2006 SAAB 9-3 Vector Sport from UK and Ireland - Comments

Drivers door speaker slightly loose. Tightened up and sounds great again! No rattles.

That's it.

I read a few reviews on here about the build quality and rattles, seats being uncomfortable ect etc, and couldnt disagree more! I have done over 12,000 miles in the car and had no issues at all really!

The seats are the best I have sat in, and are comfortable on very long journeys too. I think these people who can feel the metal subframes through the seat have weight issues!

The car performs very very well with over 50mpg economy and very good acceleration, cruising ability and refinement.

The ride/handling balance is spot on, comfortable yet fun to drive harder when the road gets twisty.

Standard equipment is excellent. I love the very good dual zone air-con and find the cruise control very useful and relaxing for long journeys. The audio is very good, and I can plug my ipod in the front.

The leather still looks like new, as I had the car protected inside and out with Superguard, which seems to have made a big difference in the durability of the materials and paintwork!

The 6-speed gearbox is notchy, but people moan about that, why? it has a positive and mechanical feel that doesn't spoil the fun of driving, it actually adds to it!

The dealer I use is the best I have ever been to. They are the 2nd best dealer in the country and it shows with the service. I would recommend Bell and Colvill in West Horsley to anyone!

I recommend this well made, fun, practical, good looking, good value, stylish, individual car to anyone.

I'm sorry, but the audio on this car is NOT very good, maybe you have problems with your hearing on balance with those who have weight issues!

Yeah.. about as individual as a Vauxhall Vectra, but all in all, I can't grumble too much about my 9-3 so far as only had for two Months and only covered 4000 miles.

My last 9-3,company provided, was a late 2004 model which mechanically (150tid) was faultless and ultra reliable and retained great performance and mpg over the 58k it clocked up. I can only hope the rest of it on this revised 2006 model fairs better than the last one in other areas, which sadly, most reviews on these pages mirror accurately.

In my opinion, the "old" dash design with all those buttons and top dash mounted display was one of the cars ergonomic plus points, now more euro standard and less unique and I had hoped the sound quality of the audio would have been addressed.. better, but still below par in this price range of car.

I does feel somehow better screwed together than my previous 9-3, and hope the premium feel remains and keeps me happy because to look at, simply awesome!!!

Don't let me down Saab, becuase I wanted to give you a second chance over other cars at a similar price and "status" I could have chosen.. fingers crossed xx.

The stereo system in the Saab 9-3 is excellent.

Another Saab naysayer! Surprise! Surprise!

Saabs are great cars!!!

Yes, Saabs are great cars... And those who comment about areas of these cars which are not as to be expected, as above for example, give equal praise where they feel justified!!

TRY reading the comments before pathetic retaliation with words like Naysayer... A word more suitable to the above author.

The 9-3 is a good car, but does not justify the cost for what you get!! yes yes yes yes, a great machine, a true drivers car, very quick, reliable, well equipped, safe, comfortable and beautiful- fact!... but also not quite good enough in some "quality" areas for the premium-fact!- a second hand one makes real sense, like the vector sport I have just purchased for my wife which is 16 months old and was an absolute bargain at just over 10k. not a naysayer here, just sensible.. i just got one !

"90% of these cars are fault free"... could someone please provide the source of reference to back this up? or was it the person, who probably is employed at a Saab dealership, who wrote the above? Don't refer me as a naysayer either. I like

my Saab, it's great in so many areas, but let down in so many others that one would not expect from a premium branded exec! My local dealership are always happy to help, and provide great customer service, a good job as my 9-3 (2006) model has been back to them four times in as many months for issues (i won't bore you with) which surely should not have existed for the price I paid so early.

I agree with the review, the Saab 9-3 is a fantastic car. I have just part-ex'd my 1.8t Vector and upgraded to the Aero. My Vector had the standard sound system in, which was OK, but nothing to shout about, my new Aero has the upgraded system on with extra speakers and that is a much better system to have & is well worth the extra. The handling is great & performance is awesome, even though I drive 35,000 miles a year I still choose petrol and wonder why anyone bothers with diesel when you could have an Aero!

Very interesting... see latest 9-5 review 2006.. same dealership mentioned.. hummmmmmmm.. loves them so much to drive two cars at once, or has loads of money, or a biased review?.. interesting or a load of b8ll more like!

To the comment at 16:01 Nov. 30.

Perhaps you should try reading all of the comments & also looking up the word "Naysayer" as it certainly fits!

Ha ha. Someone new here.

I think all these reviews, positive, negative in the middle and the naysayer issue are all written by two people just inventing cars they have to win an argument!!

These pages are supposed to be about the cars?.. So please will someone give me an honest appraisal of the new 9-3 as I am interested in one, without repeating any personal irrelevant garbage er please?

There are people putting in negative comments because they have their own agenda. I don't have tolerance for those who besmirch an automaker for their own profit.

Hence the word "Naysayer", and no, I do not work for Saab, any of it's affiliates nor do I profit by giving my honest opinion as a Saab owner.

I also have no tolerance for people who own competitive makes who then unfairly place negative comments about other makes that they've never owned or perhaps even driven.

If you make irresponsible or unfair comments about a vehicle or manufacturer be prepared to receive potential criticism.

Quite true, and many would support that, but also consider the fact that maybe just because a comment is negative, does not make it any less true or unfair.

Oh yeah.. but some folk can't accept criticsm of their own

opinion can they? I think most people, in the US and UK and the majority of respected motoring press recognise Saab as GM'S premium brand offering. These cars are also very good in their own right in the vast majority of areas one could comment on. My 9-3 V-S never has let me down and meets my expectations etc, but no way does it compare favourably to many other compact execs in this price range and class now in terms of quality.. not performance, looks, comfort, equipment and driveabilty.. but evident cost cutting on mainly interior quality and build which almost spoils it. More frustration than criticism in my opinion that GM won't go up the extra notch and make this car an outright winner and actually compete more successfully in this market area, Saab's are great cars!!!

That is a very fair comment. Unfortunately Quality of interior materials has never been a GM strong suit (at least in recent times).

My wife's 1999 Lexus RX300 has a leather interior that still looks new (even with over 90k miles). The leather is glove soft, very comfortable & wears like iron. My Saab's leather is nowhere near as soft (however the seats are the most comfortable I ever had), but I doubt that they will wear as well as the Lexus' as they age, as the Lexus' haven't shown any wear at all!.

On the other hand, the Lexus is nowhere as enjoyable to drive, & has nowhere near the power & handling of the Saab.

There are trade-offs in every car.

I think the Lexus & the Saab are both excellent vehicles, given their different purposes.

I still absolutely love my 9-3 Convertible!

I would say the quality of interior in some GM cars are first rate, using the latest Vectra, Astra and Corsa as recent examples! a shame this could not be repeated with the 9-3 considering a "premium brand offering".