Saab 9-3 Sedan 2.0T XWD 210 CV test (Part I)

October comes loaded with interesting tests, and this time we present an uncommon car. We are talking about a saloon with 210 CV of power, a petrol engine, permanent four-wheel drive and a spacious interior with quality materials. With this description, the three typical premium brands (Mercedes, BMW or Audi) usually come to mind, but the Saab 9-3 Sedan 2.0T with 210 CV and all-wheel drive tries to stand up to the Germans.

With a bold, muscular and sporty look, the Saab 9-3 Sedan has an exterior with a lot of personality, which reflects the intentions of this saloon. As for the interior, it is spacious for five occupants, with quality materials and very complete equipment. But of the engines available for the 9-3 Sedan, without doubt the best bet from the Swedish brand is this 2.0T petrol with 210 CV and all-wheel drive, an engine that is up to the task and very fun to drive.

Engine and performance

Our Saab 9-3 was equipped with the two-litre turbo engine, which develops 210 CV of power, but the best thing about the engine is not only the power, but that it can be combined with all-wheel drive (XWD). As it is a petrol engine, it responds lazily below 2,500 rpm, but once we reach that figure the car starts to push without limit until reaching approximately 4,500 rpm.

It has a fairly high torque of 300 Nm between 2,500 and 4,000 rpm. The 1.9 TTiD engine with 180 CV has more torque and is undoubtedly more recommendable in terms of consumption, but it cannot be combined with all-wheel drive, whereas the petrol can. In rational terms, the 180 CV TTiD engine is more recommendable since it is better balanced between power and consumption, but if we do not think rationally or we want all-wheel drive, the petrol engine is highly recommendable.

Thanks to the all-wheel drive, the 9-3 Sedan sticks to the road and responds with a more sporty behaviour than usual or than it may have with the diesel engine, and on acceleration it always pulls away smoothly, while on roundabouts or tight bends the 9-3 Sedan’s composure is very good. As a curious detail, when accelerating, once you go past 2,500 rpm you will hear the whistle of the turbo. On snow or in situations with complicated grip, the traction does its job without complications.

Something that is harder to use is the gearbox, a six-speed manual, which, given so much power, makes first and second gears somewhat abrupt. Perhaps with an automatic gearbox this problem would disappear, and as you get used to the feel of the gearbox you mitigate the abruptness when downshifting to second or even from fourth to third.

As for the brakes, they are also up to the overall package. It has disc brakes on all four wheels (the front ones of larger diameter) and they stop the car without problems, and that combined with precise steering means we have control of the car at all times. As a detail to mention, while driving at night along a mountain road with winding bends and poor lighting, a cat crossed. At that moment I swerved sharply to avoid it and braked fully, and the car responded by following the direction of the steering wheel and stopping without problems, avoiding the animal.

As for the suspension tuning, it is pleasant and finally, it is worth mentioning that all-wheel drive is reduced by 25% towards the rear wheels when travelling at constant speed to improve consumption. And speaking of consumption, all the sportiness and power, as well as the traction, take their toll on consumption, which is normal, as we are dealing with a car with 210 CV and all-wheel drive.

The minimum consumption we achieved on the motorway at around 120 km/h was 7.8 l/100 km. On average on country roads we were around 11 litres per 100 km; in fact, as soon as I picked up the car (with three-quarters of a tank) it showed a range of 400 km, a range that improved on the motorway. In town, consumption soars to around 15 litres per 100 km, at least.

Compared with the 180 CV TTiD engine, the turbo diesel is undoubtedly more economical, and if all-wheel drive doesn’t matter to you, it is a good choice. In fact, I compared a 20 km route I drove with the Saab 9-3 Cabrio with the diesel engine, which consumed 4 l/100 km on that road at an average of 60 km/h in a straight line, and the petrol engine recorded 7.5 l/100 km on that route.

Therefore, the Saab 9-3 2.0T with 210 CV and all-wheel drive is up to the task of competing in terms of engine and behaviour with the saloons in its segment. The only weak point is consumption, but it is very justifiable. In the next part of the test, we will talk about the exterior design, interior habitability and space, areas where this saloon excels.

Photos | David Taboada