One thing the 9-3 does not offer is a complete styling makeover. Saab designers took an evolutionary approach to the 9-3, so there's still a lot of 900 evident in the sheet metal. Saab boasts more than a thousand technical improvements to this 1999 edition, but most of those changes are buried beneath the skin.We drove the 5-door sedan, but there's also a Coupe and a Convertible available. In keeping with Saab's aerospace heritage, the most notable new styling cue on the 9-3 is its wing-shaped center profile. Color-keyed bumpers, lower air intakes and a front spoiler with integrated fog and cornering lamps add to the sporty look. The tailgate has been redesigned, but it will take a keen eye to spot most of the changes. The license plate, for example, is now placed squarely between the taillights. The high-mounted taillight has been raised and now uses LEDs for enhanced visibility. The tailgate yawns wide to make it easier to load and unload the 9-3. Whether packing for a cross-country trip or simply hauling a week's worth of groceries, it's easy to appreciate the cavernous cargo hold. Fold down the split rear seat and a nearly 50 cubic feet of storage space is revealed. There's also a rear-seat pass-through for carrying skis and other long objects. While the styling changes are subtle, the 9-3 offers a more distinctive, sporty and aggressive look than the previous 900; the last time the 900 was redesigned was in 1994. And the functionality of the 9-3 has been substantially improved.
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