What’s new: Just because it’s one of the oldest upper medium cars on sale doesn’t mean it’s not still being developed. This is the facelifted 9-3 with a new 180PS twin-turbo diesel engine.
Excellent: The engine is a real surprise and something of a revelation. Not only is it powerful and sporty, but CO2 is only 149g/km, putting it in the 20% tax bracket, and economy is a claimed 50.4mpg.
Good: The hefty facelift has really freshened up what is an old car, and it looks distinctively different as well as more aggressive. That’s good news with a replacement still years away.
Average: The interior, though improved, still shows its age. A P11D of £26,305 also puts this 9-3 up against some very polished and more capable German rivals.
Poor: The costs equation is where the 9-3 starts to fall down. Emmox puts RVs at just 33.8% after three years/60,000 miles, which leads to a high 57.2 pence per mile figure.
Verdict: Cracking engine gives the 9-3 renewed appeal, though it’s an aging car with poor RVs up against some of the best models in the business.
