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:

• 

  2007 9-3 - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By Dave - August 16 - 10:10 am

  Excellent auto, wife has a A-4 all wheel drive, she would rather take the Saab then hers. Excellent mileage with all that get up and go. Trunk space is adequate. I use this as a daily commuter, I drive around 35,000 miles per year. Waiting to see how she handles in the U.P of Michigan snow.

• 

  Dont Buy! - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Saab Stinks - August 14 - 6:36 pm

  Do not buy a Saab! This car is riddled w/ electrical problems! The ECM has a known defect which causes the ABS, Stability Control, Traction Control, brakes all show as failing, then the speedometer and all other dash components stop working! Only fix is to pull over and restart! Talk about dangerous. Saab knows about it and has no fix in sight. Stay clear of this junky car. Bought used 8K and have had it in the shop every month or every other month. Warranty is up in a month and so is my ownership. Time to buy a quality car. All service people at the dealer know be by name- no joke.

• 

  Engine Failure - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By SaabingStu - August 12 - 10:00 am

  Bought this car used with about 45K on the clock. Had for 3.5 years and put about 70K miles on it. Always ran synthetic oil, maintained the car very well, and the engine has failed at just 116K miles. Very disappointed, as I really enjoyed this car, and it was my second Aero, and now have a worthless car. I dont think Ill ever buy another one. also, very frustrating is the digital display always goes out on these things.

• 

  Loving my 06 Saab - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Texas Blonde - August 9 - 6:36 pm

  I got this car about a month ago, and am thrilled with it! It is a new color for 06 and I am glad I held out for it... Jet Black Metallic is beautiful! I feel bad parking next to regular black cars, b/c it makes them look bad... Very fun to drive, the turbo accelerates well, it is very zippy... It looks a lot more expensive than it was... Fuel costs are low, I think Ive only filled it up once or twice since Ive gotten it... Great stereo, the leather is a really pretty color and I love having stereo controls on my steering wheel..

• 

  awesome - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By linda g - August 8 - 8:33 am

  This is my second Saab. Wanted a convertible. Test drove and purchased in 20 minutes. Fun to drive, especially S mode. Classy lines and would be difficult to match snobby look when behind the wheel.

• 

  Its great to drive but sucks to own - 1996 Saab 900
  By brbarbe2 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car to drive but be ready for repairs...especially on the electical systems. Ive had the power seats go out 4 times, SRS light on twice, check engine countless times, two motors for the top go out, motor for the wipper blades go out, CD changer connection go bad, communication cable to SID go bad and had the wires behind the dashboard short out and start a fire. Most of the problems occured between 30k and 80k miles...its actually been pretty good since then, but I think thats because I stopped taking it to International Motors in Northern Virginia.

• 

  Love this car! - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By notasoccermom - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought my wagon to replace/upgrade from my Honda wagon. Absolutely love this car! I put on about 250 miles/week commuting, plus errands. Seats are extremely comfortable, ride is quiet, automatic turbo is quick off the light. Did have a problem with the turbo at 20K miles; dealership fixed it under warranty and didnt cost me a dime. Not good in snow, much to my surprise - have to get snow tires. Even so, my husband has a brand new SUV; I much prefer my car over his (except in the snow).

• 

  Awesome, Unique, Fast - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By Morten - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I had this car for 3 months now and I am very, very happy. It is fast and people notice it because it is unique. The transmission is smooth and interior is very cool.

• 

  My new Saab - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By Jonathan - August 6 - 10:20 am

  Before I bought my 2.0t I drove all europeans/japanese under 40k. I truly enjoy the handling and styling and the turbo performance, also the MPG. The free maintenance is awesome and then the National Hwy Safety top pick made me think that I bought the safest car on the road. I am very pleased with my Saab and really enjoy driving to work. Being 64 I fit very well in the seat and feel very relaxed. Best car Ive ever bought. Hope this helps!

• 

  Difficult & Costly to Own - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Jarrod - July 31 - 5:06 pm

  I had this vehicle in the shop 15 times in 3 years. Poor interior choices; the rubber coating peels off all the control panels and door handles, I only get 20 mpg because the turbo kicks in at every stop light etc. Brakes had to be replaced at 21k. Both headlight assemblies had to be replaced at 20K miles because they malfunctioned. The gas gauge is inaccurate. GM used too many inexpensive parts to improve margins on the Saabs and the negative effects of this poor decision making trickled down to the consumer and dealer network - who in turn just services the car and bills the expenses for labor and warranty repair back to GM - does this make any sense? Use quality parts and make a good car.