STRANGELY for a marque with such a proud heritage in rallying, Saab and four-wheel-drive have been exclusive bedfellows - until now.

Saab embraced turbo technology to help Stig Blomqvist win the Rally Sweden in 1979 (the first ever victory for a WRC turbo car), but opted to close its competitions department rather than design a 4WD car to meet the challenge posed by the Audi Quattro.

Thirty years later, Saab finally has a 4WD model in the showrooms - and it's a corker.

The XWD (or cross-wheel drive) system is actually Saab's variation on the much admired all-wheel-drive set-up developed by speciality firm Haldex (which, incidentally, also engineers a similar arrangement for Volvo).

Dubbed the "next generation" four-wheel drive, the XWD in the 9-3 Aero doesn't just shuffle power from front to back, but across the axles as well. So it can apply power to the opposite corner of the car from the wheel that loses traction. And it can do this in less time than it takes to blink (80 milliseconds).

Hit a patch of black ice and the power is instantly switched to the back wheels then transferred across to the tyre that's not about to come into contact with the slippy stuff.

The unit is also predictive, which means it doesn't wait for a wheel to spin before taking corrective action, and that means more grip with less slip.  Luckily I didn't come across a patch of black ice during the test, but Saab has plenty of evidence to back up its claims that XWD makes the 9-3 nigh impossible to upset driven hard on gravel or on slippery surfaces.

I did take one particular corner on the B6277 route from Darlington to Alston a bit too quickly. The road, which snakes its way over the top of the North Pennines and is a real handling test for any car, was wet after a recent shower and as I pitched the Saab into the bend I could feel the fronts go momentarily light.

On a front drive Saab I'd have expected understeer as the tyres were pushed wide. The XWD simply gripped and pulled the car around the bend, with no fuss and no drama. Impressed? You bet.

The 9-3 underwent a mid-life nip 'n tuck a couple of years ago when more than 2,000 changes were made to the car, most obviously at the front where the car gained the automotive equivalent of a face-lift.

Apart from the doors, the cabin received less attention, having received an up-grade fascia in 2006 Saab deemed it good enough.

A couple of years further down the line and the cabin is a mix of good 'n bad. The leather seats, for instance, uphold the company's reputation for making some of the most comfortable "chairs" ever to grace your derriere. They don't look particularly sporty compared to the hip-huggers in some other cars, but ergonomically they are bang on the mark.

The 9-3 instruments are stubbornly old-school clocks but none-the-worse for sticking with tradition and it's good to see a proper temperature gauge for a change (something the BMW 3-Series now thinks it can do without).

And the Bose touch screen hi-fi/satellite navigation unit is a stunner.

But it's the bits you don't see very often that offer some cause for concern, like the plastic moulding that holds the 12-volt accessory socket. It's so brittle and flexes so much that I swear I thought I was going to punch it through the fascia when I plugged my iPod in.

Similarly, the indicator/wiper stalks are flat, featureless spatulas that give no tactile response.

Saab traditionalists will be pleased to see the ignition barrel down near the funky handbrake and the press-to-pop-out cup holders are a work of art.

There plenty of room in the cabin and the boot is a good size, although the saloon design means it's not as practical as a hatchback. This is a problem suffered by all the 9-3's rivals as well, so it's not really a minus point, just an observation.

As with all Saab's turbo engines the 2.0T has plenty of poke in reserve, even if it doesn't feel like a turbo at all, more a large capacity slugger. Power builds in a linear fashion until you reach 3,500 rpm when there's a mild turbo kick in the pants.

Refinement is good, with low levels of engine and tyre noise. The 9-3, in common with all General Motors'  "big" cars, will make a great high miles cruiser.

Now Swedish sports car maker Koenigsegg has bought a controlling interest in Saab let's hope that some of the marque's tent up potential will be unleashed.

Certainly the XWD system is a winner - I can't wait to see how it works in the forthcoming new 9-5 - and transforms the 9-3 from a left-field choice to a real contender.

If you fancied an Audi Quattro but found the A4 a bit too middle-management then a 9-3 XWD could be just the thing.

  SPEC:   Engine size: 1,998cc Power: 210 bhp @ 5,300 rpm Max torque: 221 lb/ft @ 2,500 rpm