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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  Horrible Vehicle - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By Anna - October 9 - 9:23 pm

  This vehicle by far is one of the worst made of all time. Bought for 6700 and have put just about the same into it. Engine had sludge buildup even with regular oil changes and all scheduled maintenance. Problem after problem after problem. Truly lives up to its Saab acronym of Something Almost Always Broken... buyers beware of any Saab.

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  Better options available - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Ashok - September 2 - 5:53 pm

  I bought this car trading my Toyota Camry. The engine is great with good interiors, all other things are very average or poor. The interior of the car shakes and rattles all the time. There is something going wrong always - various lights come on, computer malfunction, moon-roof not closing, door-handles fading, shock-absorbers breaking, etc. The dealership is very nice and the car is still under warranty (ends Oct,07). I dont know what Ill do after that, if this thing keeps braking! Dont waste your time on this car, I guess SAAB brand is being washed-away by GM. I love the Acura TSX as an alternative.

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  "Garage Queen" - 2007 Saab 9-7X
  By lycklig - August 28 - 5:28 pm

  I have owned, and loved, 3 previous SAABs, but this one is a major disappointment. I purchased this so that the tall men in my life would no longer have to leave their knees at home when we go on a trip. The space is great and comfy, DVD and multi-CD players are sweet, and the on-board air-compressor is a great asset. BUT, it is sluggish when going uphill (diesel-pushers cruise past us), has had multiple major issues, and spends more time in the dealership garage than on the road with me. Gas mileage is about the same as my Suburban. This 9-7X has cost me so much time and money. I can hardly wait to trade it in!

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  Saab Story - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By jon_e_quest - August 28 - 4:16 am

  This is my 7th Saab, 2nd 9-5. It will be my LAST! Bought with 37K miles. Replaced the Turbo, ACC control module, trip computer, & entire dash facia at 46K (all warrantied). Now with 68K miles, have a short in the no. 8 fuse circuit that nobody can find. Unless I drive with that fuse out, battery dies. Intermittent engine light due to a faulty coil pack (possibly under recall, but I had to purchase one for my last 9-5.). Intermittent oil light (replaced the sending unit, but now it looks like a $1K oil pump replacement). Replaced the left side ACC air dist. stepping motor which controls temp adjust. Replaced both fog lights. Needs left side ball joint. Sunroof rattles. I give up!

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  No Resale Value - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By TheRonTonDon - August 14 - 4:40 pm

  DO NOT buy this car on the used market. Bought mine CPO in 2006 for $19k. Owned it for 2.5 years, still owe $11k on this. Heard from dealer that they are going for $4k at auction. So Im in the hole $7k. Car is not worth it. Yeah its quick, gets good gas mileage, and is fun to drive, but thats about it. Reliability is crap. Eats through tires and is in the shop at least 2 times a year. Go with a BMW, youll be much happier.

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  Look at this before you buy!!! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By JRT - July 19 - 7:33 pm

  In short: for the love of God stay away from a Saab!! My Saab has been involved in 6 separate recalls, needed a new transmission due to mechanical failure (out 2 weeks), lost two batteries which requires a tow (no kidding), I had no idea what "turbo-lag" was until I tried to pull out into traffic with this thing and the service teams have been less than stellar. For the record mine only has 24K miles on it!

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  OOPS Wrong car. - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By notstock - July 17 - 2:39 am

  Well I got suckered by the lure of a Good deal" I needed a cheap family vehicle and I found a 2006 SportCombi Aero with 56K miles for only 11.5K, paid cash and now I know why it was so cheap. It started having problems on the way home from buying the stupid car. Its got this weird surging hesitation under partial throttle. A grinding clanking from the engine, and a weird high pitched whine from the audio system even if its turned off. This is a one owner dealer maintained car with full service records, so I know it was taken care of. Im really disappointed because I liked the performance in a car that I dont see dozens of every day. UNIQUE, I like that. Unreliable and broken NOPE.

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  DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!!!!!! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By César Mauras - July 5 - 10:00 am

  It squeaks and rattles. Very unpleasant to drive. The quality of the interior material is very poor. It does feel like driving a Cavalier or a Saturn. I agree with the other reviewer who said that they should change the name to SAAturn. OnStar is nice if you like to be put on hold.

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  Over Engineered and Poorly Built - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By PRR - June 29 - 2:00 am

  This has been a very unreliable car. Lots of things have gone wrong and have been replaced. Have become good friends with mechanics since I see them very regularly i.e. at scheduled maintenances and many times in between. Bad electrical system - head lights burn out regularly; climate control system that dictates to you. Very expensive to repair. Noisy when travelling. Still have original brakes but not much else original. High roof line so I can see out the front and my head does not hit the roof. There is no sunroof!!! Great cruise control and good mileage: 29.1 mpg for 95000 miles. In summary most expensive and worst new car that I have ever owned.

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  MISTAKE! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By NateinPA - June 7 - 10:00 am

  It seemed like I was driving the loaner more than my new car. Infotainment system had various bugs that came and went for days at a time. Engine Light was always on due to defective engine parts that had to be replaced. Horn stopped working shortly after purchase. Automatic windows began malfunctioning such that the window would not go up...very inconveinent in rain! I spent a great deal of time returning my car to dealer for warranty repairs. I wish I had bought the Audi A4 as I had originally wanted! Also was not impressed when I traded it in and the dealer called the selling dealership to get a value and was told, "No, we wouldnt buy that vehicle back...too many problems."