- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.3i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
110kW, 210Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 8.3L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2009 Saab 9-3 Aero TTiD – Long Term Update
Well, it's safe to say our twin-turbo oil burner has been well and truly run in.
- Paul Maric
I stacked plenty of kilometres on the clock over Christmas, with even more planned in the very near future.
One of the first things passengers mention is how good looking the car is. Because of the decline in sales, people seem instantly surprised with the 9-3 Aero. The 'fast' looking alloy wheels, coupled with the LED daytime running lights make the 9-3 Aero stand out of the crowd.
The car was loaded with four passengers, four adults to be precise. Three of the four adults are are about two-metres tall, meaning leg room was a premium necessity!
Although the rear was a bit of a squeeze (even with the front passenger seat pushed forward a little), the seats in the 9-3 range are extremely comfortable - even for long distance cruises.
Second to that, the suspension tune is nigh on perfect for highway kilometres and sixth gear pretty much all the way pushed fuel use down even further to just 5.2-litres per 100km. It has plenty of legs in sixth gear too, making it great for quick passes.
One thing that is starting to bug me endlessly is the internal cooling fan that comes on at full speed whenever the car is started from cold. I suspect it's because the dual-zone climate control temperatures are constantly set to 18-degrees, but this is with the manual fan setting, not the automatic setting, so there is no need for the fans to come on so intensely with each engine start.
Another annoyance is the lack of auto headlights. They are operated via a switch on the dashboard with no option for an automatic setting. The birds also seem to love the Saab. Two nights under a tree has netted it a crapload of bird poo! Pardon the pun.
Next up in the Aero's itinerary is a run through the mountains, so stay tuned for the next update when I'm sure to be detailing the Aero's handling prowess.