Saab 9-3 SportSedan Archives

Saab 9-3 TTiD vs the Top 10 green cars in Sweden

I’ve talked a little bit over the last few months about what Saab engineers were able to do with the Saab 9-3 in terms of reducing emissions. Today, you can order a Saab 9-3 TTiD with a full 180hp (or 160, or 130) that emits only 119g of CO2 per kilometer.

The powers-that-be didn’t think that was possible with the 9-3, and yet Saab achieved this figure, first with the Sport Sedan and then with the SportCombi, in just a matter of months after being freed to pursue this goal. It’s a prime example of the engineering expertise that exists here at Saab Automobile.

Some of you, like me, may not come from a country where vehicle taxes are based on emissions and the significance of this might be lost on you. Others will understand a bit better right from the get-go.

In Sweden, a ‘green’ car is referred to as a miljöbil and this vehicle class attracts quite a few benefits. Firstly, a new car that is compliant with Euro5 and has CO2 emissions of max 120g/km attracts zero vehicle tax for its first five years. Company car drivers who choose a miljöbil for their company vehicle may also benefit from reduced fringe benefits tax rates compared to non-miljöbil choices (which would be a massive drawcard for Saab).

There are other benefits, too, which some will make use of more than others. In Stockholm, for example, miljöbil drivers pay no congestion charge and there are parking zones in many cities around Sweden that miljöbil drivers can use for free.

So, some significant benefits are there if you’re driving the right sort of car. It’s not just tax benefits and parking convenience, though.

A car has to fit in with your lifestyle. One of the biggest criticisms of a vehicle like the Nissan Leaf, for example, is range anxiety. That is, the car might be able to run on pennies per day, but if it can’t get you where you need to go (and back) without running out of battery power, then it’s not really suitable for anything other than a short commute.

Some of the cars you’ll see on the list below have wonderful emissions figures and prices, but do they allow the average family to live their normal lifestyle, to travel with comfort, performance, safety and adequate space – AND accrue the various benefits of a miljöbil?

To give us all a better picture of what Saab have been able to do, of what Saab can offer in this segment of the Swedish market (and some others that incentivise the same way), I thought I’d put together this table.

The following table shows the Saab 9-3 TTiD range as well as the current top 10 selling miljöbil offerings in the Swedish market.

[table “26” not found /]

——

So what’s the point?

The Saab 9-3 TTiD involves no sacrifices. Some cars on the table have equal (or better) cargo capacity, but the driving experience will be compromised due to much low power and torque.

Others lose out on the driving experience as well as the storage capability, relying on their small engine size and weight to get under the emissions limits.

Saab engineers re-worked the 9-3 TTiD SportCombi so that owners can have a complete vehicle experience – all the comfort, performance, safety and amenity that the car offers in its normal configuration – PLUS the benefits of a miljöbil.

Bottom line: You don’t have to drive an underpowered rollerskate to get the benefits of driving ‘green’.

—

Quick Drive – Saab 9-3 Griffin

Last week I finally took a long-overdue opportunity to drive the latest iteration of the Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, the 9-3 Griffin.

The 9-3 SS is a car that’s being regarded by some as a tag-along car in Saab’s range. The rest of the product offering from Saab is quite new, whereas the 9-3 was originally introduced as a 2003 model year car. There’s a temptation (that many succumb to) to write the 9-3 off as being ‘old’ before one even jumps into it. Don’t do it.

The Saab 9-3 Griffin shares little but the bare bones from that original car.

The design, as is usually the case with Saab, still looks fresh and contemporary even after all these years. Some might consider that it’s all just details, but it’s the details that finish the car and the work done on the Griffin sedan makes the whole package look quite distinctive.

The grille, headlamps, foglamps, bumpers, air intakes, badging and wheels have all been changed and all to great effect. A rear spoiler is standard on all sedan models and you get twin exhausts poking out the back, too.

On the inside, there’s new seat trim with leather/textile seats and contrasting stitching (super smart looking and super comfy), new dash panelling, a new graphite effect dash surround to replace the silver strip. There are new treatments on the doors, gearshift and glove compartment, too.

As with the exterior, each of these enhancements is a small modification when taken on its own, but it’s the details that make the whole package that much more impressive.

The exterior and interior enhancements make the car look and feel better as you approach the car, but it’s the drive that really had me looking forward to experiencing this car.

The 9-3 Griffin has a new petrol engine under the hood. It’s the same 2.0T inline four cylinder engine that’s found in the new Saab 9-5, with a tin scroll turbo, variable valve timing and direct injection. The engine’s available with either 163hp or 220hp, the second being the one that I drove last week.

I was really looking forward to this drive. I’ve driven the 9-5 with this engine in it and it was my favourite version of the 9-5 in terms of being a driver’s car. It’s much lighter than the V6 and makes the car feel much more nimble IMHO. Plus, the engine seems to be incredibly elastic, pulling well from low revs and in a really smooth manner.

Transplant those characteristics into the smaller Saab 9-3 and you get an engine that offers a much more satisfying drive than its predecessor. It’s only 10hp more than the old 9-3 four-banger, but it’s all in the way it delivers that extra power and torque. It’s so smooth, quite eager to please, and so easy to keep in the power band.

The car I drove was also equipped with Saab’s XWD system. The Haldex system made its worldwide debut in 2008 on the Saab Turbo-X and is still the most advanced all-wheel-drive system there is. Buyers of the more regular 9-3 petrol-driven models now have access to the XWD system and you should definitely give it some consideration.

For those who are unfamiliar, the XWD system is an all-wheel-drive system that uses an electronic limited slip differential to distribute power not only between front and rear wheels, but also between the left and right rear wheels. It uses sensors on all four wheels to detect slip thousands of times per second and distributes power where its needed to get the optimum grip, balance and stability.

Mate this XWD system to this new 2.0T engine and you really have the best driving Saab 9-3 we’ve ever offered and my quick drive last week backed up all the anticipation I felt prior to driving this car. It’s smooth, it’s quick, it’s very comfortable and it just can’t be moved from where you point it.

If you’re thinking of a new Saab, maybe your first new Saab, check out the 9-3 Griffin 2.0T. You won’t be disappointed. The Griffin is the best Saab 9-3 we’ve ever offered in terms of a standard product and it offers the absolute latest in terms of powertrain technology and driver comfort.

Video: Saab 9-3 Griffin

The Saab 9-3 Griffin is the latest iteration of the Saab 9-3 range and offers fantastic performance and value.

The Griffin range has four models – SportSedan, SportCombi, Convertible and 9-3x – and most body styles are available in both FWD and XWD. There’s also a huge engine range, including BioPower, low-emissions TTiD and Turbo4 models (depending on market).

New to the Saab 9-3 Griffin is the 2.0 Turbo4 from the Saab 9-5, a direct injection turbocharged engine that brings great responsiveness and sparkling performance with up to 220hp. Of course, there is also Saab’s low-emissions TTiD range of engines, offering 130, 160 or 180hp, with all three variants emitting less than 120g of CO2 per km (manual), attracting great tax benefits in certain European markets.

The car has also received a fresher look, inside and out, with new front bumper design, headlamps, new badging all round, as well as new leather and trim options inside.

Check out the Saab 9-3 Griffin at Saab.com or check your local national Saab website for market-specific information.

—