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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  Fun to drive, but mostly to the mechanic - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By Andy - May 20 - 7:33 pm

  A great car to drive! Unfortunately, much of that driving was back and forth to the dealership for constant minor repairs. The engine was generally reliable and the handling was great, but the interior was cheaply built and little things kept breaking. I am convinced that the electrical system was possessed; I had problems with the taillights, the stereo, the alarm, the dome lights, and the dash display, all within a 6-month period. All things considered, this is NOT a car I would wish to keep after the warranty expires.

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  Mine all Mine - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By Chirpbird - May 20 - 7:33 pm

  Very fun car to drive, and whats not to like about a convertible on Denvers sunshiney days? Driving in the light snow that Denver gets is another matter. Skids and slides a lot. Dont know if its because I have performance tires or because it just cant handle snow.

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  The forgotten wagon that is fantastic - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By Steven Kafka - May 15 - 10:00 am

  It is like driving a Porsche station wagon.

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  SAAB Arc - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Andrew McKay - May 12 - 4:30 pm

  The thrust of the turbo and solid handling of the car.

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  GMs poor Engine Quality - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By eb - May 9 - 1:10 pm

  We bought this car pre-owned, had it inspected from a certified SAAB dealership and owning it for less than 2 years, we have spent over $3,000 on repairs. The quality of this car is lousy. Bought the car with 45,000 miles on it, and abruptly the warranty expires at 50,000 miles. Since I am a previous owner of an Infiniti, I was used to the warranty expiration at 60k. Immediately after warranty expires, our fuel pump fails, our alternator fails, engine coolant leak, and now we have a constant engine oil leak (header) which will cost more to repair than what the car is now worth. And due to the fact that Saab is an import, all parts are imported and marked up.

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  Style and Value - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By jrobinson24 - May 7 - 2:00 am

  Being a SAAB fanatic (owned 88 conv., 95 900SE), I was looking for a reasonably-priced used sedan. 9-3s offer great value and lots of style, comfort, and power. 4-door hatchback offers tons of cargo room (please bring it back SAAB!). Automatic requires a heavier accelerator foot to get it moving, but when turbo kicks in it has great power! Lots of nice interior features to make you think you spent a lot more on the car. Reliability has been good, and SAAB service is great - if needed. I highly recommend this car, although performance freaks may want to grab the HO version that came out later in 99 with 200 vs. 185 hp.

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  First Saab not my last - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By RJM - May 7 - 2:00 am

  Just got the 9-3 Vector. Wow, clean lines, more power than needed, handles like its on rails. Innovations galore, some from old Saab some from GM, just a great blend. Tested G-30, A-4, BMW 3 and Baby Caddy.. 9-3 Vector is the very best mix of technology, power, appeal, and price.

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  9-2X - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By David - May 4 - 6:46 pm

  The 9-2x is not an Audi quattro, or an Evo, or an STi. But it doesnt have the price tag of those other AWD performance cars. What it does have is the basics that the WRX gives you, minus some of the WRXs boy racer bug-eyed-ness, plus a little swedish minimalism along with a superior warranty and maintenance program - for a few thousand dollars less than a new WRX invoice! Of course, Im talking post-GM employee discount pricing where the numbers went south of $20K. No car is without fault, but this one suits my daily driving demands (both rationally and emotionally) better than any vehicle Ive driven in the last 10 years.

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  Bought It New...Hoping Saab Stays In Business! - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By mr_monza - May 3 - 12:03 pm

  We bought this car in August of 2004 while my wife was pregnant. We needed the utility of a station wagon but wanted something that was fun to drive and had a decent level of luxury appointments. The Saab has not disappointed! This is a medium sized wagon thats comfortable and has plenty of space for a trip to the beach. It gets over 30 MPG on the highway and has a very spirited performance from its 220 HP turbo. Its not our only car, so it has low mileage (around 32 K). It has not had any significant problems at all----a very safe and reliable car. The quality of the materials is excellent. The paint finish remains like new. No complaints at this point---still love driving it.

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  SAAB convert - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By DJN - May 2 - 10:00 am

  The combination of great styling, handling, performance, and (relative) affordability of the new 9-3 Vector made me a Saab convert! Just as good as its German competitors, with better looks. The Vector is very fun to drive, no sign of torque steer or turbo lag. It handles great and has decent power. The interior is very comfortable and well laid-out.