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 and quick, reliable and great mpg! - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By nott-me - June 25 - 11:23 pm

  I have had the car about 2.5 years and total of 36,000 miles. Fun to drive, turbo is great! I have the 2 door version, and the trunk area will swallow anything with the seats folded! Repairs are usually happen like clockwork every 10,000 miles on my example but worth the upkeep in enjoyment and uniqueness. I have 124,000 on the odometer now.

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  9-5 Aero - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By 95Aerodriver - June 23 - 7:56 am

  The car is amazing, it performs very well, however I have had multiple problems with it, including headlamp failures, wiper failures, as well as several problems with the rear suspension among other small problems. Despite having difficulties with the vehicle, I continue to enjoy it.

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  Its still a Saab! - 2006 Saab 9-5
  By hr - June 20 - 6:43 pm

  There is one thing that reviews consistently fail to mention about the SAAB driving experience; it feels SAFE! Ive owned Mercedes, BMW, and VW and only my early 90s S class Mercedes gave me the same feeling. Even the electric door locks have a reassuring thunk that makes me think of a deadbolt engaging dorr jamb. I often see mention of turbo lag. Please explain how a 2.3 liter 4 cyl automatic in a 3600 lb car can chirp the tires on full throttle takeoff if there is turbo lag. I take my foot off the brake, nail it, it chirps and the traction control kicks in. If there is lag its in milliseconds. I dont need 6 cylinders and I am getting 23 mpg around town.

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  Dream car! - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By blackadder - June 19 - 2:00 am

  This is the car! Black with sand-beige seats - just BEAUTIFULl!! Had a 2001 9-5SE before this....the HOT Turbo makes all the difference in the world delivering phenom acceleration. Whatever you do, test drive on the highway in sport mode (watch out for the cops and speed traps!!).

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  Allright tourer - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By Colonel - June 19 - 2:00 am

  Not a true sports sedan since it does have a little handling issues, overall and excellant avordable vehicle when compared to the BMW/Audi(volkswagens) of the world

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  Beats the Beamer! - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By Brad Fridell - June 17 - 10:00 am

  Coming from a convertible BMW, I couldnt imagine anything else. I was all set to buy it, but my neighbor, a service manager at the Saab dealership, asked me to take a look just for comparison-sake. My plan was to spend 30 minutes at the Saab dealership, and then go buy my new BMW. Well,I never made it to the BMW dealership. Superior engine kick off the line, quieter with the top up or down, better gas milage, much more spacious front and back, more trunk space, more gadgets standard, and much more unique. By the way, the price of the comparably equipped BMW Convertible was about $6,000 more.

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  Fun. Practical. Unique. - 2001 Saab 9-3
  By John D. - June 17 - 2:00 am

  Base model has power to spare and turbo is a rush. Car merges practicality (safety, mileage, storage capacity) with pure fun. Car offers unique styling and near-luxury for the price of a boring Japenese family sedan.

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  Saab Aero - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By DaDrain - June 17 - 2:00 am

  This car glides! Goes 60 to 100 in a blink and you feel like you cruising at 40 on a newly paved road. Impressive acceleration and handling. I had an Acura TL-s which was a nice car and fast as hell, but the ride was subpar. Traded it in for the Saab and now know what it means to drive a true car. The downside? The car doesnt come with a CD changer. The Acura comes with an in dash 6 CD changer. So does the Lincoln LS. Also, if you do plan on playing CDs the storage space for the jewel cases are pathetic. Saab needs to address the CD changer, storage space, and add automatic-up window controls. Maybe Im just picky. I know, shut and drive!

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  First Two Years have been Great - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By jp - June 16 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my 2T Sedan for 2+ years and its been great. Comfortable, even with two car seats in the back. Fully loaded for vacation there is plenty of room. The car gets ~24 mpg in the city (worse when my wife drives it) and ~34 mpg on the highway at a comfortable 65-70 mph. Leather interior is easy to clean when the kids spill food/drinks. So far reliability has been impeccable...knock on wood because servicing will be pricey on this car. Useful speed warning feature as you can pass 70+mph easily. We bought a 2nd Saab (2009 2T Sedan) when it looked like Saab was going under. Look forward to 2013 redesign although not in the market. Wish Saab would remove some features and sell for ~20K.

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  Saab 9-5 Aero - 2006 Saab 9-5
  By Chris - June 15 - 1:40 am

  I originally was planning on leasing a new 9-3 Aero due to a mostly satisfying experience with a 2003 9-3 Linear Sedan; however, I chose the 9-5 Aero because of its redesigned exterior and superior test-drive performance. Theres a nice balance of comfort, handling and performance with the 9-5. The marriage of the car to the 2.3 L engine provides ample power with nice fuel economy. Ive been very impressed with the interior comfort and design. Gauges are straight-forward. HVAC controls are simple, Leather, ventilated bucket seats are comfortable and pratical for hot temp climates.