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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  2006 93 Aero Review - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By cervids - September 9 - 7:36 am

  Former BMW and Audi driver. The 93 Aero is powerful; 250bhp/258lb-ft available for real life driving conditions through most of the power band not just near the redline. 90% percent of maximum torque is achieved at 1,500 rpm! Not enough power, buy a simple plug–in engine control PPC upgrade ($850) which enables 285bhp/358lb-ft. The rock solid suspension and superb road manners allow you apply that awesome power as if gliding rails in addition to the legendary Saab safety, utility, spaciousness, and functionality. The interior is abundantly quite, however, the car is tuned to provide the enthusiast with an addictive amount of engine and turbo sound.

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  My 20 cents - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Ricky Sein - September 5 - 11:30 pm

  I bought the 2006 9-3 Aero in 2009. It had 22,000 miles. The car looks very nice, its lots of fun to drive. It is faster than most of the similar priced European makes (which are usually more expensive). The 2-tone leather interior with silver trims look sporty and modern. The 2.8 V6T does consumes significant amount of fuel, which can add up, specially if you follow the owners manual requirement of premium fuel only. Overall, I love it!

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  Saab 9-2x Linear - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Eric - September 5 - 9:46 am

  Bought the last 9-2x Linear available in the city. Even without the turbo, this car with 5-sp manual is a blast to drive.

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  If you like quirky this is it! - 2007 Saab 9-5
  By SAAB95JD - August 29 - 2:13 am

  I bought a 2007 Saab 9-5 after losing my 300K Mercedes E300D due to a flooded street. It was difficult to choose a car other than another Mercedes, but lets face it... if you want a M-B diesel the minimum price is $60K! So, I chose to go with something else unusual, and the Saab fit the bill. What a great car! The acceleration is thrilling, the build seems great, the interior is comfortable and well thought out, and I LOVE the fact that the parchment seats are combined with black interior colors. Very modern. The car has had one warranty claim already which is why I rated it 9 instead of 10... but it was a simple squeak in the wood trim. It took the dealer 10 min to fix.

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  From Slaab To Saaahhhhbbb - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By BMW Who? - August 28 - 2:00 am

  Have owned it for 1 week and am so glad. We test drove the BMW, Audi, Honda, anything and everything. This is by far the best for the money. The lease special that Saab ran was one of kind. Like the saying goes "most who test drive a Saab, buy a Saab" and we were one of those.

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  A Sexy Beast! - 2008 Saab 9-7X
  By SvenBanginshea - August 25 - 9:20 pm

  What a sexy beast! The 9-7x Aero is a rare classic that was doomed by the poor timing of >$3.50/g gas. Their loss in sales is my gain in rarity. I have owned many exclusive, classic and modern sports cars, but never have I received so many admiring second- looks and seen so much drool from jaw dropping performance envy. Blows away all other SUVs except for fools that paid well over 2x as much for the turbo pepper S. And did I mention that the exterior is second to none! I have never stated this but, "Good Work, GM"!

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  Fun in the Sun - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By WillieA - August 23 - 10:00 am

  I chose my Saab convertible over the BMW 3 series for a variety of reasons. The nutshell reason is it is a better bang for the buck. The incentive laden Saab blows away the beamer from a financial perspective. The msrp of 42K for the Saab would be out of the question for me but with the money rates of its current lease and 6k in incentives, it is a no brainer.

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  Boring - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By John - August 22 - 1:36 am

  The electronics in the car dont seem to be all that reliable, but everything else is aesthetically nice and comfortable. One specific problem I found is the new rotors they installed in the 03 and newer are too thin andneed to be replaced much too often. Very fun to drive though, especially the 6 speed.

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  Update - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By NEPA SAAB - August 18 - 9:13 am

  Its been about 10 months since I submitted a 1 year review so I figured Id provide some more info. First, my 9- 3 just hit 40k miles. Outside of oil changes the only things Ive had to replace is front brakes, tires and headlight bulbs. So in my two years of owning the car Ive spent about $800 in repairs. I am extremely thankful for this but I do take very very good care of my Saab. I bought this car out of college after doing a good amount of research. I wanted a nice, sporty car that that offered a little luxury but didnt cost a fortune to buy or repair. The car has delivered in all aspects. If Saab pulls through, Ill buy again.

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  Better than the A4! - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Kuribo - August 17 - 5:50 am

  Just picked up a 2006 9-3 Sport Sedan with Automatic and Cold Weather package. Coming off lease on a 2003 Audi A4. Weve only had the Saab for a few days but its really wonderful. Side by side, the performance is better than the A4 1.8T. Smoother shifts, more refined engine and much faster. Interior is really nice and different than German & Japanese cars. The mpg is also quite a bit better than the Audi. Priced the 2006 Saab 9-3 against a 2006 Audi A4 2.0 front driver: the Audi ended up $9000 more. Not worth it! Our first Saab and I think its a great, under appreciated car