This will be an interesting series of entries to keep an eye on.

Dan S currently owns a Nissan Maxima and I get the impression that he’s been pretty happy with it. Dan’s interested in a 2008 Saab 9-3, but as there’s been some pretty big offers on the 2007 model – and because it’ll be good to compare with the 2008 anyway – Dan lined up a 2007 test drive with his local Saab dealer last week.

Here’s his thoughts:

I was most impressed with my test drive of what I thought would be a humble MY07 2.0T 6-spd this evening. It compared very favorably to my currently Nissan Maxima 3.0L V6 rated @ 200HP. It was so smooth & tight & WOW, that comfy seat.

The drive was about 15 minutes long, but my salesperson (the Saab sales Manager) was very good, & allowed me to dip into the turbo more than I would have thought allowable for a test drive. Another bonus – she showed me a wonderful, curvy & hilly 2+ mile countryside loop road I hadn’t yet discovered, only 5 minutes from my house! I’m going to have to check out that drive to learn it better….

I can now better appreciate what the road test auto journalists are writing about when they rave about the smooth drivability of a Saab. I loved the oozing power of the turbo, so COOL! It seems to come from nowhere & gets you up to steam with no effort.

Having 1 extra gear to play with seemed a bit redundant – I guess 6th is best for the drawn out highway runs… I thought this 2007 model was fine in the quiet department, therefore the 2008′s should be even better than what is good already.

Toward the end of the test drive, doing a turn around she said, “Go for it!” and there was hardly any tire spin/chirping going around that corner. FUN with control! Can’t imagine how much more controlled it will be with 280HP and XWD!

And in relation to his Maxima, Dan offered the following in a subsequent email:

My daily driver is a 2000 Nissan Maxima, 3.0L, 5-spd factory rated at 200HP, with about 86,000 miles on it – its tired, but still willing. Last year the replacement of the standard air filter with a same sized K&N filter made it feel better than 200HP, like more torque. But the 2007 Saab 9-3 2.0L turbo just felt better.

Last night, I remembered one of the statements you made that rang true. This Saab, even with the smaller motor would have me looking for excuses to drive out of the way detours again!

That’s what it’s all about. They joy of driving. And that 2.0T engine is an absolute cracker. You might think of it as a humble base engine, but remember it was the Aero engine just a couple of years ago. It’s got zing, baby!

Allow me to quote Olav, a 9-5 owner from Norway, and the signature on his emails:

From Olav, who always takes the long way home.

Dan, we’ll be looking forward to your local dealer getting some 2008 models in stock. Thanks for telling us your impressions and keep us posted!

OK, this one doesn’t strictly fit in with the “I drove a ….” category, but I didn’t know where else to put it. And I’d find it very hard to print if it denigrated Alfas at all anyway, given my love for them.

But it is a good Saab story and shows how they’ve offered the right car in the right market with the right combination of practicality and importantly, performance.

This comes from TD, and you’ll pick up on where he’s from as you read on…..

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I have been an avid Alfa-driver since “for ever” and owner since 2001. I’m now into my second Alfa, after the first was totalled on a highway when someone in a car in front of me had dropped a wheel (rim and all) onto the grey stuff wheels are supposed to roll on – attached to a car, not laying down flat.

Second Alfa is only half true, as I also have an Alfetta from 1979, that is more of a “drive it till it blows” hobby-car than anything else.

Then several things happened:
1. Sweden decided to give large discounts to drivers of “eco-cars”;
2. Stockholm (re-) introduced the congestion charges;
3. My Alfa 156 Ti turned 3 y.o;
4. I had a second child (in March)
5. The company I work for put a new lease-plan into place.

With all that in mind, I decided to go to my runner-up favorite brand, Saab. Mainly because Saab can give me a car that not only fills all of the criteria above, but also a car which is quite a lot more comfortable than the super-sporty 156, and not to mention roomy boot.

So, I went to the local Saab dealer and ordered myself a new Saab. A 2008 9-3 Vector Active 2.0T Biopower with all but three options ticked (curve lights, integrated BT and navigation). The color was chosen in close “cooperation” with trollhattansaab: I chose Snow Silver after reading the posts and seeing the images. (Originally we had chosen red).

Now, what would I have done had I not lived in Stockholm? I would most likely have chosen to switch cars then too, but opted for an Aero TTiD – a choice the politicians in Stockholm have made all but impossible due to the congestion charge model.

What am I then missing most from the Aero? Simple: The very very nice aluminum trim around the fog-lights. I know several posters on trollhattansaab are not so fond of them. All I have to say to them is: Get yourself a 9-3 non-Aero – problem solved!

For the rest of us who like the trims (=me)….

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TD attached a picture of his new car, built from Saab Sweden’s website as it hadn’t arrived when he wrote to me. And just for fun, I’ve sourced a shot of a 156 as well.

First the 9-3, which is looking sensational from the website….

And the Alfa, with an almost unfortunate number plate, but still beautiful regardless. Ah, Italians….

Sometimes the motoring journos don’t ‘get’ Saab. So it’s up to we Saab owners to sing the virtues of these little Swedish cars.

A three year old Saab 9-5 against a new 5-series? Any motoring journo worth his seat on the gravy train would scoff. Surely, given a choice, anyone would prefer the 5, yes?

Introducing Chris, an Aussie and for the last 12 months, the owner of a 2004 Saab 9-5 Aero.

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A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go for a drive in a friend’s 2006 BMW 525i. We had all been out for lunch and he didn’t feel like driving home so I was given the keys. My usual ride is a 2004 9-5 Aero with automatic transmission and I was keen to compare it to the “ultimate driving machine.”

Technically this is not a true comparison as the 5 series BMW is not a direct competitor of the 9-5. It is also a very new design and a newer car than mine. Although I didn’t ask I believe the BMW I drove featured professional navigation, electric seats, full blue tooth kit and probably a few more gadgets that I couldn’t see (or find a use for). My 9-5 Aero is stock standard and the only option I would want (but unfortunately don’t have) is the ventilated seats.

The exterior

This comes down to personal preference. I prefer the previous 5 series exterior design and am not attracted to the current one. Of all the new BMWs i think the 3 series Coupe is the only good looking one.

Verdict- On this count you know I will always prefer the 9-5 because that is the car that I chose for myself. I think the 2004 model year was a great combination of body kit and alloys. The new 9-5 is growing on me but I still prefer the older version.

The Driver’s Seat

The BMW’s seats, with full electric adjustment and memory, lacked lateral and thigh support and felt too short. A previous ride in the front passenger seat had indicated that the seats were uncomfortable and this drive confimed it. Whilst I didn’t slide around, the seats just didn’t seem right. The 9-5 Aero’s sport seats on the other hand provide lots of support, are very comfortable on long drives and look brilliant in their two tone grey/black leather.

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I like renting cars from National these days. Why? For two primary reasons: First, if you are a member of the Emerald Aisle (nice play on words) program, you may choose your rental from any car on the lot in your reserved vehicle class. Secondly, they are fast approaching a fleet of cars that are all equipped with satellite radio which can be hugely entertaining on those long evenings drives from say, Chicago to Peoria or Dallas to Oklahoma City. The choose-your-own-car thing has an additional benefit: it saves some time, too. You don’t have to go to a central location to see which car you’ve been assigned, find the car and then check out at the gate kiosk. You just scan the lot, choose the car and check out at the gate. No fussing to find the reserved vehicle.

How does this relate to the title? Well, I’ll tell you: simply because it was there, I rented a 2007 ‘Barents Blue Metallic’ 2.4l I5 Volvo S40 this week. So, for three days in St. Louis, Missouri, I drove a Volvo. On purpose.

I should perhaps make a confession now; it would come out later anyway. I’ve actually owned a Volvo. In my younger days, I had a silver 1983 Volvo 240 Turbo 2-door. I live daily with the shame. Scars that will never heal… Well, anyway, the thing was a reliable ride that I hated driving. It handled like a truck (can you say body lean?), it had a 4-speed plus overdrive transmission with overdrive button on top of the shifter, meaning that you could engage overdrive accidentally at just about anytime. The seats were flat and you slid around all over the place unless you were strapped in tight, and the sunroof took only a couple hundred cranks to open and close. I’ll also confess that in the right trim, the 240 could look absolutely fabulous in a curiously Scadinavian way — sort of de Stijl for cars.

So, back to my rental this week — it was a base S40 with few frills and 14,000 miles on the clock. I liked driving it much better than I thought that I would; the handling was very good for a sedan without sporting pretentions, and the seating position was even tolerable for me, a rapidly expanding 6’5″ (1.97 m), 250 lbs. (115 kg) man. I think that the car was a little narrow, but no more so than the Saab 9-3. Finally, I’ll give the seating pretty good marks for support, and the S40 felt solid even on some of the construction-ridden streets that I drove on Wednesday.

On the other hand, as much as I hear people in comments complain about the interior materials used in American cars, the base Volvo S40 really felt cheap to me. The nylon seating surfaces (Volvo calls the stuff Dalarö, but it’s nylon all right) had a twill texture that made them look a little better than your average seat, but it’s still rough and it still makes you sweat. Black plastic everywhere, and the little green-screen monochrome LCD panel that displayed information for the stereo, climate control and safety systems was somewhat dim in direct sunlight and had a cheesy low-res picture of the car on the start up screen and when the stereo was off. Saving the best (worst?) for last, the boot on the emergency brake (which your hand brushes virtually each time you fasten your seat belt) had the look and feel of thick crepe paper. I’m not kidding. If you sqeeze it with your hand it makes a crumpling sound. High-end materials? Nope. Extra features? Not unless you count auxilary stereo input an extra.

I also take issue with the rear seat leg room (not enough), rear seat head room (ditto), the trunk latch (hidden, and can’t be opened with the fob) and the ‘manual shift’ mode of the automatic transmission — the shifts are never well-timed. Highway acceleration was ‘crisp’, but not fantastic by any stretch.

So, what’s the big deal?

I can’t compare the S40 to the 2008 Saab 9-3 because I’ve not even seen a 2008 in the flesh, much less driven one. So, I’ll compare the S40 to a 2007 9-3.

Saab wins the horsepower battle (210 bhp vs. 168 bhp), the size battle (a little bigger in virtually every dimension), the standard equipment battle (nothing major) and certainly the styling and interior finish competition. The Volvo is about US$1,500 less than the Saab (MSRP US$28,800 vs. US$27,300) comparably equipped.

Driving the two is completely different to me. The Volvo feels ‘regular’ and ‘unremarkable’ in a good way, if that makes any sense. It simply doesn’t call attention to itself. The Saab, on the other hand, feels ready to run, nimble and athletic. Of course, the Saab is faster, and feels more sporting.

Thus, I drove (ahem) two Volvos and I’d still buy a Saab.

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[Rant on]

Back to Edmunds, the editors rate the 2007 Saab 9-3 a 7.0 (“Good”) against upscale German and Japanese cars. The Volvo rates 7.5 (also “Good”) against a slightly different class of vehicles.

So, how does Edmunds.com, a place where the editorial staff claims to be above bias, come up with the following statements about the two cars:

First the Volvo:

Four years into its model cycle, the Volvo S40 still offers an impressive package for buyers seeking a small, upscale sedan. However, it occupies a very crowded price bracket. Even if you’ve written off the more expensive A4 and 325i, similarly priced cars like the Acura TSX, Mazda 6, Subaru Legacy GT and Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T/GLI offer equal or better performance and as much or more interior room. We still think the 2007 Volvo S40 is a good choice, especially for those who want a car with one-of-a-kind styling inside and out, but we recommend test-driving a few of its rivals before making a final decision.

Then the Saab:

Even slightly less expensive players such as the Acura TSX, Infiniti G35 and Volvo C70/S40/V50 edge past the 2008 Saab 9-3 in performance, ride dynamics and cabin quality. But if you want an entry-luxury sedan, wagon or convertible that’s buttoned down on every detail, we’d advise you to shop around a bit before buying a Saab 9-3.

In fairness, I’ll say that both articles have the same admonition: shop the competition. Fair enough.

However, how can the Volvo get credit for styling (am I missing something?) and rate a ‘good choice’ comment when the Saab is berated for lesser performance and lesser cabin quality than the Volvo when clearly neither is true?

I’ve grown more and more cynical about punditry as a whole over the last several years. Everyone has an opinion, and more and more people hold themselves out as ‘unbiased’ experts and writers, when the truth is that fewer and fewer columnists actually are. Most of them have some sort of alliance or preference that influences their writing. In this case, I believe that being a part of GM hurts Saab because Saab is painted with the same brush by opinion makers. It’s not fair, nor is it good for the consumer. It really should stop, because the fact of the matter is that the General is making better cars these days, and BMW’s keep getting more expensive. At some point, the curves have to cross.

[Rant off]

As a a Viggen owner myself, and as someone who’s driven a 335i, let me concede up front that the BMW outperforms the Viggen on the road. No questions asked.

Would I prefer to own one? Absolutely not. I much prefer the Viggen’s styling, interior, power delivery and character.

It seems I’m not the only one. This is from Jeremy, who’s got his sights set on a Viggen in the near future:

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Just wanted to share a recent experience:

This past saturday, i attended a friend’s Tiki party where the talk was focused on beer/music/ & euro cars. One of the fellas was talking about the car he flew to Munich to pick up before bringing it back to the states. I inquired and he told me about his new 300hp twin turbo BMW 335i.

He didn’t have to twist my arm to go for a ride!

He drove us about 10 miles out….10 miles of roller-coaster/twisty road. He pulled over at mile 10 and asked if i wanted to drive back. I was outside of his driver’s door before he finished asking me. It’s a beauty of a car, btw – 18″ wheels, 6 spd manual box, leather, retractable side mirrors, simple gauges & dials.

A real beauty. The ride was nice, too. Tight suspension, but not to the point of it being a rough ride. It corners like a champ! Now i know why cars come with that lumbar support! The acceleration was neck-straining (excellent!).

The twin turbo units don’t take long to wind up & throw ya. Hardly noticed the turbo lag. The only real dissapointment was how quiet the car was. The engine/exhaust was hardly audible as we pushed that car to high RPMs.

That being said: would i take a 335i or a Saab Viggen?

I’ll take the Viggen. Why? There are thousands of reasons. Individuality is one of the tops for me. You can’t throw a rock around here without hitting
four BMWs. Looks is another. Viggens make me drool.

I’m a bit of a hatchback nut. My first ride: ’78 Pontiac Grand Am. Tons of HP, tons of space to haul stuff. Next ride: ’86 Integra (hatch). Lots of HP, plenty of ability to haul stuff. Next ride: ’91 Mazda 626 (sedan). It was fast (because that piece of shite was made out of tin)…but i couldn’t squeeze a computer box into that car – and that made me decide to get another hatch – but then two big dogs and a job that entailed 70 miles (sorry – too lazy to convert that to kilometers) a day meant i had to get either a truck, or a wagon. Found a 5spd Subaru Outback wagon (’96) in great shape for a great price and that’s what i drive now.

It’s got 170,000 miles on it and it still drives like a champ. Fits dogs + baby + baby stuff w/ no problem. I’m finished with the “wagon” category after this car. Need to get something more sporty. Hence my unwaivering interest in the 9-3 SE/Viggen.

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The 335i is an awesome piece of machinery, but my drive in a hardtop convertible 335i didn’t leave me lusting at all. On the contrary, the rawness of the Viggen is something I can’t wait to get back into.

As Jeremy doesn’t have a Viggen that I can show you yet, here’s a picture of mine. I haven’t seen it for nearly 2 months now *sob sob*

Click to enlarge,

Given that the motoring press sometimes just don’t “get it” when it comes to Saab, I’ve been publishing the occasional story here, written by Saab owners themselves to document their experiences with other marques and how that relates to their Saab fetish.

This one’s from Jon. And he hasn’t just spent a day in BMW – his wife owns one!

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I own a 9-3 and my wife owns the Ultimate Driving Machine / Hate Mobile (delete as appropriate)

Firstly, price.

The BMW retails at £27275 and after discount can be yours for £25616. The SAAB retails at £24355 and after discount can be yours for £22285. However, a pre registered 9-3 like mine can be yours for £18500. As you can see my car was MUCH cheaper. Says something about who runs the show here. I like to think I just bought smarter…

After 3 years The BMW will be worth £14 074 the SAAB will be worth £9339. Swings and roundabouts really as long as you don’t pay full price for your new SAAB…

The Look

Like it or loathe it, the 3 series looks like a BMW and shouts it loud and proud. I am a fan, but I have always liked Chris Bangles work right from the Fiat Coupe. Until the current 5 Series was launched I thought they were getting very bland but the new 3 is modern and eye catching.
SAAB on the other hand has always built great looking cars in my opinion and the current 9-3 is no exception. It’s very understated, though, and I think the more aggressive 08 front is a step in the right direction. The saloon rear has always been a weak point but lets be honest they have not had much practice.

Performance.

The 320d – 163bhp and 251lb/ft 0-60 in 8.7 and 135mph top speed.
The SAAB – 150bhp and 236lb/ft 0-60 in 9.0 and 131mph top speed.

There is not much in it on paper and driving them I can’t see much difference either.
40-60 in my car is 6.5 seconds, the 210bhp engine in the AERO is 6.2. Mid range is what diesels are about and both cars have it by the bucket load, flex your right foot in any gear and these cars fly. The pull from the engine on either car really puts a grin on your face – it feels like you are connected to the horizon by a giant elastic band.

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It’s been a little while since I’ve published one of these comparison pieces. The idea is to have Saab drivers have a go in other makes and comment on the experience and then think about what makes their Saab such an enjoyable car to own. The journos often don’t get it, so it’s up to enthusiasts in a lot of cases.

Adam’s also gone one step futher and included a bit of an editorial at the conclusion. I’ll say right now that these are his thoughts and I think he understands that I don’t necessarily concur with all of them, an issue that can be taken up in comments, I guess.

We agree to disagree, but regardless I’d like to thank Adam for what is an extraordinary amount of work here.

SW

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Hi, I’m Adam. I’m a car guy and a Saab guy, and in the last couple of years I’ve driven a fair number of cars. I’m a regular reader of TrollhattanSaab.Net and I’ve noticed that the comparison articles are very popular. Therefore, I’ve put together my own and, believe it or not, this is the shortened version. The cars are more or less in the order in which I drove them. I’ve put my Viggen first because it allows me to describe why I like it so much before comparing others to it.

If you follow the comments of this website closely you may already know my perspective on Saab’s present and future. I’m not one who thinks that Saab is or should be going after BMW, Mercedes, or the higher Audis. I believe that Saab should remain attainable and practical, so that guys like me can afford them. I believe that this is Saab’s historical place and its best place. I think Saab does and should continue to compete with Acura, VW, Subaru, and Volvo, and to some degree Audi, Infiniti, and Mazda.

Now, some notes on the list. During the first couple on the list, I was driving for fun. Some were incidental, cars I had the opportunity to drive for some other reason. Lately, I’ve been test driving cars because I’ve been considering trading in my Viggen, and here’s why…

I bought it in August of 2003 with 71k mi. Starting at around 110k, I started to have problems which haven’t stopped. The things that have gone wrong in the last year and a half alone are:
Mass air flow sensor, head gasket, rusted out exhaust flex pipe, 3 bent wheels, transmission bearings, transmission leak, rear shocks, evaporative purge valve, front bumper falling off, headlight wiper motor, fog light falling out, coolant temp sensor, water pump, and crank sensor.

It has literally run me out of money, and I didn’t have much disposable income to start. It’s really irritating because I take care of it and I don’t really drive it hard. I need a car that is going to get me to work in the morning, and I’ve come to dislike the suspense of going out to my car and wondering if any new problems are going to appear that day. My previous car, a Toyota, was older with more mileage when I sold it and the only thing I ever replaced was the clutch master cylinder; my father’s Japanese cars didn’t have anything like these problems either.

One final note, not all cars on here are direct comparisons to anything Saab competes with. For those cars I’ll deal with them quickly and add any notes on how they might relate to Saab’s future.

Saab Viggen (‘00)
The day I got my black 5-door Viggen was one of the happiest in my life. Growing up, I was the only one I knew who liked the 900s of the ‘80s. Before buying the Viggen, I drove my Corolla and looked forward to someday getting a Saab. The test drive was a blast I instantly knew it was the car for me. I like the looks and I like the rarity. I like the practicality of the hatch, I’ve put my kitchen table with chairs in there. I love the seat, it is perfectly shaped for my body. I love the visibility from the upright driving position and the upright windshield. I like how the controls are up high and the instruments are clear. I love the key between the seats, where the other keys don’t dangle and hit my knee. I think it is intelligently designed and an awesome blend of performance and practicality. I just wish it wasn’t making me broke. There are weak points, for instance the ride is so rubbery that when I go over a bump I get the same sensation through my butt as I get though my hands when I hit a hockey puck with a slap shot, and the shifter may be the worst I’ve experienced.
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I’ve been inviting all comers to send in their stories about experiences they have with other brands of automobile, and if/how they relate to their Saabs. It’s made for some pretty good reading so far, with a number of people gaining a enw appreciation for their Saabs.

It’s also been one of those confirming things. The press don’t often understand how great a daily driver a Saab is, or how fantastic the performance/comfort/safety/utility combination is.

This latest instalment comes from David N. My thinks go to David for taking the time to write up this entertaining review.

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My family and I have always been GM folks. My Father, now retired, had worked for GM since he graduated High School. At the time GMI (the university GM created to train more engineers to design cars, called the General Motor Institute in Flint Michigan) was a co-op University, so he literally worked at GM his entire career except for a stint in the Navy. I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, the son of an engineer, so I’ve always been a car guy.

In 2000 I was given the opportunity to move to the UK for year long expat, so I jumped at the chance. Before I left, my boss, who is also a car guy, made sure to find out what cars we’d be driving once we were on the other side of the pond. I was told a Volvo V40 was in my future. So I drove to a local Volvo dealership and had a good look because I wasn’t too familiar with the Swede’s lineup, having had an eye for the offerings from Detroit.

It looked good, a bit small, but I was bringing my bike and was planning on doing a lot of traveling so I thought it’d be handy to have the little station wagon. So I told the boss that the V40 would be fine for the year.

Well, a year turned into 18 months, and I put well over 20,000 miles on it in that time, driving it nearly every day, to nearly every nook and cranny of England, Ireland, and Wales. I only missed Scotland because I was lazy and took the overnight train instead, but my co-worker took it up there a couple of times, so this little Volvo got around.

When I came back to the States, having been out of the domestic market for 18 months, I wasn’t aware of what cars were available, and ended up buying one of the last Oldsmobile’s built (nearly identical to the one that I sold 18 months earlier!). Unfortunately one snowy night in northern Michigan on our way home to Chicago, my wife and I, and 52 other cars, were in an accident. We were both unhurt, but the Olds was written off.

Time for a new car from the GM stable.

At the time, the Holden-built-rebadged-as-Pontiac GTO had recently come out, and had caught my eye. But I didn’t like the idea of paying the “Gas Guzzler” tax on it. Not to mention buying gas for it a couple times a week. But it was on the table. I had read about the Subaru-built-rebadged-as-Saab 9-2x, and thought: 244hp and AWD, and MUCH better gas mileage than a GTO, plus the mini-station wagon platform like the V40, how could I go wrong?

So I ended up at the only Saab dealer I knew of in the area (next door to the Volvo dealer!), and took a 9-2x automatic out for a test drive. It should have been a great test drive, because it was lightly snowing, cold, a bit slippery, etc. I was very excited. Pulling into traffic on the test drive, I’m thinking “244 all-wheel-drive horsepower…Wheee!”.

We almost got hit when I pulled out of the lot.

This was not the Aero version with 244HP that I’d heard so much about. This is the Linear with the lethargic auto. I suspect that the turbo still hadn’t been woken up since it’s long trip from Japan. There was no get-up-and-go to be found. Plus the wife complained that there wasn’t much legroom in the backseat, which sealed the deal.

The salesman, being the good salesman that he was, suggested that we take the 9-3 for a quick test drive, which we did. Night and day difference, and that was driving the 9-3 Linear.

To make a long story short, I eventually parked my brand new 2005 Chili Red 5-speed 9-3 Aero (with nearly every bell and whistle) in my garage. Thank you GM Employee/Family discount! This was March, 2005. Since then I’ve put just over of 38,000 miles on the Saab.

To this day, I still want to take a picture of it every morning and send it to your website because I think it’s that good looking. I still love it that I can be lazy on the highway, and not take it out of 5th gear to pass. I still love it that if I really want to make a show of it on the highway, I can drop it to 4th or even 3rd, while I build boost before dropping the clutch and rocketing away. I love it that when I took it to a race track last year, my friend in his V6 Infinity G35 Coupe, had trouble keeping up with the Saab. Good times. And the Stage 1 BSR kit didn’t hurt on the track… but it killed cruise control (another story).

Having said all that, I think I’ve made a pretty good case as one who could compare a 2005 Saab 9-3 Aero to an unknown year RHD Volvo V40 2.0l. I’m guessing that the Volvo was a 98 or 99.

Now onto the comparison!

Interior fit and finish:

The Volvo had a nice feel to it, the leather seats were quite supple, and very comfortable. The ergonomics of the controls were good, although the radio was a bit confusing. Everything was pretty good, but nothing very impressive. The knobs and buttons did their job, and that was it. The build quality was very good, especially considering that this car had been beaten by a number of previous expat drivers, including me. No rattles or squeaks while I had it. The audio from the radio was disappointing. The interior space was good, no problem dropping the rear seats and throwing 2 filthy bikes in. Materials of the dash and drivers area were nice, if somewhat plastic, but of good quality both visually and tacitly. Volvo likes their big chunky-looking buttons and switches, which I find similar to the 9-5′s controls. The radio controls and a couple of other switches were clearly designed for LHD cars and were slightly awkward for the driver to reach, but I guess that’s the way of the world.

The Saab has a great sporty feel to the interior. Although some complain about too many buttons on the ’03-06 radio and climate controls, I like it that way. I think that the SID is a great idea and I wish the Volvo had had something like that so I wasn’t staring at the radio trying to figure out what it was doing while driving. However the Saab’s interior build quality probably isn’t as good as the Volvo, as I’ve had to fix a couple of squeaks and rattles. The interior materials of the Saab are generally of better quality in both look and feel. I like that the buttons have a nice non-slip feel to them, are responsive, easy to reach, and self-explanatory, while not being distracting. The seats are comfortable, but sometimes I think they were designed for people taller than my 5’8″ frame (tall Swede’s maybe?). I think the lumbar support is too high for somebody my size. The Saab definitely has more bells and whistles than the Volvo, and the use and enjoyment of those is really a personal taste. Personally, I enjoy all the bells and whistles I can get my hands on. Bells and whistles aside, the interior is quite comfortable, and infinitely adjustable, and the ride is quiet, and controlled.

Road manners and handling:

The Volvo, although peppy, can not really be called quick. It was always felt solid at highway speed, but anything above 65MPH, and it had absolutely unbelievable wind noise. I thought that this might be due in part to the tires, which I had changed, but that did not help. It was just wind noise. To overcome this wind noise, I would turn the radio way up, which only pointed out the shortcomings of the audio system. So there I am rocketing down the motorway, feeble radio cranked too far up, trying vainly to drown out the awesome wind noise! The Brits probably all thought I was crazy.

In the handling department, the understeer of the Volvo was amazing. It would simply push through roundabouts, even at relatively modest speeds. This made it feel very heavy, and tank-like. And the 2.0l wasn’t enough to pull out of the apex smartly, which added to the feeling of weight. My boss was driving a base model FWD 1.8l turbo Audi A4, and he could take the round-abouts considerably faster than I could. In my mind the Volvo is a good around-town/grocery-getter kind of car. It could have been a very nice tourer if they did something about that blasted wind noise.

I can’t say how the Volvo performs in winter or snow. I know it did not have traction control because I once got stuck in Ireland on a sheet of ice.

The Saab is quick, and has no problems passing on the highway in any gear. Some might say that the downside to this is a bit of turbo lag. While there is a touch of lag, I really enjoy it. I have had the Saab well past the legal speed limit of several states, and it’s always felt rock-solid, and very quiet. A little too quiet sometimes when the windows are up, as I find myself watching the tachometer during downshifts.

On the race track, the Saab is a solid performer, and although I know it will eventually understeer, I didn’t have the nerve to push it that hard. In other words, the car had more to give than I was willing to ask for. On the track, the only issue was coming out of the apex when the weight shifted to the back, the front-inside tire would lighten up to the point where I could hear it starting to spin. That is more a testament to my (poor) driving skills than the quality of the car.

The only issue I’ve had with the Saab on the road is with winter driving. The stock Pirelli P6′s on the Aero are poor performers in the snow and cold. The lowered stance and extra skirt puts the Aero in contact with a lot of snow and ice, which sometimes worries me. However, the ABS and TCS do a good job of keeping me out of trouble both in the snow and on the track.

The Aero has a stiffer suspension that the other 9-3′s , so the ride in the Saab is a bit harsher, especially over rough pavement, than the V40. But the same could be said about the Aero verses the Linear and Arc, so it really comes down to a personal preference. On rough highways, the V40 is a bit of a nicer ride. On smooth twisty roads, the Saab wins hands down. The Volvo doesn’t communicate enough of the road feel to the driver, and the 9-3 communicates plenty without being overly harsh.

Did I like the V40?
Yes, because it always tried to do everything I asked for, it just couldn’t always deliver.

Would I trade my Saab for another V40?
Hahahah…Don’t make me laugh!

Were there things about the V40 that I liked better than the Saab?
I didn’t have to pay for it, and a pretty big trunk.

Would I change something about the Saab to make it like the Volvo?
Get the sport-combi and endure my wife calling me an old man.

Would I like to see the Saab bring back the hatch?
You bet. Maybe not on the 9-3, but on a new Saab designed 9-2 or new 9-1.