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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  Electrical issues - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By tonyb - May 7 - 7:10 am

  Overall, I love the car, but problems with electrical. Latest is left blinker wont go off. 1100 at the dealer to fix.

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  Having Fun - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By Jason - May 7 - 6:56 am

  The car is great. Handles the road very well, love the turbo power. Very few blind spots. Not many of us on the road so you get a lot of looks.

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  My 1999 Saab SE 4 DR GREAT CAR......... - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Helae - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Great car really reliable, fun to drive, really fast looks classy design, and original Saab interior confront, middle location ignition, and window gizmos are great . Really original and rare, I am a Saab enthuses for now on !

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  The most fun you will have driving. - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By Luckyluciano - May 4 - 2:00 am

  The 205 hp on this baby makes it a fun drive. I also like the fact that it does not look like every other boxy sedan that you see on the road (you know which sedans Im talking about.

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  Best Kept Secret - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By JaeNoh - May 1 - 2:00 am

  Its great that I get to buy a car like the 9-5 for $35,000 while suckers will pay $50,000 for a BMW 530 and get so much less of everthing else.

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  THE CAR? - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By marcin - May 1 - 2:00 am

  test drove the japanese and german rivals. saab feels and rides better. great acceleration in manual but need to concentrate on first gear. good overall car. some reviewers trash saab, im not sure of their validity! im a proud owner, test drive it and make your own opinion. ps. other competitiors have similar performance but you have to rev the engine v high, saab has great low end torque!

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  Great car - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By jay0725 - April 30 - 4:33 pm

  Ive had my Saab 9-3 about 2 1/2 years now. In that time Ive put over 60k miles on it. Maintenance is very important with these cars to keep them from giving you problems. I religiously change my oil every 7500 miles with ONLY mobile 1 full synthetic. Also keeping up with the other maintenance has proved worth while. The dealers charge a lot but its better than having a broken down car. I average 33mpg between all driving. It has the original clutch at 80k, still shifts and drives like new. Brake dust is out of control but brakes have lasted about 45k miles and still over half left. I had one major issue with engine block at 45k. It was under warranty and I got a free loaner.

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  Taking flight - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By Bruce - April 29 - 4:36 pm

  The car has completely lived up to my expectations and the few small bugs I dealt with in my 2000 base model 9-5 were completely absent in this model. The engine is very strong and the handling is very good and often suprisingly so. The bonus set of skills gained at the Aero Academy really pointed out the remarkable breaking and handling capabilities of this car. Kudos all around for the remarkable comfort. The ventilated seats are an additional treat here in Southern California summers.

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  Falling apart after the warranty - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By jjsaab - April 28 - 3:46 am

  This car is fun to drive and has reasonable fuel economy when it is not in being repaired. I am on my 3rd water pump, have replaced several computer modules, gaskets failing in very expensive areas, have electrical problems, etc. etc. I have been told by the Saab dealer that these things happen even if you keep up with the Saab maintenance schedule. I am not sure if my problems are the result of poor build quality, poor Saab mechanics at the dealership, or both. Beware of the reliablity of 2002 Saabs 9-3.

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  Best Car Ive Owned - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By Tim Erskine - April 27 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my Saab 9-5 SE 2.3 for five years, and Im still waiting for it to show some signs of wear. It still drives like the day I bought it. This is the best used car value on the market by far. This is a large, roomy sedan, and I get 30mpg on the highway cruising at 90mph. The car pulls strongly through 100mph (top speed is over 140) and is rock solid at that speed. It has incredibly comfortable seats and the best stereo in any car in this class.