Saab 9-3 Aero Sportcombi 2006 Review

7-day Test

If the world was a logical place, we'd all be driving cars like Saabs and Volvos. Safe in the extreme, nit-pickingly well-built, packed with great engineering, and in the case of Saab's new 9-3 SportCombi Aero, darn good fun.

Fun? From Sweden? You betcha. Not only is this Swedish version of the humble station wagon full of top-drawer features, but it packs some seriously-un-Swedish mumbo, mated to a quick six-speed auto and all manner of stability-assuring electronics.

Under the sleek bonnet is a modern 2.8-litre V6 engine related to Holden's new Commodore donk but also seen in the Cadillac STS. Saab has slapped a twin-scroll turbocharger on it to boost power to 184kW. They also changed the pistons for added durability and revised the cylinder-head for improved heat resistance... And so you know it when you see it, the car gets dual exhausts -- first time ever on a Saab.

The engine's maximum torque of 350Nm is spread between 1800-4500rpm, with 90 per cent of peak torque available from 1500rpm. CarPoint's recent test of the so-engined 9-3 Aero soft-top (for more click here) praised the engine's power and flexibility -- it's no different in the SportCombi. For the record we logged 12.4lt/100km in the wagon.

High-performance Saabs were once the victim of frighteningly abrupt torque-steer, but the new Aero versions are now impeccably behaved, thanks to revisions to the MacPherson-strut front and four-link independent rear suspension. In addition, a passive rear-wheel steering system called 'Reax's has been carried over from the sedan, allowing the rear wheels to turn slightly when cornering at high speed, for improved grip and stability.

Then there's the traction and stability control systems, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and optional 18-inch alloy wheels -- all of which conspire to give the Saab huge levels of confidence-inspiring grip. All with nary a tug on the steering wheel when the blown V6 takes a big breath and lunges at the horizon.

While the SportCombi based on the 9-3 sedan, it's unique from the B-pillar back. Despite an all-aluminium tailgate, the five-door is about 40kg heavier than the four-door -- but interestingly, the wagon is also six per cent less rigid than the sedan.

The rear section is neatly styled so that it looks smaller than it really is, and ice-white lamp clusters up either side of the rear liftgate reap second glances for their absence of colour -- LED bulbs light up the appropriate colours. The rear LEDs are also more reliable, consume less energy and light up faster under braking.

Inside the rear door, there's a unique package tray, with a twin-floor system that folds up for bi-level storage behind the back 60/40 split-fold seat. Think of it as a sportscar with a really useful boot.

In fact, the SportCombi's interior is a shining example of how to build a real driver's car, as well as being an exercise in Swedish minimalism. Every surface is covered in leather or soft-touch material, and pale tones accented with darker panels and occasional bits of brushed metal add a subtle, classy look.

The Aero has electrically-adjustable driver and passenger seats, bolstered buckets which are comfortable and supportive. And as you'd expect from a car built within cooee of the Artic Circle, the front seats can be heated to an almost unpleasant sizzle.

In addition, the front seats have Saab's second-generation Active Head Restraints with an improved mechanism to reduce neck injuries in low-speed rear-end impacts. There's also front, head and side-impact airbags.

But clever design goes beyond nice leather upholstery and lots of pyro-technic devices to trigger exploding canvas crash-bags around the cabin. Commonsense is a system that delays incoming phone calls and lower priority alerts when the brakes or turn indicators are being used (Ed: Volvo also uses such a system). The windscreen wipers start and stop automatically, according to the rain's intensity. Saab's parking assistance system beeps when you're backing up to anything and even compensates if the car is fitted with a towbar and yes, it's automatically switched off when a trailer is hooked up.

But of all the active and passive safety systems and driver aids, there are two which are Saab hallmarks, and which, in a logical world, would be standard fitment to every vehicle from two to 22-wheels.

One is its Night Panel -- a button blanks out the entire instrument panel apart from the speedo; not only do the lights go out, but the needles drop to zero too, but when a function requires attention, the relevant instrument wakes up and lights up. It's a surprisingly restful aid to night-time driving

Arguably of far more worth is the speedo itself -- it features two different scales; for low speeds, wide-spaced graduations make urban speed-limit adherence easier, but up at higher speed (above 140km/h) the graduations are closer together.

Needless to say the car has an onboard computer that displays time, outside temperature, fuel consumption and distance on remaining fuel, radio information and safety warnings.

There are courtesy lights that briefly illuminate the area around the car when it's stopped, and the clever, thoughtful and plain sensible features never seem to end.

What it doesn't have -- a surprising omission in a car that, with options, is knocking at $80,000, is a satellite navigation system. No doubt it's a tick-able box at the dealers, but it's not a factory-fitment item.

That aside, the svelte Swede is stacked with feel-good features for driver and passengers alike. For the driver, it's mostly about a deep and rounded performance and the tactile driving experience -- the engine and gearbox are gems, the operation of the entire vehicle is involving. For passengers, it's all about comfort, luxury and convenience. And for all the occupants, the state-of-the-art Saab safety features, active and passive, are soothing thoughts.