Longer, Lower, Wider

My rearview mirror is crowded with 11 all-new Saab 9-3s. The procession buzzes along a country road north of Stockholm and over a lazy hilltop, where a Swedish farmer is perched, watching us roar through his rural world.

Lucky for us, he fails in his attempt to write down our license plate numbers and report us to the local authorities, agitated from several days of test-driving near his house.

While Saab hopes not to evoke a similar negative reaction when the 9-3 goes on sale this fall, the auto maker does believe the farmer won't be the last person to take notice when the lower-luxury sedan rolls through town.

The new-generation 9-3 is key to Saab's growth plan. Sales are predicted to double vs. the current model, which sells about 40,000 units annually in the U.S. The 9-3 is important to Saab parent General Motors Corp., as well.

Hitting dealerships in October, the 9-3 will offer the first opportunity for North American consumers to drive GM's Epsilon global midsize platform — presently exclusive to the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra in Europe. Drivers should be pleased, for the most part. Epsilon looks like a winner for GM, and the outlook for the 9-3 is promising.

On a perfect day, with nary a cloud in the sky, our drive route takes us past colorful cropland on a winding backwoods road. The 9-3 handles the touring task fine; it corners flat and transitions well. The performance upgrade is in the numbers.

Compared with the outgoing 9-3, the new model's wheelbase is 2.8 ins. (7.1 cm) longer and the ride-height is 0.4 ins. (1 cm) lower. Testing yields very little understeer, reduced by the adoption of a 4-link rear-suspension layout that allowed Saab engineers to dial in a passive rear-wheel-steer characteristic, which helps the tail of the car follow the direction of the front wheels.

Equipped with an all-aluminum 2L turbocharged 4-cyl. engine based on GM's L850 series, the 9-3 performance is dull in lower gears. That's especially the case when driving the entry-level Linear model (175 hp) with the new 5-speed automatic transmission. Turbo lag remains a problem.

The 9-3's other models, the touring-inspired Arc and sporty Vector, feature the same engine but with 210 hp. Add the updated 5-speed transmission (coupled with 175-hp models) or the new 6-speed manual gearbox (210-hp models), and the 9-3 feels livelier. Midrange, the car is golden — this just might be the best third gear in history.

Saab's most obnoxious characteristic, aside from styling, has been torque steer. Special bushings in the rear suspension of the new 9-3 effectively eliminate the problem on the 3-pedal version, and there's only a slight pull to the right with the automatic transmission, regardless of the horsepower rating.

“We knew that was something we had to eliminate,” Lars Olsson, vice president-technical development, tells Ward's. “I think most people will say it drives like a rear-wheel-drive car.”

Nevertheless, journalists involved in the 9-3 test drives were split into distinct groups: one that complained about torque steer, one that didn't.

Wind and road noise aren't an issue, and neither is engine racket due to a unique “pendulum” mounting that installs rods at the base of the powerplant. The brakes were unremarkable.

Inside, the increased width (2-ins./5.5 cm) is more noticeable. No longer are passenger and driver nearly shoulder-to-shoulder. But a typical complaint about European products doesn't elude the 9-3: The dashboard has too many buttons.

Are Europeans ever going to discover what Americans and Asians have known for years — one button (or knob) can be used for more than one function?

At least with the 9-3, controls are placed high and close to the driver. Still, the contraption popping out of the instrument panel is a sad excuse for a cup holder; my water bottle would've spilled numerous times if not for its top. And a small, center-mounted console near the front windshield is too far away from the driver and contains some of the same readouts already available on the dash.

Seats are form-fitting and comfortable. Trunk space (Saab's traditional hatchback is purged) is adequate for a modestly sized car. The rear window is small, but the remaining sight lines are somewhat better.

Styling feedback is saved for last, because it should never be high on a Saab's shoppers list. But the softening of the 9-3'S former wedge-like appearance will attract a mainstream audience.

Vad kostar det? (Swedish for: How much does it cost?) The 9-3's pricing starts at $25,900, not including destination. That also should broaden the car's appeal. Maybe even that angry farmer will buy one.