2008 Saab 9-3 Aero XWD Review (video)

It was driving up a stretch of Highway 69 between the Muskokas and Britt that I got my first taste of Saab's aviation-rooted personality.

I'd been cruising the familiar route in a 9-3 Aero for several hours. It was dark, well past midnight. The 'night-panel' dash function cancelled out unnecessary instrument illumination, and there was no traffic or wildlife ahead as far as the adaptive xenon lights could see.

This isn't the fastest, most powerful or largest all wheel drive sedan you'll find for the price.

A spontaneous jab on the throttle was followed almost instantly by a firm downshift and wooshy surge of potent and graceful acceleration. As the turbo crammed cold October air into the engine, turbine-like sound effects gently made their way into the cabin. 9-3 Aero is neither a loud nor frighteningly quick car- though its unique aircraft-inspired performance comes with a definite smile-factor.

The soul of a Jet?
A high-performance version of the standard 9-3, the Aero is powered by an award-winning 280 horsepower engine that's backed by some performance-enhancing goodies. Saab's advanced all wheel drive technology, called Cross Wheel Drive (XWD), was on board too.

In addition to actively distributing power between fore and aft axles in a pre-emptive manner, the system's clever rear diff can momentarily ease back on torque delivery to either rear wheel during steering maneuvers. This generates a more planted and stable handling dynamic free of annoying early intervention from stability aids. End result is a sure footed grip on any surface and a delightfully lively and agile feel. It's very tidy in most any handling situation, and very much an all-season driver's car.

The $54,500 Swede
Some don't see the price-tag in the car's exterior styling, but the interior of the loaded tester was packed with everything Saab has to offer. Included was automatic everything, power everything, navigation, Bose audio, a sunroof and memory seats. Leather wraps the steering wheel, seats and door panels, and aluminum trim combines with rubberized controls for an exciting yet reserved atmosphere. Materials quality is about par with the price-range, and the cockpit shows off a typically Scandinavian approach: unique, conservative, very comfortable and well laid out.

The cockpit shows off a typically Scandinavian approach.