Saab's new 9-3 Turbo X -- Hold onto your socks

By ROB DOUTHIT
Cox News Service

Sunday, September 14, 2008
ATLANTA — 

Sedans that have style and are enjoyable to drive are fairly abundant in today's auto market. We take a look at a pair of them, the Saab 9-3 Turbo X sport sedan and the Lincoln MKS.

Saab 9-3 Turbo X

Saab bills itself as being inspired by aircraft, dating back to its origins in that industry.

You can see some subtle hints of that in its interior and exterior design, but overall it might be more accurate to call Saab's design style understated, especially for a premium or luxury brand.

But when you get behind the wheel of this model with the turbocharged engine, its performance is anything but bland.

Its acceleration is breathtaking, and the smoothness with which it shifts gears is impressive.

The turbocharged power plant, a 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine, makes 280 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

We didn't try any 0-60 mph time tests, but it was pretty clear that it would do well in such a sprint.

Turbo lag was minimal.

Gas mileage is 16 mpg city, 24 highway, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

But the thing about this car is that once you get past that super energetic engine, there really isn't much else that is remarkable about it.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Not everyone wants a blinged-out, fancy, gadget-laden car. And with the 9-3, it's not really like you felt like you were missing something.

Rather, it sort of reminds you of a nice pair of black loafers; no tassels, no alligator skin, just decent, functional, basic style.

The 9-3 Turbo had a sticker price of $43,955.

Lincoln MKS

In recent years, Ford and its brands have been criticized for, among other things, having less than imaginative designs.

The MKS helps the company take a step toward erasing that perception.

The exterior design is sexy and sophisticated. The interior look follows that lead.

The "cashmere ultimate leather" interior was stunningly gorgeous.

There's also a certain maturity to its styling. Not that it's a grandpa car, but instead it's a car designed with adults in mind.

We would liken it in some ways to the Buick Lucerne, which is among our more highly rated sedans.

From a performance standpoint, it's not a bad ride. It's smooth — it very much feels like a big luxury car.

It is powered by a 3.7-liter V-6 with a six-speed automatic transmission.

It's rated at 16 mpg city, 23 highway by EPA.

Handling is just adequate, as steering is not always as responsive as you might hope for.

The MKS had a sticker price of $45,570.

Which to choose?

The 9-3 is a clear winner in terms of performance driving. It would knock the socks off the MKS on pretty much any track test you would administer. But when it comes to styling, the MKS does the sock knocking, with its elegance and maturity. So, we are forced to call this one a tossup. If you're more into the driving experience, get the 9-3. If looks matter more to you, get the MKS.

Rob Douthit writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.