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2006 Saab 9-3 Convertible
IKEA Sophistication at a Great Price
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New Car Review of the 2006 Saab 9-3 Convertible
Base MSRP Range: $25,900 - $41,900
Base Invoice Range: $24,434 - $39,512
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MSRP As Tested: $46,360
Versions: 2.0T, Aero.
Vehicle Category: Mid-Size Convertible
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: Front-Wheel Drive.
Standard Engine: 2.0-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 16-valves, Turbocharged, I-4, 210 – horsepower at 5500 rpm and 221 lb-ft torque at 2500 rpm.
Transmission: Five-speed manual, Five-speed automatic.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): Manual 23/34, 22/31.
Optional Engine as Tested: 2.8-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 24-valves, Turbocharged, V-6, 250 –horsepower at 5500 rpm and 258 lb-ft torque at 2000 rpm.
Transmission: Six-speed manual, Six-speed automatic.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 18/28, 17/28.
Standard Safety Features: Dual front airbags, Front side airbags, Front-seat active head restraints, Automatic roll bar, Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, Brake Assist, Antiskid system, Tire-pressure monitor, Emergency inside trunklid release, Daytime running lights.
Competition: Acura TSX, Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G35, Volvo C70.
Most diehard shoppers know about IKEA.
This giant retailer is all about bringing Swedish style to the masses like a postmodern, minimalist Wal-Mart. When you go inside, you'll walk through giant showrooms filled with funky pieces of furniture while techno music echoes around the building with strange beeps and whirrs, making you feel like you've stepped onto some weird Swedish planet where everyone wears black turtlenecks and eats lingonberry mousse. It's quite an experience.
Shoppers don't only like IKEA because it's weird, though. And let's face it, pretty much everything from Sweden is weird.
They like IKEA because it sells cool furniture at a very low price. Where else can you get a couch called the Lund Hogen for $439, or a trendy-looking armchair called the Klappsta for $100? You could make your downtown loft look sleek and modern without having to spend a fortune importing coffee tables from Stockholm.
And there's no better car to take shopping for weird Swedish stuff than a Saab, which is basically an IKEA with wheels.
I decided to have some fun by driving the Saab 9-3 convertible to the nearest IKEA store in Frisco, Texas, and take along my wife, who has Swedish roots and the maiden name of Lundgren. She was a perfect fit.
So was the car.
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