2004 SAAB 9-3 Aero Sports Saloon review from UK and Ireland

Nothing yet and long may that continue!

After test driving the Saab 9-3 Aero I could not wait to get one of my own. After a couple of weeks of searching the dealer managed to find a pre-registered car for me at a substantial discount to the list price.

With 210bhp the 9-3 Aero is remarkably quick for a family car. When driven sedately you could be forgiven for thinking that the performance is equivalent to most cars in this group. However, with a little push of the right foot the turbo kicks in and all of a sudden you are approaching the speed limit with at least two more gears to go!

The chassis and suspension, whilst a little firm, are perfect for the power that is generated and the traction control lets you get all of the power onto the road without wheel spinning. I was asked by the salesman if I wanted to have the car "tweaked" so that it puts out 250bhp, but I thought that 210 was enough.

The styling of the car is subtle rather than in your face with the spoilers and skirts setting the Aero apart from the other 9-3's.

As a parent of two children safety was also a big part of my thinking when buying a car. The Saab does not disappoint with airbags literally everywhere (driver, passenger, curtain, etc.)

The boot is large enough to pack 3 suitcases, two large holdalls, one small holdall and five backpacks. I found this out when driving to the airport for our summer holiday.

The seats are very comfortable when on a longer drive and the dual climate control keeps the cabin at a comfortable temperature.

The audio equipment is good with a seven speaker system coming as standard, but this is where my one minor complaint is. Why does the standard stereo system only have a single CD player? It seems such a shame when the car has almost everything else as standard. For the record, I upgraded to a multi disc player which manages to keep everyone happy.

All in all I am delighted with the car and with the new V6 Sports Wagon now on the scene I will certainly be looking at Saab's again when it comes to changing cars.