Overview & Reviews

Originally known as Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (Svenska Aircraft Company), Saab is a Swedish company that began manufacturing automobiles in 1949. The company's early designs placed an emphasis on aerodynamics that is reflective of its history as an aircraft manufacturer.

The first production Saab, the 92, boasted a lower coefficient of drag than many modern cars. The 93, unveiled in 1955, was powered by a three-cylinder, 33-horsepower engine, and featured the distinctive fastback profile that made early Saabs among the most recognizable cars on the road. By the time the '50s drew to a close, Saab's lineup had grown to include the 95 wagon (capable of seating up to seven) and the 93 750 Gran Turismo, the automaker's first series-built sports car.

The marque started the '60s with the introduction of its successful Saab 96. With a production run of 20 years, this was the car that made Saab a recognized presence in the international market. The decade also saw the launch of the Saab Sport coupe. Scoring numerous wins on the rally circuit, the coupe marked Saab as a force to be reckoned with. The Sport's success on the track inspired a name change; it later came to be known as the Saab Monte Carlo 850. The Saab Sonett II sports car, with its body of fiberglass-reinforced plastic, also made its debut during the '60s, as did the Saab 99, which was the first Saab to feature the manufacturer's trademark wraparound windshield.

In 1973, Saab gave birth to the 99 Combi Coupe. The car came to define the Saab brand; with its hatchback and fold-down rear seat it offered remarkable utility. By the end of the decade, Saab had rolled out the 99 Turbo, which was a forerunner in harnessing turbo technology for use in production cars. The company also introduced the Saab 900, which held the distinction of being the first car to offer a cabin air filter.

During the 1980s, Saab cars (especially the Turbo models) gained American popularity as young urban professionals (yuppies) sought them out. The decade saw the launch of the 900 Turbo, the 900 Turbo Aero (the world's first car to offer a 16-valve turbo engine), the 900 convertible and the Saab 9000, a larger four-door car available in hatchback, and later on, sedan body styles.

In 1990, General Motors bought half of Saab's automotive division. The decade saw the launch of a revamped 900; the car offered a bevy of cutting-edge safety features, including three rear three-point seatbelts and rear side-impact protection. By the time the '90s drew to a close, Saab had also unveiled the 9-5, a larger, premium four-door sedan that essentially replaced the 9000. The 9-5 offered a host of new technologies such as ventilated seats. It was also the first to offer Saab's active head restraints, a system designed to prevent whiplash injuries.

By the 2000s, General Motors had bought the other half of Saab Automobile. Despite the brand's position on the leading edge of safety technology, Saab's popularity in the U.S. and around the world waned as its product portfolio grew increasingly stale and reliant on GM for parts, platforms and design. New models like the 9-2X and the 9-7X were based on platforms borrowed from other brands -- Subaru and Chevrolet, respectively. Meanwhile, the 9-5 soldiered on and the second-generation 9-3 ditched its quirky hatchback body style in favor of a mainstream sedan design. The hope was to make the 9-3 more appealing to American car buyers, but ultimately it only served to remove the car's unique personality.

In the midst of General Motors' financial difficulties and eventual bankruptcy, Saab was viewed as a disposable, troubled asset and essentially cast away. With the financial assistance of a European bank and the Swedish government, Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg intended to purchase Saab with the promise of restructuring the brand and keeping production within Sweden. That deal fell through when Koenigsegg changed its mind about becoming involved with such a troubled company. Another niche-market supercar company, Spyker Cars, pursued the purchase of Saab. But that venture eventually failed as well and ultimately, at the end of 2011, Saab went into "wind-down" mode, filing for bankruptcy. In other words, Saab's future is still very much in limbo.

User Reviews:

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  Great all-rounder - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By HK - December 15 - 10:50 pm

  I just finished a 5 day drive from Michigan to Alberta in this vehicle, and I would do it again, no hesitation. The car performed admirably, as it has always done. Its been great in the snow (though I thought it was better the first winter;I expect the new tires will help), always reliable, and looks a lot better than the Subaru. The cars Achilles heel is the 4 speed auto transmission. It feels unrefined, and brings the average down a bit. I hoped for better fuel economy (20 city, 26 hwy), and replaced the very weak factory stereo. But over all, its a great car which I intend to keep for a long time.

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  I love my Saab - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By BEV WALKER - December 15 - 12:20 pm

  Excellent except for a few turbo lags. On a whole, Im very happy with its performance. I really appreciate my cargo space with the back seats that fold forward. Missing are: locking glove compartment, and mirror controls that light at night.

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  Quiet ride/Great SUV - 2006 Saab 9-7X
  By JW - December 14 - 2:03 pm

  I think it is worth paying extra for the Saab version of the GM SUVs. The ride is as quiet as a lux car. No rattles or unwanted sounds. Handling is very good for an SUV. Forget the V8 unless you are heavy towing. The V6 is more than ample for day to day driving.

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  excellent value - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By zxcvb - December 13 - 8:40 pm

  Great car. Was skeptical before I leased it for my wife. The acceleration is great. Cannot feel the turbo kick in - unlike my vw and volvo. Driver comfort is excellent. Great for new york city. Can park and accelerate easily.

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  Saab SE TURBO - 1996 Saab 900
  By cptmcf - December 12 - 10:00 am

  I have a boxster and saab conv turbo...the saab is a great car, I have had no problems with it, like any car it needs to be properly maintained and driven responsibly, If you do that this car will last. I will probably trade both cars in on a new 911 next year.

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  Great ride! - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By saabinvt - December 8 - 10:44 pm

  I bought my Linear with 81,000 miles in 09. Its had some problems, but not outside what youd expect with a car approaching 100K miles. Yes, repairs can be expensive, but Ive done much of them myself, and parts can be found on eBay and junk yards for cheap. This car has a very smooth ride, is very quiet, the stereo is very good, the climate system is great and the controls are well laid out. The dash cupholder is useless, but I just put aftermarket ones on the doors. The acceleration is great, and I installed a high pressure turbo from an Aero, so now it really hauls! While not cheap to maintain, 9-5s can be found used for far less than competitive cars, and they look better too.

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  Update to 10/28/2006 & 7/21/2006 Reviews - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Jyerka - December 7 - 10:06 pm

  I have put a few years of road tripping and hauling mountain bikes and snow boards in this car, still fun to drive. (~50Kmiles) Turbo is excellent now that I have moved to Denver (5500ft.). I can drive it in the snow easily- advantage being I grew up in the snow, I was more worried about having 17" wheels. No mechanical or electrical problems, exterior and interior have held up well against rough use. No change in gas mileage, I saw an increase when moving to CO (not sure why). Useful tools and jack, I use the cargo cover at trail heads. Only worry is brakes are weak for about 30 seconds after starting car, weird.

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  big bang for the dollars 95 aero - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By matmat - December 7 - 10:00 am

  having tested many european cars for around 40,000 grants, nothing compares with the over all value that saab offers for that kind of money, as far as reliability...remains to be seen ..truly one of the most beautiful car. as far as pure driving pleasure, no motor car is going to defeat bmw, but for 8 grants less then the slower 530i....hey, ...

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  Not Quite Perfect... - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By Chris - December 7 - 12:16 am

  Was a great car at the beginning, until I started having quite a few mechanical problems. Water pump went twice, turbo needed replacing, ignition module left me stranded on the highway, and a few other smaller things went all withing the 1st two and a half years. Maybe I had a lemon, but it was enough to put me off of getting another Saab. When everything is working, the car was a dream on the highway. It gearing felt a bit off when city driving with manual transmission.

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  My Saab 9-3 - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By mbest - December 4 - 8:43 am

  If you want a car thats fun to drive, nimble and responsive this is a great car. If you need to have a large interior with room to move around, it isnt for you. I guess you have to sacrifice something for the fun. Once you get used to it, you may never want to drive anything else.