Pardon the Vectra references and this quick review from the UK is good in every way.
At motorway speeds there is a fair amount of buffeting - not many open-top cars can keep the hair in place at 70mph - but along those aforementioned A roads, the Saab simply makes you feel good. It's one of those rare cars that's worth more than the sum of its parts. It's not the latest drop-top, it's not particularly fast (economy is good though at over 36mpg combined) and it's not the best convertible to drive. But it's also not brash like a BMW and not as expensive as a Mercedes. Instead the 9-3 Convertible is elegant and classy. Visit one in a showroom if you care - just be prepared to fend off the hordes of middle-aged dreamers.
It's a nice reminder of the virtues of open top driving and why the Saab 9-3 Irresistivertible is so good at it. And doesn't it look awesome in Cerulean Blue?
Click here to read the full review.
Thanks Per!

If you put up the wind screen there's no buffeting under 100 mph. Also its got safety equal to the best Germans at a much lower price.
Its also got a far superior back seat (space and comfort) to those vehicles. Isn't it odd that you never hear that mentioned in convert road tests?
Lastly the trunk is extremely well designed and carries far more than you think it can.
I would like to reduce the height with at least 50%. The best would be the tail lights from the Aero X.
In my opinion, the ugly tail lights are a big part of the reason for the sales figures are quite low for this generation of 9-3 convertible. I belive the previous generation had a higher annual volume.
http://www.peterssonsoft.se/SaabAeroCab.html
The rear flanks give the game away. I saw a 2004 Astra convertible next to the current 9-3 convertible. You can see the similarity. The Asta has a hard top and is cheaper. Wonder why the sales figures are down?
I much prefer the pre 2003 9-3 convertible despite the fact the current one has superior handling and safety etc, so much so that I bought my wife one (last of the 9-3 SE Turbos - fully loaded). Just love that torque steer!
Convertibles are more about looks than anything else, the pre 2003 9-3 got that bang on. Ask any woman about which convertible they prefer.