SAAB has a unique and very successful approach to car design that puts the driver first and the machine second. Long before most manufacturers realised the importance of cabin ergonomics, Saab was evolving cars from the driver outwards.

Controls, seating position and instrumentation are all developed from the driver’s perspective, backed by the rightly-held belief that a relaxed and comfortable motorist is also a safe one. Sit inside the latest Saab, the 9-3 sport saloon and you’ll soon get the picture.

The wrap-around cockpit is like nothing else on the market and is incredibly easy to live with. No craning of the neck to see dials, no stretching of the arms to reach vital controls, no bending forward to seek out secondary switches and absolutely no tweaks or twinges in the back and leg muscles.

That attention to driver detail is phenomenal, and unmatched in the compact executive salon class. Saabs’ roots lie in aircraft production and this is still apparent with the cockpit-like cabin.

Take the 9-3 out after dark and it gets better. A lot of drivers are unsettled by the confusing combination of in-car lights and the dazzling nighttime neons on the outside.

Saab’s strength here is the well-spaced instrumentation and information readouts, the high-position display softly lit to ensure the right button is hit first time, every time. Even the headlights scream safety at you: the dipped beam has height, depth and breadth to give a reassuring night view without blinding oncoming traffic.

The coupe-like lines of the 9-3 set it apart from the rest on the outside, too, with the steeply-raked front and rear screens enhancing the long and low look. Yet it is one of the few compact executives to offer full seating for five people and it is longer and wider than the previous 9-3.

On the petrol front, the two-litre engine offers three power levels. The turbocharged, 150bhp aluminium unit punches well, but you can go to Lennox Lewis levels by opting for 175bhp, or the big-hitting 210bhp version.

Diesel-wise, there’s two variants of the 1.9 litre turbo with a 120 bhp and 150 bhp output that should appeal strongly to company-funded drivers. The 1.9 TiDs’ ride ironed out the bumps and handling came into its own on the twists and turns. Only the steering feedback needs to be improved upon.

The pricing is attractive – you’ll find many 9-3s cheaper than the strongest German rivals, especially if you compare equipment levels. The 1.8t Vector is £20,495, but you can get the base 9-3 at £2000 cheaper, or go for the top 2.0t Aero, at a very, very competitive £22,895.

Vector equipment adds 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, front fog lamps, leather seating and a computer and cruise control to an already healthy list of kit. With all the more or less identical cars on the market, we can be grateful for the presence of Saab.