The 9-3 Linear I tested is an exceptional value among European sport sedans. Its $26,090 base price includes a wide range of safety features, a sprightly 2.0-liter engine and comfortable leather-trimmed seats. Optional steel gray paint, heated seats and the OnStar communications system added $1,799 to the 9-3's price.

While the 9-3's 90 cubic feet of interior space makes it a compact by government standards, the passenger compartment's practical layout makes the car perfectly capable of carrying four adults, although the back seat's minimal legroom argues for short trips with tall friends.

The Saab 9-3's combination of value, practicality and driving enjoyment won me over quickly.

The 4-cylinder engine develops 175 horsepower thanks to a seamlessly integrated turbocharger that increases power at all engine speeds without the disconcerting kick-in-the-pants acceleration and torque steer that mar some of Saab's more powerful models.

The engine delivered plenty of power for confident passing and fast highway cruising, but it could have used more low-end torque for zipping around town.

The torque curve rises quickly, and the smooth-revving engine provides plenty of acceleration above 2,000 r.p.m.

The torque was particularly weak around 1,200 r.p.m. An eager driver could avoid that dead spot through judicious use of the smooth five-speed manual transmission. The clutch has a very pleasant feel.

While the engine's power band -- the range of engine speeds at which it produces the most useful power -- is much narrower than the Acura TSX's, I found the 9-3's handling to be superior.

The handling is smooth and confident, navigating twisty roads with ease and absorbing bumps smoothly.

At highway speeds, there was noticeable wind noise coming from the A-pillar, the place where the windshield meets the door, but the 9-3 otherwise allowed in very little wind or road noise.

The 9-3's upright seats and high roofline contribute to the interior's spacious feel, and the front seats had plenty of side supports and a wide range of manual adjustments.

The attractive interior was marred by a couple of poorly fitted pieces of trim, however.

For years, Saab was known -- with exasperation or affection, depending on whether you owned one -- as quirky, and that tradition continues in at least three interior features. First, and most welcome, is the traditional placement of the ignition between the front seats near the shifter.

Two newer quirks haven't been around long enough to become endearing, so the thinking behind them baffles me.

The 9-3 uses its low-beam headlights for daytime running lights. All the instrument panel lights come on with them, except for the lights for the heated seats and climate controls. Those lights only illuminate when the headlight switch is turned to on. This effectively means that some of the controls aren't always visible, unless you remember to turn the headlight switch on at dusk, even though the switch has no effect on the headlights.

The other oddity is a volume limiter that reduces the stereo's volume whenever you restart the car.

You can defeat this feature so your radio actually plays at the volume you desire, but the procedure to do it is probably logical only to an engineer descended from the pranksters who named the temperate and inviting island Iceland and the rocky pile of glacier-bait Greenland.

Idiosyncrasies like that are part of Saab's charm. It's just a shame that oddball ethos doesn't extend to the 9-3's exterior styling.

The car's body is pleasant but bland. The grille and hood stamp it as a Saab, but the 9-3 looks too much like the 9-5. A company that builds only two models really should work harder at visual variety.

Those shortcomings notwithstanding, the 9-3 is an enjoyable sport sedan at an admirable price that makes it a pleasant surprise compared to usually more pricey European sports sedans.