Faults:

The radio head unit has been replaced.

Several untraceable electrical problems, usually resulting in a flat battery, so a car that won't start; this has occurred not only at home, but also in an airport car park & elsewhere.

Glove box light that did not switch off.

Problem with the display panel that shows temperature, radio, clock etc, requiring two trips to the dealer for remedy.

Two recalls, one concerning seat belt replacements and it took months for the parts to be made available, so yet more trips backwards and forwards to the dealers.

General Comments:

The car is comfortable and well liked by passengers and myself as driver, the seats are supportive and good for long & short journeys.

Safe and responsive handling, overall fuel economy 31mpg, this is a mix of mostly urban & some longer journeys.

Faults:

CD changer replaced.

Steering rack replaced.

General Comments:

Quick and very responsive. Engine a little coarse. Good fuel consumption figures.

Nice paint job, but the front skirt was very close to the ground, and subject to easy damage.

17" alloys look great, but low profile tyres gave a firm ride.

Interior very well-designed with excellent ergonomics. Good quality half-leather seats. Large boot, but obtrusive lip, so I recommend that you buy the lip protector - it doubles up as a cool picnic mat.

Instrumentation and switchgear good, but on-board computer required a lot of button pressing, threatening one's concentration on the road.

Upgraded audio system disappointing acoustically.

My main criticism is that the car was starting to age at just 25,000 miles. When the steering rack needed to be replaced, I bailed out before its 3-year warranty cover finished.

I've owned older Saabs. This was my first GM Saab, and I don't think the build quality is as good now, so I fear that you won't get the same longevity out of them as with the older models. Excepting the 9-3 convertible, I worry that Saab has lost some of its unique brand values.

Faults:

Ignition failure combined with steering lock failure, dealer helpful, problem solved so far.

Occasional rattle which dealer did rectified.

General Comments:

Excellent performance.

Amazingly comfortable with smart interior.

Get body kit and optional 18" wheels and it looks a million dollars!

2.0t does use fuel... big time!

Faults:

Nothing really.

Two small rattles to be found, and there's a bit of wind noise through the driver door seal.

All will be attended to at its first service at 6000 miles.

General Comments:

Fantastic car, 205bhp is quick, at times too quick. This model (and the Viggen) is legendary for torque steer, so at times there's a problem getting power to the road. But a lot of one's time is spent looking in the rear view mirror seeing if the car behind or next to you has actually started moving from the lights yet.

In the dry one really doesn't have to try hard to get this car to move; in the wet it's a little more tricky, though. 1st has to be taken with care, 2nd can cause lateral movement if pressed hard, even third can cause an eyebrow raise...

I imported this model into the UK directly from a dealer in Sweden, saving a huge amount, and for the price I paid, it's a huge amount of car with lots of standard equipment - about 2/3rds of the price I'd have had to pay for a similar spec BMW or Audi.

This model is being replaced now by the '9-3 Sports Saloon' which, having tested just this afternoon, is a much better car, amazing chassis indeed. I'll be changing mine within 6-12 months, I would say - again for the Aero, or maybe a special version from the Saab specialist tuners Abbott Racing.

But in general, it's fantastic, everyone asks me about it, the boot is simply huge, and Saab's seats are the most comfortable available, in my opinion.

I'm not having another car in black though...