2008 Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan

Saab claims to have made 2157 changes to its 2008 line of 9-3 vehicles. While it's impossible to verify each one, the major improvements are easy to see.

For one thing, it looks better, having picked up styling cues from Saab's striking Aero X concept. From the A-pillar forward, the 9-3 sheetmetal is completely new and features aggressive aeronautically inspired grillework, vaguely menacing headlights with perma-lit "eyebrows," and Saab's distinct clamshell hood. Five-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels and unique bumpers with matte-finish foglamp surrounds make the Aero version particularly handsome.

The claimed five-horsepower increase is impossible to detect, but the 9-3 Aero's 2.8-liter twin-scroll turbocharged V-6 pulls smoothly, with little torque steer even during pedal-to-the-mat escapades. While the optional six-speed automatic will dutifully hold any gear at redline and shift reasonably quickly via steering-wheel-mounted thumb switches, the standard six-speed manual is the one to get for spirited driving.

Despite the marketing schtick, the 9-3 Aero is more biz-jet than fighter jet. No major changes to the suspension means that, around town, the ride is still on the soft side of sporty. At highway speeds, the 9-3 seems to lighten a bit; those demanding autobahn elan might consider a German rival.

Scandinavian minimalism reigns throughout the interior. For 2008, industrial black replaces gray, with parchment the optional color. Aero models receive silver plastic trim instead of wood, which only increases the van der Rohe vibe (less is more). While the seats are comfortable and navigation capable, cabin textures and tolerances are merely acceptable, not class leading. Segment competitiveness dictates standard features like OnStar, XM Satellite Radio, low profile, rain-sensing wipers, and a tire-pressure-monitoring system, but clearly the most effort and expense in this facelift were given to improving the exterior.

The 2008 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan and SportCombi (station wagon) go on sale in mid-September, followed by the 9-3 Convertible a month later. Sedans and wagons featuring Saab's latest generation Haldex XWD "cross-wheel drive system" will be available in late 2008.