The 9-3 is an appealing compact sedan, with sleek styling and relatively affordable pricing. The model range starts with a 210-bhp turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder powered front-wheel drive 2.0T model with optional XWD (all-wheel-drive). The higher trim level Aero models include a 280-bhp V6 and standard XWD. All models offer a choice of manual and automatic transmissions. Value-conscious customers will prefer the base 2.0T due to its significantly lower price. The 9-3 Aero does have a more powerful V-6, sport suspension, and 17-inch alloy wheels, but at a significant price premium.

The all-wheel-drive system dubbed XWD becomes standard on all Aero (V6) models and is optionally available on 2.0T models. An electronically controlled limited slip differential is standard on Aero V6 XWD models. OnStar 8.0 and Bluetooth are now available.