Saab 9-3 vs Volvo S40 04/01/2011
When one thinks of major auto manufacturing hubs, the big places that come to mind are Japan, Germany and the city of Detroit. Yet Sweden has a few brands of its own, such as Saab and Volvo. We recently put two Scandinavian sedans to the test to see which ended up offering drivers more bang for their buck.
Saab prices its 9-3 sedan at $28,900, while Volvo's S40 is slightly cheaper at $27,750. Both cars are backed by a 4 year/50,000 mile powertrain warranty.
Under the hood, the Volvo's five-cylinder engine helps it produce more power than the 9-3, with 227 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque beating the Saab's 210 hp and 221 lb-ft. The S40 also comes with a shiftable automatic transmission on the base model, while the 9-3 is stuck with a manual.
On the interior, the Saab's one advantage is the presence of dual climate control. However, Volvo offers drivers standard Bluetooth connectivity and a host of a la carte options when it comes to features.
It's a close call for these two countrymates, but in the end we give the win to the Volvo S40. It offers better power for less money, and the shiftable automatic transmission is just icing on the cake.