Saab 9-3 vs Saab 9-3 sports: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Saab 9-3
74%
MOT pass rate · 155,267 vehicles
Saab 9-3 sports
91%
MOT pass rate · 1 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Saab 9-3 (74%) and Saab 9-3 sports (91%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Head to head
| Measure | Saab 9-3 | Saab 9-3 sports |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 74% | 91% ✓ |
| MOT failure rate | 26% | 9% ✓ |
| Faults & advisories per test | 1.9 | 1.5 ✓ |
| Dangerous-fault share | 1% | 0% ✓ |
| Average mileage | 130,302 mi | 77,102 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 155,267 | 1 |
Most common faults
Saab 9-3
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
- Oil leak
Saab 9-3 sports
- Front Coolant leak rear of engine
- Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output Both headlights (4.1.4 (b))
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Outer Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement top suspension arm outer bush worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
- Offside Front Outer Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge very outer edge (5.2.3 (e))
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate the Saab 9-3 (74%) and Saab 9-3 sports (91%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Full Saab 9-3 report Full Saab 9-3 sports report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.