Saab's Dynamic Aero 9-3 SportCombi

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The owner's manual helpfully notes that if you happen to hit 143 mph, the turbo kicks off to slow the car down.

I could discern no turbo lag when I punched the gas. You would barely know the turbo is there if it weren't for a gauge on the instrument panel. However, this isn't a classic BMW-style driver's car because it has front-wheel-drive. The advantage is that front-wheel drive cars generally handle fairly well in snow and ice. The disadvantage is that there's some annoying torque steer when you accelerate fast in the SportCombi—a fancy way of saying that the steering wheel pulls a little to the left or right under the force of acceleration.

At 183.2 inches, the SportCombi isn't all that big. In fact, it's only an inch longer than the 9-3 sedan. However, folding down the rear seats still gives you a huge 70 inch-long, 45-cubic foot hauling space (vs. 40.8 inches and 14.8 cubic feet with the rear seats up). There's also a pass-through in the middle of the rear seat for carrying long items like skis when you have passengers in back. The SportCombi retains some traditional Saab styling cues. For instance, the keyhole—as is traditional in a Saab—is in the center console between the front seats, next to the emergency brake, rather than on the dash.

There are also some nice design touches. Up front, there's a conventional cupholder in the center console between the seats, but there's also a second, very cool cupholder that pops out of the dash at the push of a button. To reduce distractions when you're driving after dark, a "night panel" switch dims the instruments, leaving only the speedometer lighted. Saab has a good safety record and the SportCombi, as you would expect, is crammed with safety gear. Front, side, and side curtain airbags are all standard, as are anti-lock brakes with braking assist, seatbelt pretensioners, and active head restraints on the front seats.

Buy It or Bag It?

In North America, this is a niche vehicle for people who want something a little out of the ordinary. The 9-3's rakish exterior styling doesn't compromise interior space significantly, so it's practical while also looking distinctive and handling. Plus, GM has been offering $1,500 rebates on the model through Feb. 28, with an additional $1,000 off for buyers who already own a Saab.

The 2.0T falls toward the low end of the price spectrum for comparable vehicles, while the Aero is below its German competition. The average buyer pays around $30,000 for a Saab 9-3 SportCombi, according to the Power Information Network, which includes an average cash rebate of about $1,000. By comparison, a Subaru Legacy wagon averages about $23,000, Power figures, while on the higher end, the Audi A4 and BMW 328i wagons average about $38,000 and $39,600, respectively. (Like BusinessWeek, the Power Information Network is a unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies (MHP).

The downside of the Saab is that it's not available with all-wheel drive, which is standard on a Subaru. It also doesn't have the third-row seats that you can get even in small SUVs such as the Toyota (TM) RAV4, so it's not a good choice for those doing heavy-duty carpooling.

However, if you want European handling but don't want to pay up for a German car, this is a good choice. That's doubly true if you live in one of those neighborhoods where every other car seems to be a Subaru, and you want something different.

Click here to see more of the 2007 Saab 9-3 Aero SportCombi.

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.