2009 Saab 9-3 4-door AERO Sport Sedan

Saab claimed a whopping 2,157 changes and enhancements for its premium compact 9-3 series in 2008, so it should come as no surprise changes for 2009 are relatively few. A new Cross-Wheel Drive (XWD) option is available on 9-3 sedan and SportCombi models with the four-cylinder 2.0T. Saab's 9-3 Sedan and SportCombi compete against the Acura TSX, BMW 3 Series, Volvo S60, Audi A4 and the Volvo V50 wagon. Saab also continues to offer the front-drive 9-3 Convertible with a fabric roof.

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Some shoppers gravitate toward the Saab 9-3 partly because of its "stealth" personality; it delivers more in performance and handling than its straight-forward appearance suggests. Others simply like the car's solid, tight Eurosedan feel, which is likely to be enhanced further yet when the XWD option arrives.	Even more than their Swedish Volvo cousins, Saabs used to be known for various quirks and idiosyncrasies, which fans adored but some others disdained. Things like the console-mounted ignition – a long-standing Saab hallmark – can still prove too peculiar for some.

XWD on the base 2.0T model is the big news for 2009. The V6 Aero sees a significant bump up in horsepower, while an electronically controlled limited slip rear differential is added to Aero models with XWD. OnStar 8.0 now features Turn-by-Turn navigation and Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity.