Saab
9 3
71,422 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where 9 3s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 6.3 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
71.2%
Pass-after-fix
4.5%
Fail
23.6%
Avg miles
116,785
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
Generations on file · 2
Saab 9 3 · UK market
1998–2002
2002–2014
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
Saab 9-3 at 69.8%: a discontinued brand with ageing suspension and corrosion issues
The Saab 9-3 posts 69.8% first-time pass from 55,368 tests at an average presenting mileage of 102,651 — well below the UK fleet average. Top failures are suspension pin and bush wear, spring fractures and tyre tread. The 9-3 (2002-2011) sits on an Epsilon-derived platform, and at over 100,000 average miles its front lower control arm bushes and rear beam bushes are well into deterioration. Spring cracking on the rear axle is a known weakness at this mileage. With no new Saab parts production since 2011, aftermarket bush kits are available but quality varies. At 69.8%, the 9-3 needs undercar attention before presenting; budget for front bush replacement and spring inspection.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 14–28
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
14–28
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
2,816 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
2,332 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 03
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
2,191 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 04
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
2,132 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 05
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
1,898 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 06
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
1,248 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 07
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
1,224 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 08
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,205 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 09
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
1,098 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 10
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
1,081 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures
£178–£595
If every one of this 9 3's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Recall history
7 UK recalls on record.
The 9 3 has 7 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a 9 3?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 9 3 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.