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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  Not Safe - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By brijitte - June 30 - 12:03 pm

  While driving at 11:30 pm on a small country (paved) road with my high beams on, my warning system indicated "Left High Beam Failure. About a minute later the left head light was in flames. Within 15 minutes the entire front half/engine of the car was in flames and subsequently burned/melted the entire front half of the car. There were less than 80,000 miles on the car. After month and a half Saab still has not investigated this issue and refuses to acknowledge the issue. I have pictures of the fire that I am happy to share. It was a horrible experience, and I am not sure how Saab can have such reputation for safety.

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  Not my fathers SAAB - 2005 Saab 9-7X
  By inpdx - June 27 - 9:40 am

  Having owned 8 SAABs I bought the 9-7 because I needed the towing capacity of a larger vehicle. Its comfortable and can tow over 5000lbs but the drive train is truly dissapointing. MPG only averages 15 in mixed driving (approx half city/half highway). There is a noticable lag on acceleration from a stop, then it comes on all at once (are they trying to copy SAAB turbo lag??). The transmission shifts nervously in city driving, constantly fishing and clunking between gears. The engine and tranny combo remind me of a 60s Chevy pickup - completely unrefined. Wish I had bought the XC-90 instead.

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  Worst Car Ever Owned - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By cdukes1984 - May 26 - 7:56 pm

  Great looking car with excellent performance but you cant go a week without finding something else wrong with it. Bought it with 41000 miles on it and had to replace the transmission and radiator. The wiper motor, front wheel bearings and window motors are all going to need to be replaced soon too. Definitely will never buy a Saab again.

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  OK, but not really happy - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By bar_ml - April 28 - 8:26 am

  I bought this in mint condition last spring. I have put about 20K on it. Driving on the highway is great, especially here in Europe. But, this car is starting to drive me nuts. 1 cup holder, no armrests, waywayway too many buttons for the heater, etc. Give me some dials so I can concentrate on driving and not have to search for a button and almost wreck. They key should be on the steering column. Thats where my cell, wallet etc. go. Give me wipers that I can set where I want, not some electronic sensor. Always too fast or too slow for me. Display constantly missing pixels. reverse help never works. Key batteries die very fast. I have had no engine/tranny problems.

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  Too Much Hassle - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By John G - April 18 - 2:40 pm

  Lots of mechanical issues. Two ignition modules, SIDs display is failing, heater controls cause the right side to switch to uncontrollable full on heat. Engineering stinks - catalytic converter right next to oil pan and cooks the oil. Must change the oil at no more than 5K miles. Very noisy interior. At 60,000 miles the engine failed. Recommended 10K oil changes followed religiously. Saab knew this was faulty but did not publicize in States tho Europe knew all about it then tried to stiff me on an engine replacement until lawsuit broke loose a new engine. Apparently system does not save fault codes on many failures.

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  Little problems - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By Loren - February 24 - 2:43 am

  Sun roof stopped working.$2,500 to repair. A/C blower motor went out. Center caps of rims fill with brake dust and cant be cleaned. Rear logo came off from being washed. Passenger seat plastic trim has fallen off because of broken attachments-twice. Interior isnt at all durable. Buy a Toyota

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  Great Car but requires lots of repairs - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By jdowen - February 15 - 3:50 pm

  It is a very comfortable vehicle that is fun to drive. It is a quiet drive and handles very well. I really enjoy the car when it works correctly. However, it is a very unreliable car. I was stranded on the side of the road twice - at 60K miles and 65K miles in 2003 (only 2 year old vehicle), both times it was a failed Ignition Cassette causing the Catalytic Converter to melt (very expensive parts). It is a common problem, the NHTSA Office of Defects is investigating the problem. If you are looking to purchase one of these vehicles, please search Google for "Saab DI Cassette failure" for more information about this common problem and consider this when making your decision.

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  SAAB 03 9-3 - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By jac - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I have found the 9-3 to be fun to drive for local around town, but not for drives over 100 miles straight. The seat comfort is very lacking, inspite of seat controls, lumbar control, etc. I have found good driveability in winter conditions (snow, ice and cold) and diving performance has not been affected. I purchased this vehicle based on the re-design plans and merits. I did not test drive, prior to purchase (ordered prior to models coming to country)and I am not sure that I would have purchased if I would have tested it. The On-star is shown on steering wheel , but has not been installed and install is planned for later this year.

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  Heavy! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By magicman - December 4 - 10:00 am

  This car has some good features, ease of driving is not one of them. It handles like a tank, the front wheel drive makes driving this car an athletic event. It has a tendency on uneven surfaces to throw itself and you in random directions. I do like the power of the turbo but its not enough to overshadow the work, this car is not fun to drive. Random plastic things keep falling of the dash board and if you hit a pebble with the 17inch wheels, the rims dent.

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  new transmission after 45000 miles - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By sad tranny - November 25 - 12:03 am

  My 2004 is my second Saab 9-3. I had a 2003 that needed a new transmission at 45000 miles. To my dismay I just put a new transmission in my 2004 at 45000 miles. Love the car but am very disappointed with the transmission incidents. Get with it GM.