FuelFacts

2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi MPG & Specs — Real-World vs EPA, All Trims

Every gas trim of this model takes premium.

18–23
MPG combined (15–19 city / 24–29 hwy)
$3,052–$3,900
est. fuel / year (today's prices, 15k mi)
Premium
gas type

Is the 2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi good on gas?

At up to 23 MPG combined, the 2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi is about average for a Small Station Wagons — that class averages about 24.7 MPG across 1,736 EPA-tested versions, so it's middle-of-the-road for its size.

Real-world MPG vs the EPA number

The EPA figures above come from a standardized dynamometer test, not the open road — real-world MPG typically runs a bit lower depending on your driving, climate and terrain. That's true of every car on this site, old or new.

At today's AAA national average price — $4.68/gal for premium gas as of 2026-07-05 — the most efficient trim runs about $3,052/year (roughly $254/month, about $20.35 per 100 miles) at the EPA's assumed 15,000 miles/year, using an estimated 652 gallons a year. We don't estimate a cost-per-fill since exact tank size isn't in the public EPA dataset, but the per-100-mile figure scales to any tank. Current national average gas prices →

2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi trims & fuel economy

Trim (engine / transmission)FuelMPGFuel/yr (today's price)
2.0L 4-cyl, 6-spd manual, FWDPREMIUM23$3,052
2.0L 4-cyl, S5 automatic, FWDPREMIUM20$3,510
2.8L 6-cyl, 6-spd manual, FWDPREMIUM19$3,695
2.8L 6-cyl, S6 automatic, FWDPREMIUM18$3,900
Where the EPA lists premium, that’s the fuel the maker specified for the mileage test — many such engines run on regular with slightly less power/MPG. Whether premium is required or just recommended is an owner’s-manual detail the EPA dataset omits, so we don’t guess it.

2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi specs

What the EPA test-car listings record for this model year — every combination sold is a row in the trims table above.

Engine options2.0L 4-cyl turbo · 2.8L 6-cyl turbo
Transmission6-spd manual · S5 automatic · S6 automatic
Drive typeFWD
EPA body classSmall Station Wagons
FuelPremium

Other years of the Saab 9-3 SportCombi

2012 Saab 9-3 SportCombi2011 Saab 9-3 SportCombi2010 Saab 9-3 SportCombi2009 Saab 9-3 SportCombi2007 Saab 9-3 SportCombi2006 Saab 9-3 SportCombi

Similar cars (Small Station Wagons)

2008 Dodge Caliber AWD2008 Suzuki Forenza Wagon2008 BMW 328xi Sport Wagon2008 Audi S4 Avant2009 Pontiac Vibe AWD2009 Subaru Impreza Wagon/Outback SPT AWD

Cars that take premium · Cheapest cars to fuel · Where fuel grade depends on the trim · Fuel guides

4 trim(s) · EPA FuelEconomy.gov data retrieved 2026-07-24 · fuel prices AAA national average as of 2026-07-05.