Skip advert
Advertisement

Saab 9-3 Convertible

Swedish brand fights back, but can drop-top help it survive?

Overall Auto Express rating

3.0

How we review cars
Find your Saab 9-5
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The 9-3 isn’t a bad car. Its turbo engine delivers decent performance and sounds good, and the Saab is fun to drive. Even the exterior styling has aged well. But why would you pay around £30,000 for a nine-year-old car when you can have a new Audi A5, BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class for similar money? If Saab is to survive, it needs some new models – and it needs them now. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

Times are tough at Saab. Production has frequently stopped, workers have gone unpaid and the firm has pulled out of the Frankfurt Motor Show to save money. So the fact that an updated 9-3 has arrived at all is an achievement. However, can a nine-year-old car really improve a company’s fortunes?

We’ve driven the top-of-the-range 217bhp turbocharged petrol Convertible in Aero spec, although the same changes have been applied to the saloon and estate versions. 

Visually, the modifications are limited to a fresh front bumper, reshaped headlights and a new grille. Inside, metallic trim is added to the instrument panel; on Aero models, there’s also a cheap-looking ‘graphite-fibre’ surface here, as well as 

on the doors and glovebox. 

Look beyond the tail-lights, which appear to be outlined with gaffer tape, and the soft-top 9-3 is still a handsome car. But the interior is really showing its age. Although pleasingly minimalistic and easy to use, the quality is at least a generation behind rivals such as the Audi A5 Cabriolet, while the graphics on the sat-nav screen look tired. And when we went to adjust the steering wheel, the lever came away in our hands.

Smooth

Twist the key in the trademark ignition barrel, located next to the handbrake, and things start to improve. The new 217bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine is smooth and quiet – until you stamp on the throttle, when the turbo emits a pleasing and Saab-like whoosh from under the bonnet. A boost gauge, located in the instrument cluster, harks back to the firm’s successful cars from the past, too.

Our model was fitted with the £1,555 optional six-speed auto, and it made for serene progress. Squeeze the throttle, however, and it’s slow to kick down and make the most of the engine’s performance. If you’re in a hurry, we’d recommend the manual.

Other power options include a 161bhp version of the same 2.0-litre petrol turbo, as well as a more efficient 1.9 TTiD diesel with either 158bhp or 178bhp.

The hydraulic power-steering benefits from increased feel, which is so often lacking in more modern electric set-ups. Driving the 9-3 on fast, sweeping roads can actually be a lot of fun. But, in most other respects, Saab has stood still while its competitors have taken huge leaps forward.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £23,990Avg. savings £2,161 off RRP*
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £14,575Avg. savings £1,864 off RRP*Used from £7,850
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,625Avg. savings £2,462 off RRP*Used from £11,847
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £7,568 off RRP*Used from £13,600
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Geely EX5 SUV to arrive in October, starting at £32k
Geely EX5 - front

New Geely EX5 SUV to arrive in October, starting at £32k

This new electric SUV is coming soon to the UK from Volvo and Lotus parent company, Geely
News
15 Sep 2025
Nissan Qashqai to finally go electric, but hybrid model will remain
Nissan Qashqai electric render Avarvarii - front 3/4

Nissan Qashqai to finally go electric, but hybrid model will remain

There will be an overlap of powertrains for the big-selling SUV
News
15 Sep 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Savour the Scandi cool of a Polestar 4 at only £334 a month
Polestar 4 - cornering, low shot

Car Deal of the Day: Savour the Scandi cool of a Polestar 4 at only £334 a month

Fancy something smart and sophisticated? You won’t look back with the Polestar 4. It’s our Deal of the Day for September 13
News
13 Sep 2025