Curtain Airbags:	Standard
EPA Fuel:	18/24 m.p.g. city/highway
Towing Capability:	No
Off-Road Capability:	No
Bicycle Transport:	Yes
First-Aid Kit:	No
Notes/Additional Info.:	* Base price does not include a $745 destination charge.

The Swedes are great outdoorsmen: it’s one of the things I love about them. Every time I go to Sweden, I’m impressed by the omniscience of bike paths, and the number of people who cycle as their primary mode of transportation.

It’s no surprise that Swedish cars mesh so well with active lifestyles, because the people who work for the car companies lead active lives. I know this because I’ve spent as much time on Saab trips running, hiking, cycling, and snowshoeing as I have driving their cars.

The new Saab 9-3 SportCombi is the five-door version of the automaker’s smallest platform. Aside from being a bit pricey, it’s an athlete’s dream: fun to drive, with exceptional safety, ergonomics and fuel economy, plus a spacious, versatile cargo area.

The test car is front-wheel drive: an all-wheel drive version arrives in dealerships next year. Its two-liter turbocharged engine develops 210 horsepower, with plenty of low-end torque. Optional automatic transmission on the test car has a manual shift option, to up the fun factor on winding roads.

A cold weather package includes heated seats and headlamp washers, both of which should appeal to people living in the snowbelt. Xenon cornering headlamps swivel up to fifteen degrees, to light dark corners in the road. Other options include a navigation system with rear backup warning, seventeen-inch wheels and tires, a power moonroof, power front seats with memory and fog lamps.

Aero-design

Saab’s roots are in the airplane industry: its car designs reflect this with aerodynamic exteriors and driver-oriented cockpits. The bullet-shaped SportCombi has a standard rear spoiler to reduce lift, and side sill extensions to give the car a sportier look.

I’m not big on the thick rear pillars, which seem to have become part of the design lexicon. They obstruct rear visibility and make the tail end look clunky. But aside from that, the 9-3 SportCombi is quite attractive: much more stylish than the average wagon.

The interior is Scandinavian to the core, with beautifully designed seats, intelligent controls, and a sense of spaciousness throughout. The test car has an eight-way adjustable driver’s seat with three memory settings. Active head restraints protect the head and neck from whiplash in the event of a rear-end collision.

The steering wheel is just the right diameter, with redundant cruise and audio controls. Mirror controls are located on the door next to the front pillar, where they are easy for the driver to reach. The tilt and telescoping steering wheel enables smaller drivers to maintain a safe distance from the front airbag. The audio and climate controls in the instrument panel are easy to reach from either front seating position.

Saabs are known for their unusual ignition switches. The switch is located in the center console, so the key can’t hit the driver’s knees if there is a frontal impact. There’s a decent-sized cupholder in back of the ignition switch, and a large bin for holding compact discs or small electronic devices.

The test car has three 12-volt power points: in the instrument panel, inside the center console bin, and in the cargo area to the right of the tailgate. All four doors have map pockets, but not bottle holders.

I was impressed by two small shelves, that are located under the audio controls on the center stack. They hold cell phones, garage door openers and PDAs. Rubber mats on each shelf keep electronic devices from sliding around in the turns. The glovebox is large enough to lock up a small pack or purse.

The power moonroof lets plenty of ambient light inside: it’s especially noticeable in the second row. While the second row has three seating positions, only the two outboard positions are comfortable. The center seat has almost no legroom due to the location of the center console. Second-row passengers get their own air vents and reading lamps, but no cupholders.

Second-row seats fold flat by releasing a single lever on the outboard side of the seatbacks. The Saab is bicycle-friendly with the seats folded down. The cargo floor has four tie-down loops, and three anchors on the second-row seatbacks. An airplane-shaped handle lifts the floor up to reveal the jack and spare tire underneath. The test car doesn’t have roof rails, but it does have tracks to ease installation of aftermarket roof racks.