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My '96 A4 Quattro bit the big one a few weeks ago on the icy roads of Massachusetts, so I have started the search for a new car. I went to the Saab dealership near where I live to test drive the new 9-3, since I have been receiving literature on it for the past 6 months. I have to say, I was stunned by the looks of the Linear Launch package in Silver. The car looks very aggressive and sporty, to say the least. The Audi dealership was attached to the Saab dealership, so I took a 5-speed A4 1.8T Quattro out for a spin as well. My brother just took delivery of a 2003 325i with the sport package two months ago, so I still had the memories of driving his car fresh in my head as well. Thus, here is my own comparison of the three:
Exterior: 9-3
I gotta say, the front view and the front 3/4 profile (pictured) of the car is just awesome. It truly looks like a down-to-business sports sedan, and it has clean lines, but it doesn't look boring in any way. The A4 is definitely a looker as well, but since the A6 has been out for a while, the front end of the A4 is nothing new. I have to give the 325 the lowest rank after the refresher that occurred in 2002. Without a front license plate, the front bumper looks flat out boring with nothing to break up the long curve.
Interior: A4
Driving the A4, you can just feel and see the wholesome quality of the buttons, levers, and gauges. The instrument cluster with the chrome outlines is definitely the best of the three cars, and the feel of the plastic if definitely above average in the entry-level luxo-cruiser category. I would say the BMW comes in second with high quality materials as well, but with a very straight-forward layout that is almost a little too intuitive. It's almost boring. The Saab would have ranked higher if it used better quality materials for the interior. It has all the elements of greatness (eye-catching layout, rear a/c vents, sunroof, rear reading lights, dual climate control, on-board computer, electronic key, etc. etc.) but the execution of it all almost borders on pathetic in terms of quality. The thing that set me off the most was the feel of the control stalks off the steering wheel (turn indicator, wiper stalk). I've felt better plastics on toy cars. I almost felt I could break them if I squeezed too hard, and the feeling of the buttons on the dash wasn't as nice as it looked. It definitely feels like more of an American-built car in terms of interior quality.
Engine/Handling: 325i sport
Hands down, my brother's car was the greatest kick in the pants after it passed the break in period of 1200 miles. The sound and the feeling of the engine's rush of power is definitely something that brings a smile to my face when I think about it. But, that is and has always been BMW's forte.. the straight sixes. I don't know if there is a car company that will come close any time soon. The steering, corner speed, and overall balance was the best of the three cars by far.. no contest. Out of the four bangers, I would rank the Saab ahead of the Audi because of it's total lack of turbo lag and quick acceleration in the low revs. The A4 definitely didn't feel as quick. But, the Saab seemed like a downshift to 4th was mandatory for good acceleration above 55-60 mph. Even my 96 A4 with 172 hp didn't feel that slow at the higher speeds. The steering on the Saab was too light for my preference, and didn't give enough feedback about the road, but it did handle the corners quite well. The A4 seemed to have better steering feel.
Intangibles: 9-3
The electronic key, bluetooth technology, bi-xenons, rain-sensing wipers, passive-rear wheel steering, cooled glove box, standard leather.. it offers a heck of a lot for the price. That's the reason I got my A4 back in 96 over the 328i. The BMW would have cost an extra 5 grand for what I wanted.. and the Audi had free scheduled maintenance (seems standard across all cars these days).
Price: toss up
My brother got his BMW with sport package, xenons, wood, 5-speed manual, metallic paint and a couple more options for $31,200. A well equipped A4 and 9-3 would come to around the same price.. especially if you wait for the Arc or Vector.
My decision: wait.
I have the luxury of being able to wait another 6-7 months before I have to get anything, so I'm going to wait for the Vectors to come out and see if I like those. If not, I'll probably go with a 325i, like my brother's. My sister just got a 2003 A4 1.8T Quattro, so if I got the Saab, I think it would be a nice, balanced family. I just hope Saab brings up the quality of their interior.. it deserves better.
posted by 134.174.6...
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