Is This The Best Forgotten Luxury Sedan? Saab 9-3 Aero XWD - Hot Take

[@sirhhenry9379]

Interesting that your price comparisons were to the upper lever Merc E and BMW 5 series. Thought the 9-3 was a contender against the Merc C and BMW 3 series. Thanks for the video.

[@M-t3ch]

I was waiting for this comment! Yes, I had my facts mixed up. The opposition was still more expensive, so the point stands, but you are correct. Thankyou for the correction.

[@henrik1743]

2:01 no joke I flinched, that dude almost T-boned ya...

[@M-t3ch]

I was getting ready to jerk the wheel to the left but he stopped thankfully 😅

[@twokharacters]

For how flimsy it seems that cup holder is, it is very robust lol. Thanks for having me, it was a lot of fun and I'm always happy to spread Saab awareness!

[@M-t3ch]

It look felt better engineered than it's rivals from the era so it gets a pass 😂. Was great having you and the car!

[@gagesstuff5946]

Yes! It's the most Saab thing about this car and I love it, so over-engineered but still functional

[@bombardier6033]

I own a Saab 9-3 Aero TTiD (twin turbo diesel, europe ftw) and even at 100 horsepower less, but the same torque, I agree with you in terms of driving dynamics, although I wouldn't call the suspension a "luxury car" suspension. It's comfy on very smooth roads, but once you get a rougher patch, you feel every bump. It's still very surprising to me how such a front-heavy car can have such a good turn-in. The steering is light but direct, although one annoying thing that I find is that it's the wheels that want dictate the position of the steering wheel, not the other way around. In a bumpy corner you will feel the steering wheel jerking in your hands as it wants to do what the front wheels are doing. Still, you can tell Saab engineers really poured their hearts into dialing this car in. It's a car that works best in the real world, none of that 0-60 mph or Nurburgring lap time bs.

[@M-t3ch]

That is what that was! I felt the all wheel drive grabbing the wheel at certain points but wasn't entirely sure if that was what was actually happening or not. For the ride quality, maybe "luxury car" suspension was the wrong word choice. It rides better than the average econobox but that is a pretty low bar. The car certainly does feel like the engineers cared. All the little things that make it cool 🙂

[@okletsskate]

Come out to Los Angeles and review mine. It's even rarer as it's the manual version of this car, riding on 18's and has been extremely well maintained. Also, it's a cold weather car in a climate where we don't even think about rust. Very few of these here! I have only seen a handful, maybe 5 of the 2.8 XWD here, and even less so with eLSD. The one in this video is actually astonishingly rare, not because of the drivetrain (although that's part of it) but because it has the B50 premium leather interior, which was like a $1500 option.

[@M-t3ch]

That's really cool! I bet a manual in this package is really fun. I saw one other one once a few months after driving this car but otherwise haven't spotted any. They are rare. If you have an Instagram, shoot me a message. I'll probably be in LA for something in the next year or two. I'd love to check it out!

[@okletsskate]

@@M-t3ch will do! 🫵🏻

I own a Saab 93 1.8t Vector BioPower 2008 manual in Black. Beautiful Car. Greetings from Madrid.

[@autoavids]

It's a shame what happened to Saab. If you haven't driven a last gen 9 5 try to find one. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@M-t3ch]

I do need to find one. The 9-5s look nice too.

[@twokharacters]

They really do. Was never too interested since I've been into Saabs but recently they've been looking more and more appealing. Plus it would be cool to drive a Saab that's less than 10 years old while that tiny window is still available.

[@canadiansaabfreak6530]

Love this car, have the 4-cylinder wagon version of this and I can say for sure the XWD gives it way more confidence in a corner than it should. But the Auto Trans in that car is a total buzzkill. The manual version is a totally different ball game. THOSE are unicorns. Most people who get those will Big Turbo and race them. Those Holden blocks are super stout, capable of around 600hp on stock internals.

[@danrutaroumbanis2851]

Agreed. Peak torque at lower RPM is a Saab thing, and that's why it's very quick in 3rd gear, where you need it. My 6th Saab was a 9-3 Aero XWD which I sold a few years ago, and is is certainly a unicorn. My wife called it the BMW of Saabs. Very comfortable and refined. But, as my mechanic once told me, "you have one of the more complicated ones".

[@M-t3ch]

It does feel like the BMW of Saabs. It felt very BMW esk, especially in the power band. Very linear

[@HowardMessias-e8z]

They might have been Vauxhall/Opel at first glance but there were so many suspension/engine mods to differentiate them.

[@M-t3ch]

Yeah, they had a lot of versions and iterations. Cool if you know what to look for!

[@davidjackson3221]

Awesome Car🏁🏁🏁👍

[@SJSOmar]

You should review a tuned 4cyl Saab it’s way different could be good maybe bad but def Saab was never a 0-60 car more like 30+ just keeps pulling with that tiny turbo

[@M-t3ch]

That makes sense, I do need to get my hands on one at some point.

[@okletsskate]

I feel like I need to add, while these cars may have a GM sourced component like an engine, or platform, a lot of the "GM" parts it uses aren't used on any other cars. Most of it is bespoke Saab. This is actually becoming quite a problem, especially recently. Try getting rear axles for this car if you have an eLSD, or fuel pumps (PPS doesn't not count as they are junk), or rear upper sway bars, heck most of the rear axle you can't source new/OEM any more. No other car uses it with the exception of the differential. With roughly 4,000 XWDs made for the U.S. - there isn't a whole lot of incentive to even make after market parts. For others on here, check eSaab, etc. A lot of crucial things are back ordered and likely never to be made again.

[@M-t3ch]

The owner was telling me about that problem too. It would make owning one of these a little scary.

[@supersaabclaire]

SAAB ❤❤❤

[@Attack-fb5rj]

They did make more powerful car than that, NG 9-5 had 305 hp.

[@BruceLudwick]

Interesting how much less visceral the auto 9-3s are. I have the small turbo (2.0t) and it's more planted in 3rd. Will go 30-80mph in no time at all.

[@M-t3ch]

Everyone says the transmission changes the driving characteristics a lot on these. I'll have to give one a go if I get the chance!

[@TheSaabClinicUK]

Not the fastest Saab. The 1992 9000 CS Carlsson remains the quickest 0-60 Saab in factory form. My own 9000 Aero 2.3T tuned to Stage3 does 70 to 100mph in 3.5 seconds in 3rd gear. Absolutely brutal !.

[@M-t3ch]

That is fast!

[@TheSaabClinicUK]

@@M-t3ch In perspective. 0.2 seconds quicker than an Audi R8. Not bad for a 30yr old Swede.

[@M-t3ch]

@@TheSaabClinicUK What is the 0 to 60 on a 1992 9000 CS?

[@tweaknn]

ITS A SUBARU ITS A SUBARU ITS A SUBARU💀

[@tobias_dahlberg]

If we're going to go that route you would call it an Opel, not a Subaru.

[@twokharacters]

Or Saabaru since that was actually a thing (9-2x)

[@tweaknn]

@@tobias_dahlberg ITS AN OPEL ITS AN OPEL

[@rajmondjankowski9637]

Not the fastest saab ever made..

[@M-t3ch]

Someone corrected me below!

[@zforczek8653]

V6+Automatic+4x4 is not SAAB. Sorry.

[@M-t3ch]

Interesting take, what makes you say that?

[@zforczek8653]

@@M-t3ch SAAB=L4*Turbo+5speed+FWD 😄

[@SergeantZaf03]

@@M-t3ch V6 was a Holden engine, the Auto was a Toyota (im pretty sure), and the XWD was Haldex. While a weird combo I'd say this was a saab and a unique one at that. to me the V6 was a way for them to innovate using other GM products. That being said the 2.0T is a more traditional Saab setup but both are fun to drive. If you want a more traditional Saab find a 2.0T Manny FWD.

[@M-t3ch]

@@SergeantZaf03 Ah, makes sense. Thankyou for the insight. That is an odd combination fore sure lol. I have plans to drive a 4 cylinder one next car season!

[@Attack-fb5rj]

If you really want a traditional Saab, you need a 900. The interior quality for example is just shit in these new ones, the last decent interior is the 9-5 before the 2006 facelift.