Many doomsayers predicted the death of Saab when the General Motors empire bought half of it in 1990 and the rest a decade later. That the essential character of the cars would be ironed pancake flat through a series of deathly committee decisions seemed to be the consensus amongst such cynics. The jury may still be out on certain aspects of this prediction but there's no doubt that Saab has benefited in a number of ways from General Motors' involvement. Innovations such as the 1.9-litre TiD diesel engines - as seen in the current 9-3 Sport Saloon line up - are a case in a point.

Saab acquired two top quality diesel powerplants developed in conjunction with Fiat and produced at the FMA plant in Italy. One, a 120bhp 8-valve unit that will appeal to the more cost conscious, the other a gutsy 150bhp 16-valve engine for those with a heavier right foot. It's these engines that we concentrate on here but the latest facelift has also brought the 180bhp TTiD unit with a two-stage turbocharging that tops off the diesel range. With development budgets being what they are, if Saab were still an independent company they would never have been able to afford the design, testing and construction of engines as sophisticated as these.

When they arrived, 1.9-litre TiD units replaced the 2.2-litre TiD engine that the current generation 9-3 had from launch, Trollhattan's first ever diesel. Four years hard development work went into that engine and it was a decent effort but despite continual improvements, it was never capable of matching the class best in terms of emissions and fuel economy. The 1.9-litre TiD units addressed those concerns very effectively. Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard with the option of a six-speed auto for the 150bhp version, there's plenty of scope for plugging the car straight into the meat of the torque curve. With at least 90% of peak torque available in a broad load running from 1,750 to 3,250rpm, you'll be guaranteed respectable progress. After all, peak torque for the 16v engine is 315Nm and the 8v unit is only marginally weaker at 280Nm.

"Have cake. Eat it. It's as simple as that..."

Compared to the old 2.2-litre TiD unit, the 150bhp 1.9-litre TiD generates 20 per cent more power, 12.5 per cent more torque and greater refinement with the added benefits of lower CO2 emissions and better fuel economy. Have cake. Eat it. It's as simple as that. It'll notch off the sprint to 60mph in just 9.3 seconds but the in-gear acceleration times that really indicate a diesel engine's torque response have been slashed dramatically. The eight-valve version offers superior fuel economy, notching up an impressive 49.2mpg on the combined cycle.

The standard 1.9-litre TiD's powertrain includes an advanced diesel particulate filter, enabling Euro IV emissions compliance, an essential requirement for many company car drivers. Unlike other particulate traps, it is maintenance-free and self-cleaning, requiring no additives or periodic replacement. In order to clean the filter and to keep the exhaust flow as free as possible, these deposits are periodically burnt off by short pulses of over-fuelling. These briefly raise exhaust temperatures to the required level of 600º C. The process is automatically initiated when back pressure in the exhaust system reaches a certain level and is completely undetectable by the driver. The self-cleaning process takes place whenever necessary, irrespective of throttle load or engine temperature.

Whereas the original 9-3 made something of a speciality out of offering more performance per pound than anything from Germany could muster, the current Sport Saloon is a subtler instrument. The suspension and handling, for example, are better than any previous mid range Saab model. Just when you think the ride has been optimised for high-speed cruising, the car's suspension shows that it knows what to do when presented with a corner. It deploys its power noticeably better than Saabs of yore as well.

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. Inside, there's a more muted effect with less silver plastic.

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.

Three trim levels are available with these engines. As well as the £19,465 Airflow version, there are the more familiar Linear SE and Vector Sport variants. The Linear SE model weighs in at £21,475 with the Vector Sport versions costing from £23,025. Even the base Airflow variant is classily appointed with a cruise control, a trip computer, dual-zone climate control, tinted windows and a punchy Saab audio system as standard. Linear SE adds rear parking sensors and the Saab comfort pack. Then you have the Vector Sport which supplements this with the sports chassis, stability control and a sports steering wheel. Buyers seeking extra practicality can also opt for the SportWagon estate model and there's also the sleek convertible to bear in mind.

The 9-3 Sport Saloon has carved an enviable niche for itself amongst those looking for a sleek and individual compact executive car but without top class diesel power, sales figures were always going to struggle. With this in place, the 9-3 is a car you could justifiably recommend as a leftfield choice for someone bored with the usual 3 Series/A4/C-Class mould. .Assuming you can get the right specification at the right price, this is a car well worth trying.

TOP 5 9-3 DEALS

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

	Saab 9-3 1.9 TiD 150 Vector Sport 2dr Convertible
	ETR	Mthly £459	Saving £4,988	Price £24,562
	Saab 9-3 1.9 TiD 120 Vector Sport 5dr Sportwagon Estate
	ETR	Mthly £357	Saving £5,324	Price £19,281
	Saab 9-3 1.9 TiD 150 Airflow 5dr [Sat Nav] Sportwagon Estate
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £2,829	Price £21,151
	Saab 9-3 1.9 TiD 120 Airflow 5dr [Sat Nav] Sportwagon Estate
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £2,703	Price £20,252
	Saab 9-3 1.9 TiD 150 Airflow 4dr Auto [Sat Nav] Saloon
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £2,860	Price £21,395

typical 11.65% APR

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