And with all of its 221 lb-ft of torque available at a low 2,500 rpm there isn't much need for waiting, at least after an initially lethargic response to throttle input when taking off from standstill. Most appreciated was its complete lack of torque steer. How Saab can exorcise this demon out of its front-drive architecture while other brands still cause drivers to arm wrestle their steering wheels is unfathomable, but nonetheless they have made the 9-3 effortless and should sell their knowledge to less gifted engineers of less inspired automakers.
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| I particularly like the steering wheel mounted buttons, within easy reach of both thumbs. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
This is especially appreciated in 6-speed manual trim, where clutch modulation and throttle control is the only way to tame torque steer. The Vector is obviously quickest in manual guise too, but it's not too lethargic when motivating along the optional 5-speed automatic gearbox with Sentronic manual mode either. I particularly like the steering wheel mounted buttons, within easy reach of both thumbs. The right button shifts up through the gears while the one on the left downshifts. It clunks a little when choosing first during a rolling stop, but there's really no need to do so as it will find 'M1' automatically when needed.
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| Thanks to a rigid chassis, the 9-3 stays glued to the road with grace and composure at almost any speed. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
It finds its way around winding roads pretty well too. The 9-3's rigid chassis means that the suspension doesn't have to be rock hard in order to maintain a relatively flat stance through sharp corners, and it does just that with grace and composure at almost any speed, staying glued to the asphalt through long, sweeping corners and transitioning from side to side with the agility of Chris Parrish on water skis. That's especially impressive considering it shares its platform architecture with the rather plebian Saturn L-Series. The 9-3 Vector's new 'ReAxs' passive rear-wheel steering system is hardly noticeable, that is until it tucks the tail neatly into place after nearly maximizing its abilities.