The Saab 9-3 looks a whole lot more desirable with the advanced XWD all-wheel-drive system included and the 2.0T Aero model even manages to keep running costs manageable.

A few hours slithering around traffic cones in a sprinkler soaked car park and a few more sliding past more traffic calming measures on some loose gravel were all it took for the assembled press corps to reach broad agreement. Saab's XWD four-wheel-drive system worked. The launch of the latest facelifted 9-3 left most attendees with a favourable impression of the clever all-wheel-drive set-up but with it only scheduled to be made available in the pricey 2.8T V6 Aero models, it was an impression that few UK motorists would get the opportunity to share. Thankfully, Saab took steps to change all that and now the 9-3 2.0T Aero XWD brings the technology to a wider audience.

Saab's reluctance to venture down the all-wheel-drive route struck a lot of people as strange for a long time. Despite coming from a land with more than its fair share of dirt roads and slippery weather conditions, the Swedish marque stuck resolutely to its front-wheel-drive layout. To make matters worse, it also perused a policy of attempting to out muscle its German rivals with big power outputs but the pumped-up Saabs often struggled to deploy that power through their front wheels. Torque steer, wheel spin, overworked traction control systems and big tyre bills were the order of the day but that was all before XWD.

Saab's XWD isn't your conventional four-wheel-drive system. Its 'cross-wheel-drive' configuration means that as well as distributing torque between the front and rear sets of wheels, it can also send differing quantities to each of the rear wheels. This is achieved through a second Haldex limited slip differential that Saab has christened the eLSD. If grip is lost at the front of the car, the XWD system can send up to 85% of the engine's power to the rear wheels. That driving force can then be divided up again between the two rear wheels by the eLSD which can make a split as dramatic as 80:20. The result is an extremely stable and well-balanced driving experience as the XWD predicts road conditions and optimises the way in which the power is deployed. This has major safety advantages in wet or icy weather and will also help buyers of the 9-3 2.0t Aero XWD make the most of their engine's 207bhp performance.

"Saab's XWD isn't your conventional four-wheel-drive system.."

The 2.0T engine (note the large T which indicates the more powerful 2.0-litre unit in Saab parlance) delivers 207bhp and can cover the 0-60mph sprint in less than 7.5s. There's a 146mph top speed too. The ride and handling compromise of the 9-3 is very well judged, especially with the XWD system doing its thing. Comfort inside the car is excellent thanks to great seats and a multi-adjustable driving position but the pedals are a little clumsier than you'd expect in a car with enthusiast pretensions.

The 9-3 Aero is also something of a looker. All the current Saab 9-3 models benefit from a facelift based on the Aero X concept car. The clamshell bonnet visually widens the front of the car and all external rubbing strips have been removed to give a cleaner look. There's a classier finish to the front grille and a set of LED light strips that sit across the top of the headlamp pod while the rear light clusters are shrouded in smoked glass. The Aero sits lower than any other 9-3, and the bi-xenon headlamps give it an imperious stare. There's also a SportWagon estate model, offering extra carrying capacity for a £1,000 premium.

The cabin of the 9-3 remains resolutely Saab with all the controls angled towards the perpetually grinning pilot. The 9-3 Sports Saloon features a dash that's more upright than Dixon of Dock Green, the ignition next to the handbrake and a cupholder mechanism that can reduce design students to hushed reverence. Safety provision runs to active head restraints plus front, side and curtain airbags. All models feature dual zone climate control and most get an MP3-compatible CD player with an auxiliary audio input to attach your iPod. The Sportwagon is well worth looking into. Unlike many vehicles that campaign in this class, the Saab offers some serious carrying capacity. There's 419 litres available with the rear seats in place and a whopping 1,273 litres of space available with the seats folded down.

Standard specification in Aero trim includes the sports chassis, uprated brakes, sports bumpers, twin exhausts, bi-xenon headlamps with pressure washers and heated front seats. Safety provision runs to ESP stability control, active head restraints plus front, side and curtain airbags. It's a decent specification but the Saab will need all the help it can get if it's to make headway against its talented rivals. The XWD system is crucial to the 9-3 and its inclusion aligns the 9-3 2.0T Aero XWD more against its premium brand rivals than those from the mainstream class below. The Saab's problem is that you can get quite a lot of rear-wheel-drive BMW or Mercedes for the same money and the all-wheel-drive Audis are also in a comparable ball park. Buyers will need to choose the Saab over these rivals on its merits.

Saab tends to score reasonably well in terms of cost of ownership with decent if not spectacular residuals and low insurance ratings for the amount of brake horsepower available. The 9-3 2.0T Aero XWD should be no exception. Insurance is around group 16 and you should average around 35mpg in regular use. CO2 emissions aren't much different to those of the two-wheel drive version of this car (rated at 194g/km).

The inclusion of the sophisticated XWD 4x4 system makes the Saab 9-3 sit a lot more comfortably alongside its premium brand rivals. The 2.0T Aero model offers the striking looks and powerful turbocharged performance that has always been key to the appeal of the fast 9-3 models but with XWD, the car looks much more appealing to the enthusiastic driver.

TOP 4 9-3 DEALS

The results below show the top 9-3 deals on buyacar

	Saab 9-3 2.0T XWD Aero 4dr Saloon
	ETR	Mthly £446	Saving £6,140	Price £22,120
	Saab 9-3 2.0T XWD Aero 4dr Auto Saloon
	ETR	Mthly £475	Saving £6,445	Price £23,355
	Saab 9-3 2.0T XWD Aero 5dr Sportwagon Estate
	ETR	Mthly £460	Saving £6,390	Price £22,970
	Saab 9-3 2.0T XWD Aero 5dr Auto Sportwagon Estate
	ETR	Mthly £489	Saving £6,695	Price £24,205

typical 11.56% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000