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2004 Saab 9-3 Cabriolet Road Test

Trading Quirkiness for Refined Performance

"You can have my gun when you pry it out of my cold, dead hands," is a quote from screen legend Charlton Heston in relation to his opposition to gun control. My road test review of the 2004 Saab 9-3 convertible has absolutely nothing to do with gun control, or for that matter Charlton Heston, but I liked the quote and the car so much that I contemplated calling Bob, the GM rep that supplied it, and telling him that he could have it back when he pried it out of my cold, dead hands.

After pondering the potential legal consequences of such a declaration, my hands warmed up and life returned to my soul. I have since returned the Saab but kept the wonderful memories; memories of motoring topless, or should I say roofless, on sun-filled days.

The only time the roof showed itself during

It didnt take long for me to become attached the wonderful new Saab 9-3 Cabriolet. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, American Auto Press)

my test period was when I put it up for the sole purpose of a short drive to evaluate its fit and effectiveness - which by the way is very good given its soft-top design. Saab has done a tremendous job of creating a fabric convertible that mimics a retractable hardtop for interior noise. The Swedish automaker has also done an outstanding job engineering the retraction process - a marvel that completes its entire function in no time at all with only the push of a button.

Once the roof is down a hard-shell tonneau cover

I kept the roof down for pretty much the entire week I had the car, there was just no other way to spend the sun-filled days. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, American Auto Press)

perfectly positions itself over what would otherwise be a gap behind the rear seats, creating a seamless connection between the exterior body panels and the vehicles interior trim - very impressive indeed. Saab has certainly taken care to ensure its 9-3 convertible exhibits a clean, well-integrated top-down finish.

Even with the roof up the 9-3 is a great looking vehicle - as opposed to the older 900 series Saab convertibles which I always viewed as odd ducks. The brilliant Lime-Yellow finish on my test unit nicely highlighted the 9-3s overall

The 9-3 is unmistakably a Saab, but a Saab targeted more at the mainstream enthusiast rather than the quirky few. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, American Auto Press)

wedge-shape and rounded surfaces. Saab has definitely taken a giant step forward in both aerodynamics and style with the introduction of the 9-3. It remains unmistakably a Saab, but a Saab targeted more at the mainstream enthusiast rather than the quirky few. And dressed in colors such as my testers Lime-Yellow, or alternatively Laser Red, the 9-3 will attract plenty of attention - wanted or not.

The genus of Saab carries over to the interior of the 9-3. I have long admired the Swedish carmaker for the quality and comfort of its interiors and this one doesnt disappoint either. There are few auto manufacturers that can beat Saab

The 9-3 places the driver in exactly the right driving position while maximizing comfort in the process. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, American Auto Press)

when it comes to placing the driver in exactly the right driving position while maximizing comfort in the process. Anatomically, the 9-3 just makes sense. Many hours are needed behind the wheel before discomfort and fatigue overtake the great driving pleasure a ragtop can offer. Sadly such pleasures are limited to those in the front seats, unless the rear-seat beings have rubber femurs. If the front occupants dont suck-it-up and move their seats far forward, rear seat legroom is abysmal.

As with the Saabs before and the ones after, the 9-3 ignition is located on the floor between the seats - a neat touch trimmed with a less impressive faux-wood inlay. This cheap piece of trim adds absolutely nothing to the interior

Although it provides good sound quality, I found the audio system too deviant to operate intuitively. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, American Auto Press)

décor. It looks out of place and scratches very easily - no, I am not responsible for the etching as it was already victimized when I got it.

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