- 126,942
- 600 below average
- 2,500 good
- Waterbury, CT
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- autoshopper.com
- 600 below average 126,942 white manual
1999 saab 9-3 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Fast, reliable, roomy and mainstream. introductionsaab's new 9-3 is the successor to the long-lived saab 900, a car that practically became a legend among its followers. Like all saabs, the 900 had a reputation for being somewhat quirky. Not everyone liked its styling, the way the ignition key was mounted on the center console and not everyone understood the value of its black panel instrument cluster and other unconventional features. the 9-3 is quite a bit more mainstream. The saab 9-3 is the result of extensive refinement and re-engineering of the 900. With such a significant evolutionary step forward for 1999, saab felt that a new model designation was in order. Like the new 9-5, the 9-3 (pronounced 'nine-three') designation traces its roots to saab's aviation heritage. a mild redesign has resulted in a smoother, cleaner look for the new 9-3. As we saddled up a pair of saab 9-3 sedans for a 5,800-mile dash from prudhoe bay, alaska, to key west, florida, we couldn't help wondering whether saab might have rounded off a few too many corners. We wondered whether saab had taken away all of those idiosyncratic touches that loyalists have learned to love. but by the time we reached the mile 0 marker in key west marking the southernmost point on the american mainland, we had decided we liked the new 9-3. It offered lots of power, a smooth-shifting gearbox and handling that inspired confidence in sometimes-treacherous conditions. walkaroundone thing the 9-3 does not offer is a complete styling makeover. Saab designers took an evolutionary approach to the 9-3, so there's still a lot of 900 evident in the sheet metal. Saab boasts more than a thousand technical improvements to this 1999 edition, but most of those changes are buried beneath the skin. we drove the 5-door sedan, but there's also a coupe and a convertible available. In keeping with saab's aerospace heritage, the most notable new styling cue on the 9-3 is its wing-shaped center profile. Color-keyed bumpers, lower air intakes and a front spoiler with integrated fog and cornering lamps add to the sporty look. the tailgate has been redesigned, but it will take a keen eye to spot most of the changes. The license plate, for example, is now placed squarely between the taillights. The high-mounted taillight has been raised and now uses leds for enhanced visibility. The tailgate yawns wide to make it easier to load and unload the 9-3. Whether packing for a cross-country trip or simply hauling a week's worth of groceries, it's easy to appreciate the cavernous cargo hold. Fold down the split rear seat and a nearly 50 cubic feet of storage space is revealed. And the functionality of the 9-3 has been substantially improved. interiorheading out of prudhoe bay took us down 500 jouncing miles of gravel road. Saab stylists suggest black makes it easier to find buttons and other controls. saab upgraded door and window seals on the 9-3. But while the new car is definitely quieter than the old 900, it's still not quite as quiet as some of the other vehicles in its class. With the night panel, simply press a button to black out everything except the speedometer. If there's a problem, such as low coolant or fuel, a warning light will automatically pop on. saab has traditionally emphasized both active and passive safety features, and the 9-3 won't disappoint those who consider safety a key attribute. Dual front airbags are complemented by head and thorax side-impact airbags. But the most innovative addition to the redesigned 9-3 is the saab active head restraint system. But the new 9-3 engine is equipped with a low-inertia turbocharger that helps eliminate both of these traits. The hydraulic clutch system helps aids in this regard and is self-adjusting. About the only problem we ran into was on a stretch of the trans-alaska highway where we drove through muck so thick it stuck to the wheels and suspension like quick-dry cement and threw the wheels out of balance. We were stiff, achy and glad to get out of the car and stand up, but the saab 9-3 provided a sense of comfort and calm reassurance throughout the trip. we had hoped for more revolutionary styling, but there's no need to apologize for what saab brings to market. If it gets the word of mouth it deserves, the new 9-3 should begin to expand the swedish automaker's appeal to those who are looking for a car that's more than just fast and quirky. assembled introllhattan, sweden. options as testedcd player; front and rear heated seats. model testedse 5-door hatchback. Heated Seats✔ Climate Control✔ Air Conditioning
2,500 Waterbury, CTWaterbury, CT at autoshopper.com