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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  Saab is Different, Different is Good! - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By italiancousin - April 19 - 2:00 am

  Love the car... Im told its not quite as nimble or sharp as, say, a BMW, but I would never know. (And unless you drive the autobahn, neither will you!) Whats best? Its not an A4 or 3- series. In a month of owning the car, Ive only seen three others on the road.

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  Cant wait to get another one Great car! - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By yoitsthegoose - April 18 - 2:33 pm

  Im a visiting nurse that travels a lot. My 92x is a great car. Ive been all over the place with it and it havent had any problems at all. The car has 100,000 miles on it. The only thing is I wish they never stop making car. It was only in production for two years.

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  Unique and Economical - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By DanaS - April 15 - 12:26 am

  After owning a 2001 Saab 9-3, there were questions about getting a new Saab. The 2001 was solid, but dated. The car was designed in the early 1990s. The new 9-3 handles better, has many more features, better layout, more room and is far better quality. The doors, fenders and quarter panels have minimal gaps. The fit and finish is superior to the domestics or japanese. I compared a Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and the 9-3. When comparably equipped, the Saab was cheaper. The Saab rode better and there wasnt a gazillion on the road. 31-34 MPG during mostly highway driving. GM should quit playing sticker games. It scares too many potential buyers away and affects published resale values. Its a good value when priced right.

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  HUGE Mistake - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By brian - April 10 - 8:53 pm

  Traded my infinity g20 (loved that car) to saab of tampa (only because the miles were getting high). I picked a 2003 9-3 linear with 38,000 miles on it. The price seemed too good to be true. The car looked great... And thats about it!!! To many problems to list, about 2,200 dollars and a year later traded it in for a 2009 xterra. DONE WITH SAAB!!!!!!

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  So Sad - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By liz in az - April 9 - 10:00 am

  My first luxury car loved it but it was in the shop every couple of weeks for the first four months. Undiagnosed stalling, clutch lost pressure, wouldnt restart. Dealership tinkered and replaced the turbo. After almost a year it still has stalling/restarting problem. A beautiful piece of art but I need a dependable ride. Fun to drive but I can get C-class Mercedes for the same - Im out of here when lease is up.

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  NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By LDFJR1 - April 6 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for 1 year and 20000 miles and have had nothing but service problems. They range from having the headlights and wipers fixed to replacing the turbo. So far this is whats been fixed. I have three more repairs pending. Needless to say I would not recommend this car.

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  BEST CAR EVER!!!!!!! - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By SaabDriver - April 5 - 9:06 am

  This is the best car Ive ever had! My color is Flame Red Metallic. It changes from orange to red in the light. The interior is a creme color with black inserts in the comfortable sport seats. The ReAxs suspension is very tight andoffers great steering and ride. Thecars appearance is very low to the ground and sporty. Its not a car that you would say "Whoa, thats the 5th carlike that Ive seen today" about.

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  Saabs Best - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By Chagrin - April 2 - 10:00 am

  This is second to none in its class. More roomy cabin than the others and makes bmw look lazy and Audi look cheap. Dash designed like an airplane, drives like one too. We purchased the manual transmission for the wagon and got sports, function and fuel economy just before the gas $ went up. We went to the auto show in NYC looking for a bmw or Audi and came out sure that the Saab 95 Aero was the right vehicle. This is the only car that felt right to my wife when she sat in it. Saab has done a great job marketing this car to women as we can now testify. We also look at used car reliability ratings and this is the only one in its class with a positive rating.

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  Just a car - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By RLW - March 30 - 12:40 pm

  the 2005 Saab Linear is fairly reliable and provides good gas mileage. However this car provides little if any driving enjoyment. I drive 35,000 miles annually and it didnt take long for the negative details of this car to outweigh the positive. The sound system is poor at best, the interior materials are low end economy car quality (I know if is an Impreza, but still) and the ride is noisy (yes, I have tried different tires). These elements coupled with a low fun to drive quotient strikes the Saab off of my future purchase list.

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  Love it - 1996 Saab 900
  By Beachlover - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought a 96 Saab 900 SE 6 cylinder off-lease and could not have asked for a better running, more fun car. Not only does it handle well, but its fun to drive and still gets compliments and comments from other drivers. Love the heated seats in the winter and also that the car, even though it is a convertible in not very noisy. Would do it all over again.