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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  awesome car - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Suey - May 2 - 10:00 am

  no sites on saab in singapore so have to participate in this one to get news on views and news on the car... have had the car for 2 weeks now and its so fun to drive! And like in the US, they are less common than Beamers...which are as common here as Toyotas are Do get an intermittent error msg about low dim light failure although the lights work fine.

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  A ton of car for the money - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By Martay - May 2 - 1:36 am

  When I bought it, it was five years old and had 75,000 miles. I paid $7,500. All my friends thought I had spent $40,000 on a brand new car. The thing looks great, is extremely comfortable, and has a smooth ride. It is so nice to be able to drive 300+ miles and feel like youve been lounging in a recliner for five hours. Great power AND fuel economy! Ive put about 50,000 miles on it. Had to replace: fuel pump, fuel pressure sensor (expensive), a relay of some sort, a wiring harness in trunk -- parts are expensive, but given the number of miles I put on the vehicle, I am quite happy with its reliability. Am extremely happy with purchase, and would strongly recommend.

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  Great Value - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Kuribo - April 29 - 1:03 am

  Just purchsed a 2006 9-3 Sport Sedan for my wife. The 9-3 Sport Sedan is very well equipped so we just added Cold Weather package and Sentronic Automatic Transmission. It is much quicker than the old 1.8 Audi and the engine has a nicer character and better gas mileage. A really beautiful, under appreciated car.

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  Brand Loyal No More - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By So long Saab - April 28 - 2:40 pm

  After three previous Saab purchases, the 1999 wagon will be my last. While I love the feel and look of the car, the repair record vs. the price point of the car has led me away from the Brand for any future purposes. All the following repairs occurred before 55,000 miles: 2 headlamps replaced along with the computer chip that controls high beams.2 water pumps - one at 37,000 miles and the other at 55,000 miles.Turbo Assist failure - the shaft of the turbo mechanism sheared off at 55,000 miles and had to replace the entire turbo unit ($1500). Countless light bulbs!

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  Dont do it - 1996 Saab 900
  By Saab Sucker - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Everythings needs fixing and it is very expensive. Do not buy this. I love to drive it but it is not worth the trouble.

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  Split Decision - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Gunny23 - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Driving 35K+ per year puts me in the used car category, and I just couldnt say no to the price and great warranty of my 99 9-3. Cupholder in front stinks, but the seats are awesome and highway ride is second to none. I really want to love this car, but a few glitches make it a split decision. Everyone has had the AC knob problem, it seems, and when I had that fixed, the backlights on the SID went out. It doesnt stand up to a 328, but for 10 grand less, I can live with it. If I have no problems for the next year, Ill call it a great car!

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  Saab = Reliability & Performance - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By russ8128 - April 25 - 10:00 am

  About to turn the car in after 3 great years. Never a problem with the car. Great stereo. Saabs tagline, "People who drive a Saab, buy one" could be more true. Seats are very comfortable, heated rear seats a bonus for the kids. Power is impressive for a larger car. Sport function on the automatic transmission really make a difference (never used the "regular" mode - it made the car drag).

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  Super Saab - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By Saabboy - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Bought the 9 5 Arc w/ touring package at used w/ 4,800 miles. only 28K. Outstanding car. Love the sport mode and sound system. Trunk space is a huge plus. Plenty of room throughout. Great standard features and w/ two kids under 5, safety should always be considered.

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  No more Europe for me! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Slappy - April 20 - 11:10 pm

  Bought this car used in September of 2009 w/ 85K miles, now has 94K (just traded it in). Had to replace all 4 rotors and sets of pads, crankshaft positioning sensor (twice), oil pressure sensor, and the head gasket was blown, this was all after the place I bought it from said it was in tip-top condition. Strut mounts were noisy (known issue), headlights were too dim, vehicle rode like a tank, gas mileage only around 21 - 23 mpg HIGHWAY. I owned this vehicle less than a year. After this and my Audi, I will never buy another European vehicle.

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  High Performance Tank - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By Kuzzy - April 19 - 2:00 am

  The Saab 95 Linear we have has an automatic transmission and just begs to be driven. We have had very good luck with the car during the first 9 months. The only real problems have been with the On-Star system which was not important in our buying decision. The automatic adjusting rear view mirror with the compass did not work properly at first but was immidiately replaced and that was our only problem to date. I would highly recommend this car to anyone looking for a combination of luxury, performance, safety and price.