Interiors - if they know this, then why???
Spend some time in something other than a traditional Saab interior, and you’ll come to understand how well they’ve been thought through, and how well they’re appointed.
Earlier this week I drove my 900 for the first time in quite a while and it was magnificent to get back into the car again. The seats were supportive, the gearshift perfectly placed, the steering wheel just the right size, and all the controls were solid (for their age) and positioned just where you thought they should be.
As much as I like the Saab 9-3, it misses a few core Saab elements on the inside, things I’d really love to see remedied in future models. A real fear of mine, actually, is that the next generation Saab 9-5 will head in the 9-3’s direction rather than establish a new distinct interior for Saab.
What’s encouraging, and scary at the same time, is that GM do understand the importance of the interior. This is from today’s entry at GM Europe’s blog:
70-80 percent of what you experience in the interior of a car is purely subjective, sensual, perception…. In simple terms it’s what you see, touch (feel), smell and hear while sitting inside your car but cannot directly point to when asked. It’s still integral in forming your perception of the car.
In this post, they’re talking more about quality materials and the way buttons etc ‘feel’ during operation, but all that forms a part of that blanket term, interior design. GM seem to know it’s important, which begs the question as to why Saab interiors have been dumbed down a little in recent times.
There are certain things that are almost essential in a Saab interior. For example, it’s my belief that a modern Saab interior should have its window controls in the center console, just back from where you insert the key. Own a Saab with it’s switch arrangement set up this way and you’ll see that it makes perfect sense. And how many cars have you driven with window switches on the doors that are either awkward or unnatural to reach?
This one’s going to sound snobbish, but I don’t care, because when it comes to Saabs, I’m a bit snobbish.
GM talk themselves about ensuring that the interior of the car is fitting for the brand. So why on earth do their premium European cars - Saabs - share the same radio fascia and button mechanism with their base range Chevy’s?? This is not a new question and it flies directly in the face of what GM themselves have written in this article. That gives me a modicum of hope for the future.
It’s not that form is unimportant, but Saab have always proclaimed to give function preference over form when it comes to car design. This is an essential part of what made them different and whether you realise it or not, if you love Saabs then their distinct design characteristics are probably a big reason as to why.
Here’s hoping that GM are good to their word when it comes to interior design and the coming range of new Saabs.
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See Opel INsignia interior pictures at am&s.de and find very obvious design elements from the 9-4X prototype. Or is it that the 9-4x got it from Opel? Anyway, there are emerging far too many Opel/Saab common details. Behold of the new 9-5!
OK - so what else do people wish was different/upgraded? My first Saab wasn’t until the Malibu-esque 2006 9-3 and now I just traded it for a Turbo X, but I recall Saabs of the past. I believe that the newer 9-3 styling is a nice step up from my 2006 9-3. However, I too wish that the window controls were in the middle and I wish that the car had a more European feel to it. I don’t know how they would do it, but then again, I’m not a designer.
I do think that seats can be improved (IMHO, they are above average, but not great), the temperature switches should be of higher quality and the sound system should be better.
Lastly, it is a bit too obvious to me that GM makes this car (door handles, etc.), and I wish that more components on the car were unique to Saab.
I believe that Saab should have an owner that see Saab for it´s true qualities and give them room to incorporate the Saab feeling into the cars and not only see the company as something to get ideas from and as a Second luxurybrand. They shouldn´t be second but shared 1´st. GM need to see that Saab and Caddy are to totaly different brands and have different buyers. A question to you americans.. Do the same people that buy Audi also tend to look at Caddys even though the two are non a like? Audi is Saabs rival.. Maybe Hyund..Sorry, Mercedes is Caddys rival?
As somebody said.. Maybe Swade.. It might just be that GM is trying to sell Saab with the message that the 9-3 will be produced in Sweden..? In some aspects.. Lets hope so.
The chinese are out for both our swedish brands.. Let them have Volvo.. GM.. Either invest in Saabs unique qualitys or sell Saab to France or …. India… Or Saab AB?
Saab needs to be Saab
To Unclefester..
The seats in the Turbo X is only beaten by the 9000 Aero seats.. Also a Saab…. Ask any, atleast european, journalist wich company that has the best chairs.. And they would say.. :- Well ok, Saab does….
So if you are not totaly comforatabe in your 9-3 Turbo X seat either buy an old 9000 Aero or don´t drive at all. Or maybe you are in for a Maybach? Not writing this in spite.. Just saying that Saabs seats is as good as you can get in cars under a million dollars.
I have to agree with the ‘black tie radio comment’; I was in a Cobalt rental car recently and was confronted by the same radio that graces the dash of my 9-3. Given that modern audio system control heads are more software than hardware, the design of the control head could be a bit more flexible.
The navigation radio in the 9-3 is pretty cool and gives the dash more exclusive look, but it is unfortunately a rather pricey add on.
On the other hand, kudos to GM for finally reinventing the wheel after all these years and making a radio with simple on off switch/volume control. The circle is now complete.
Unclefester, you need to adjust the seats, and most importantly the lumbar support which is a gauge on the left-hand side of your seat.
I also had an issue the first two days after I got my X until I figured it was the lumbar support I had to adjust. The seats ar excellent, definitely the best in the class of cars that sell for under $100K.
Yeah SAAB seats are the best! I have to say I think the interior is going to get better. Hey, they appear to be listening about the options on the 9 3. I admit though:
1) my 02 9-3 has center console and I like it more than our newer one.
2) the knobs and such did look an awful lot like what was in that Hummer loaner I had last week.
They’re trying…..
I like the interior of my 9-3, but I can see how people feel the materials are sub-par.
I will say the window controls should NOT be in the center. My wife’s BMW had them there and they are such a pain in the butt, you always forget they are there.
Finally, has anyone considered that when all new cars have push start, Saab might not keep it in the same location as the “center key ignition.”
Are people going to complain then?
Jeez - I didn’t expect that much flack for saying that the seats were merely above average. I am completely comfortable in the seats, both in my daily commutes and for extended drives. If I could enhance them, I would like a bit more side bolstering (I’m a bigger guy) and I think that a small touch of embroidering Saab in the seat back would be nice (or alternatively on my Turbo X, to put Turbo X stitching in the upper seat backs).
I looked at other cars in this comparable class before purchasing my newest car and I chose Saab again (first time I have ever had the same make back-to-back). There are many reasons why I chose it above the others, but honestly the seats were not a factor either way.
‘08 Saab 2.0t - ‘08 Pontiac G8 - ‘08 BMW 328xi
I took the time last Sunday to do some car shopping, I’m in the US, Wisconsin. I’m forever shopping for my next vehicle and the three above are on my interest list. I know some could argue that they are not alike but I did find all three unlocked and had the chance to sit in them, push buttons, etc. I was looking this day at interiors.
My .02:
Saab had easily the most comfortable seats, seemed to have more padding? The other two were nice also but Saab had them beat.
I was very disappointed in some of the controls in the Saab. Don’t take me wrong they are nice and I would be happy with a new Saab in my driveway but compared to the BMW and (Holden) Pontiac I preferred the interior materials of the later two.
If GM is going to stop discounts on Saabs and push the model as a premium brand they need to address these items. (please stop pulling from the same parts bin as Chevy, Saturn, Buick, etc…!)
uuhhhmmm, People are going to complain about something no matter what. I think the point is to try and offer good advice! As you can tell from the few comments here we can’t even agree. It’s mpossible to make everyone happy. We can agree to disagree.
see how well Swade and Eggs do it? 
There are a number of good reasons why the window controls on the center column. For those of us who drive sticks, the stick hand is the logical choice as the other hand typically remains on the wheel. Also, there is a shorter distance between regular positioning of the stick hand and the controls (its also the same hand we use to activate most other car controls). Window controls in the center column also give the co-pilot a chance to assist. When I am shifting hard out of a toll both in the rain it’s nice to get an assist. My 900’s have the window controls on the column. My brother’s 9-3 has the controls on the windows. GM took Saab backward when the made that change. GM sells so many cars that only come with slushboxes that they probably looked at it as another chance to consolidate design and reduce cost. In so doing they took some of what made a Saab a Saab away. A true “drivers car” would have the controls where it would be most easy for true drivers (who will almost always take sticks) to best operate the vehicle. Chevy Malibus will almost certainly have the controls on the doors.
I quite like the GM-ized radio interface in our 9-5. Sure beats the i-Drive on the 525 I once had as a loaner before I sold my BMW–peripheral controls should never require concentrated attention, and the more standard they are, the safer the drive and the more attention to what matters behind the wheel. Given that I spend most of my time looking forward out the windshield I am mostly concerned about what is behind that uncluttered interface and it is an excellent Bose system. I can’t imagine mistaking a Cobalt for a 9-3, even with the same radio interface, or an electric window button.
I just sold a pre-owned 2005 Saab 93 at the Volvo dealership. The customer was very happy but I was actually disappointed with the center console. Compared to the other Swedish brand and even the latest Pontiac, the controls were hard to figure out. I suppose after a while you get used to them, but they look too complicated.
Before I had a SAAB I never thought too much about where the window controls were. (my last car didn’t even have electric windows).
But now that I have a SAAB i really think the centre console is the most logical place for reasons similar to those expressed by Edags above.
An assist is always appreciated at tollboths particularly when it is raining. For me, driving an auto mainly in traffic, having the controls would make the driver’s armrest less useful. And then you also have to put controls on the passenger side as well. I think it is a cleaner look to just have one set in the middle.
Surely it would be cheaper to keep them in the middle as it works for both left and right hand drive?