2003 Saab 9-3 Review
Fuel Economy
22 - 23 mpg
Summary
What Edmunds.com says
A much improved 9-3 in a category that demands excellence -- whether it's enough remains to be seen.
Pros
Sharp handling, frugal yet powerful engines, generous passenger room, class-leading trunk space, excellent audio systems.
Cons
Some turbo lag at lower speeds, not as vaultlike as some of its European competitors, front-wheel drive also a slight disadvantage.
What's New for 2003
The 2003 9-3 is an all-new design from top to bottom. It rides on a new platform, has new engines and an interior that's considerably more modern than the previous version.
Consumer Ratings & Reviews
Oh my!!!
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 9 | Fun-to-Drive: | 9 | Build Quality: | 3 |
| Comfort: | 9 | Interior Design: | 9 | Reliability: | 3 |
| Fuel Economy: | 9 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Saab 9-3 Vector 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
Review
Fine apart from: £5000.00 New Auto Gearbox £0090.00 New Front Coil Springs £0130.00 Diesel Fuel Pump £0200.00 Alternator £0500.00 Tyers, 3 developed punctures (1 two days after we bought the car) £0100.00+ on Bulbs (all changed, Brake Lights changed monthly) £1000.00 For Service. The final straw came, when the car would not accelerate past 50 mph, later traced to the Particulate Filter. This would have cost us another £2000. At this point it was goodbye to SAAB... at least they cleaned the car each time it went in to be fixed, yes... you guessed it... the cleanest car in history!
Favorite Features
Suggested Improvements
Never Again
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 9 | Build Quality: | 4 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 6 | Reliability: | 1 |
| Fuel Economy: | 9 | Exterior Design: | 7 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Saab 9-3 SE 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
Review
Bought this car brand new in '03. Decided on this instead of the BMW 330 Convertible because of price and the BMWs are everywhere. What a mistake! While fun to drive, it has been a maintenance nightmare compared to any other car I've ever driven. Fuel pump failure (huh?) at 56K, CLUTCH at 70K, A/C compressor at 48K, wheel bearing at 80K, Ignitor Coil at 80K. Compare to my '86 325: original clutch at 150K; my '83 Tercel: original clutch at 150K. I work with a guy that has an '02 9-5 - same problems. No wonder the resale value of Saabs stinks. Stay away from Saab!
Favorite Features
Good driver, great mileage (32 mpg on highway, 27 combined).
Suggested Improvements
Why bother? Wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole.
Objective 2003 Saab convertible review.
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 9 | Fun-to-Drive: | 9 | Build Quality: | 8 |
| Comfort: | 9 | Interior Design: | 8 | Reliability: | 8 |
| Fuel Economy: | 9 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Saab 9-3 SE 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
Review
Quiet (yes a convertible) solid feel, comfortable seats, highly responsive engine, reasonable few blind spots, good MPG. Some odd features but not annoying and something Saab is noted for. The torque steer nonsense you read about is something that average drivers will never notice or care about. This is nice riding and driving car, that was a great purchase. It has all the options that you would expect in a car that sold and sells in this price range. The higher than normal depreciation means you can buy an expensive car for less. The cost of repair is not out of line with any high end car. BTW the trunk is functional for trips, the back seats go down to extend the storage.
Favorite Features
Ride, comfort, acceleration, gas consumption are all excellent. This car was re-engineered in 94 but from a owner's stand point I do not regret not purchasing the newer model.
Suggested Improvements
No center arm rest or storage. After market (perfect match) $120.00 solved that minor issue. The Saab information display is a noted problem. $300 to replace, no big deal.
Great vehicle!
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 9 | Build Quality: | 7 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 7 | Reliability: | 9 |
| Fuel Economy: | 8 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Saab 9-3 Linear 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
Review
I love my car. It has been wonderful and only issues have been its common gnomes in the electrical work/displays (funny at times, annoying at others). Comfort is above par and makes daily long drives bearable. Turbo lag is certainly there, but as soon as it realizes that it's supposed to go, it does so with awesomeness. Plenty of power and fuel economy to boot. Overall, a wonderful car for my first dive into the luxury branded vehicles.
Favorite Features
Turbos, exterior styling, overall interior styling, comfort.
Suggested Improvements
Road noise! Evict the electrical gnomes causing off-days in the display, radio, and sun roof (Simple fix for other owners: removing key and opening door for about 10 seconds). Small turbo lag improvements.
Caught the Swedish Bug
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 10 |
| Comfort: | 10 | Interior Design: | 10 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 10 | Exterior Design: | 10 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Saab 9-3 SE 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
Review
When my daughter needed a car for school, reluctantly I gave her my beloved Jetta and purchased a used Saab 93 convertible. It's now my beloved Saab. Amazing car!! Purchased with 46K miles already on it, the Saab performs beautifully. A heavier car than the Jetta, the steering is only slightly less responsive, but you can feel the weight of this car. It's solid. Comfy and sexy! The mileage - near 30 mpg highway. The car has its quirks - a wonky gas gauge and that damn SID that reads like Braille - but these are easy to overlook when you hit that turbo and the car responds without a hiccup. No maintenance woes to date. Amazing since the car was in a flood 4 years ago. So far, fantastic!
Favorite Features
Turbo, heated leather seats, comfortable ride, radio controls on steering wheel, convertible.
Suggested Improvements
How about an information display that shows all its info? Design flaw that should be fixed by now (I hope!).
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