The Saab 9-3 has had two generations. The first one ended in 2002, and was followed by a redesigned 9-3 in 2003.

The first generation of this car was sold as a 2 door convertible, 3 door hatchback, and 5 door hatchback. It was built on the GM2900 platform. There were 4 engines sold with this car, all of them 4 cylinder models. It was paired with a 5 speed manual or 4 speed automatic transmission.

The Saab 9-3 Viggen was the performance model of the 9-3, with a turbocharged engine. It made about 225 horsepower and had many other features that improved performance, such as higher quality brakes.

The second generation 9-3 saw the end of the hatchback body styles and the introduction of the 4 door sedan and 4 door station wagon. It was powered by a choice of 2 I4 gasoline engines, an I4 diesel engine, or a 2.8 liter LP1 V6 engine. Transmission choices include the 5 or 6 speed manual, or the 5 or 6 speed automatic sentronic transmission.

For 2008, the Saab 9-3 got a facelift on the second generation model. More engine choices will also be offered in the near future.

The 9-3 can be found on the used car market, but they do tend to retain a lot more of their retail value than most other compact cars. If you do want to buy one, you can get some really great deals on eBay.