1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Remember that review in Car and Driver several months back? They said the car was nice and much improved over the old car, but was basically worthless since it didn't have a hatchback. It didn't bother me until I saw the TV show review of it and there's something seriously wrong because the guy couldn't stop harping about it. He said, "a hatchback is what makes a Saab a Saab", which sounds like that's the only positive thing there has been about any of their cars.
The only real good review I have seen that said anything meaningful was Motorweek's TV review, which was on the Linear. As you might know, they picked it as the best family car. Their reviews seem to always be honest and straightforward, and without bias.
And recently Motor Trend compared it to the Acura TSX and Mercedes C-Class. That generated a lot of letters to the editor. Their opinion of the Saab seemed rather skewed, where their biggest complaint was about the handling and the chassis. What gets me is that they tested the model without the sport wheel package, that would have made a big difference in those areas. I have driven the Acura TSX, which is a nice car, but there is no way it handles better than the Arc or Linear I drove. It also has no soul and wasn't all that fun to drive. Sure the TSX seems like a good buy, and I was seriously considering it based on price, but two things have recently come to my attention. The TSX's interior isn't all that nicer than my friend's new Civic (the black leather and silver trim looks cheap...the tan and wood looks nicer, but I haven't seen it in person and can't get it in the color I want anyway), and I just checked Edmunds TMV on all three Saab 9-3s and the prices are closer to the Acura than what the "build your car" prices on Saab's own website.
I am almost certain I will be buying a 9-3...probably an Arc. I think I'll wait for the 2004s to come out to make sure they got all the first-year kinks out, plus I'll be able to afford one by then. I almost bought the first Arc in Phoenix (red with parchment leather), but I got laid off from my job and couldn't do it. I am working now and everything's looking good so hopefully I'll have one in my garage soon.
I am not too sure about how Saabs were back in the 70s and 80s...I have a feeling they weren't really considered good cars back then, but I know Consumer Reports gives the newer ones (especially the 9-5) their best rating. I guess some of the older ones were basically crap, and in the opinions of some journalists, "once crap, always crap", which I think is unfair.
I have been looking a cars for a while now; the Lexus IS300, the Jaguar X-Type, the Acura TSX, the Nissan Maxima, and a few others, and by far I think the 9-3 is the best one of the bunch.
posted by 68.3.99...
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