After the first episode where Matt Farah from thesmokingtire.com presented good old Saab 900 Turbo, then today in the latest episode of “One Take” series represents Saab 9-3 Viggen.
Matthew “Matt” Farah is an American journalist, actor and presenter. He has been a host on video-sharing website YouTube series The Smoking Tire and for /DRIVE, as well as NBCSN
Here’s what he says about this car: “We love the idea of modified Saab’s, and this Viggen is one of the coolest we’ve seen. Modified by 19-year old Cullen, it’s got different cams, full bolt on’s, and suspension upgrades. It sounds really neat and reminds us why we love oddballs.” And of course, see this episode:
2026 Update: ReDriven Puts the OG Saab 9-3 Under a Modern Used-Car Microscope
The One Take review captured the Saab 9-3 Viggen from the driver’s seat, with the focus on boost, torque steer, chassis behavior and the strange appeal of a car that always felt more individual than its platform suggested. Years later, the Australian used-car channel ReDriven has taken a broader look at the same generation of Saab 9-3, this time through the lens of 2026 ownership.
Their new review does not treat the OG 9-3 as a nostalgia object. It looks at the real buying risks: firewall cracking on right-hand-drive cars, oil sludge, aging roof hydraulics on convertibles, coil packs, crank position sensors, fuel pumps, brittle trim, parts availability and the importance of proper service history. At the same time, it gives proper credit to the strengths that still define the car: the seats, the cockpit layout, the Night Panel, the hatchback practicality and the unmistakable way a well-sorted Viggen delivers its power.
For a more recent used-car perspective on the first-generation 9-3, including ReDriven’s assessment of a black Viggen 3-door and a black 9-3 Convertible, read our follow-up article: A 500,000-Subscriber Used-Car Channel Just Put the OG Saab 9-3 on Trial.
