One area in which the 9-3 excels is its suppression of torque steer, a disconcerting trait afflicting many front-wheel drive cars where the steering wheel either tugs at the driver's hands under hard acceleration or resists corrections in the midst of a corner. (To many drivers this is not a concern, and some say it adds excitement.) Saab engineers worked hard to eliminate it in the newest 9-3s, and they appear to have been successful. A modicum of tugging and some resistance is apparent while accelerating over uneven pavement or out of a tight corner, but for the most part, and for most drivers, it's a non-issue.
With the High Output turbocharger's 210 horsepower, the 9-3 has all the punch it needs, and can use, in today's driving environment. Torque, too, is more than adequate for those urgent passes on two-lane roads and for getting up to merge speed on highway onramps.
The several hundred additional pounds in platform stiffening and occupant protection the convertible carries over the sedan is evident when the two are driven back-to-back, but it's an acceptable price to pay for the joys of top-down driving. If you like doing your own shifting, stay with the manual transmissions. The longish clutch throw takes some getting used to and the six-speed feels a mite rubbery, but you'll save yourself more than a thousand dollars and have much more fun.
Saab has mastered turbocharger technology so well that most people would not even realize the engine is turbocharged, as there is virtually no turbo lag, that delay you experience after stepping on the gas pedal. What's more there is no boost gauge to give the game away. Next Page