I must confess to never having been the 'Saab type' - whatever that is. You know, slightly quirky, ignition-key-by-the-handbrake kind of individualistic. Back when Saab was privately owned, the fact that people like me didn't want to own one didn't really matter. But when General Motors took over the reins, everything changed. First, we had the Vauxhall Vectra-based Saab 900, which then became the 9-3. In its original form, it has to be said that this car was a bit of a disappointment, neither individual or mainstream classy. And so it didn't sell. That's not a mistake that the people from Trollhattan in Sweden can afford to make again. When I first clapped eyes on the current generation 9-3 Sport Saloon, I was impressed and inclined to believe the marketing hype that inevitably accompanied a launch of this type. It looked great - though for many owners, the fact that there was no hatchback bodystyle will be a drawback. Still, if the saloon is not your cup of tea, there were always the Sportwagon estate and convertible versions to consider. The 9-3 made a decent showing sales wise and a facelift has been introduced to help maintain its popularity. On the current cars, 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.

Although the body is much the same length as the previous generation 9-3, it's obvious when you sit inside that the wheelbase has been stretched, the fashionable wheel-at-each-corner stance freeing up a good deal of interior space. I thought the rear seat space to be far superior than that of the previous model, though at the expense of what is traditionally a Saab strong point - boot space. At 425 litres, the trunk is one of the smallest in the class, but the fitment of a 60/40 split/fold rear seat boosts versatility enormously. The other option is the 9-3 SportWagon estate offers extra practicality at a £1,000 premium. Behind the wheel, I liked the fact that all the controls are angled towards the driver. I even liked the traditionally Saab-orientated slab-sided dashboard. And yes, the ignition is still next to the handbrake: you get used to it. A whole array of functions can even be preset to personal driver preference including the anti theft alarm, parking radar settings, rain sensitive wiper control and the thresholds of the automatic climate control.

I was pleased to find that the 9-3 still campaigns on the basis of bhp per pound, its predominantly turbocharged engine line-up effectively blitzing anything from the established rivals at any given price point. Five petrol engines and three diesels are offered with the 9-3 SportWagon, kicking off with a 122bhp 1.8-litre, then progressing to a 150bhp 1.8t unit, moving on to an all-aluminium 175bhp 2.0t engine, with an upper case 2.0T denoting the 210bhp version. The big buzz is the 280bhp turbocharged 2.8-litre V6 petrol engine which really flies. The 1.9-litre TiD common rail diesel engines offered in 120 or 150bhp form are both Euro 4-compliant and both are mated to 6-speed manual gearboxes. The range-topping diesel is also a 1.9-litre unit but the TTiD uses a two stage turbocharger for a more progressive power delivery of its 180bhp. The only other option is the intriguing 2.0t Biopower engine which has 200bhp and can run on renewable E85 Bioethanol as well as unleaded. The 9-3 certainly felt responsive while driving through country lanes. The turbo 2.0-litre I tried furnished excellent acceleration around town and good cruising speeds. For the money, you get far more sheer 'grunt' in terms of horsepower than the same budget would entitle you to in either an equivalent BMW, Audi or Mercedes.

With an appealing blend of value, pace and style, Saab latest 9-3 grows on you. I might be converted yet.