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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  A work of art! - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By wholechild - February 4 - 8:33 pm

  After looking at an Acura 3.2 tl type s and a Passat 1.8T, I purchased a 9-3 SE with premium package, heated seats, metalic midnight blue paint, auto. Great seats, very fast, huge cargo space, quiet at speed on the highway, beautiful and simple interior, kickin stereo. This car grows on me every day! The dealer experience was great.

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  Best Value in a "Drivers Car" - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By ssd2000 - February 3 - 10:00 am

  Considered several cars, including VW Passat, BM 3 and Z Series, a slightly used 540i, and looked real hard at a G35 Infinity. Using the 540i as the "Benchmark", I thought the Aero was closer than anything available for under $40,000. The suspension damping was superior. The Infinitys sport suspenders were too stiff and standard was too soft. The Aero was in between, and therefore correct. Plus, I really wanted a 5-speed. What is shocking is that magazines never write about this car, which works as a real advantage come negotiation time. All in all, very satisfied.

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  Love my 9-5, when its running! - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By Jessica Gochee - February 1 - 6:38 am

  I bought this car in April 2015 with 131k miles. It ran GREAT for about 2k miles then one day I hopped in it while it was parked in my driveway and wouldnt start. I had no previous issues and the breakdown came as a total surprise. Turns out the starter had gone out due to an underlying key ignition issue. I have to physically turn they key back to the "on" position immediately after starting. I believe the previous owner did not know the importance of this issue. The starter had probably alot of stress on it due to the key not always being turned back and the starter constantly turning and grinding on other things in the car. After I replaced the starter which I got pretty cheap from eeuroparts.com, it ran good for about another thousand miles. Then while I was on the interstate the car just shut off completely while I was driving with no warning signs and was stuck on the side of the road. Turns out the fuel pump went out at 132k. My dad is a certified mechanic and does all my car repairs and he has consistently been very impressed with the overall mechanical design of the car. Replacing the fuel pump was a breeze because it is located right under the back seat! Nice and easy fix. I have had other issues with a squeaky serpentine belt. But the biggest problem so far has been the oil. I do not suggest running 10W-40 like the car initially recommends. 10 weight is entirely too thick for that car and caused some clogging problems. I kept getting an oil alert warning light and couldnt figure out why because my dip stick read that the oil level was fine. Then the lifters started to tick very loudly. Luckily my dad figured out the issue before it was too late. It ended up being a simple fix with cleaning out the oil pan and drilling some bigger holes in the screen to allow oil to pass through much easier. We plan to switch to synthetic at the next oil change, which is what everyone else recommends too. Still havent fixed the ignition switch but it will be fine if you just turn the key like it is supposed to be. Overall, I couldnt have asked for a better used car! I bought it for $3250 and have put about $800 and most likely will not need to spend much more. It is so fun to drive. Stylish and unique! I get compliments everywhere I go and the turbo is so nice. The manual transmission truly makes me feel like I own a jet. The interior is far ahead of its time in terms of its technology and design. Despite these problems, I love it and want to keep it forever. I have not minded putting out the money for these repairs because my father and I are convinced that as long as we keep up the maintenance that it will run till the wheels fall off. I would tell anyone to get a saab that has been taken car of.

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  Saab more bang for your buck! - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By Alexandertx - January 31 - 10:00 am

  The interior may be is simple, but very fuctional and neat, the seats are roomy,the trunk has a good space and you will save gas and money. Its fun to drive this car and very peppy!. For all the extras you will pay for others, you can drive this little devil!

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  Very good car - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By JohnnyDR - January 31 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Saab, Im really in love with this convertible. Its quick,handsome and fun to drive. I was in the BMW fellowship but I trade for the Saab. I drove the BMW 325 convertible and fells skimpy, may little more luxury inside but boring and when you add the extras the price go up!!! The Saab in the other hand is, clean,user friendly and the conering is awsome.

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  End of the Road - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By spidaman - January 31 - 5:23 am

  After 4 yrs with this car, finally turned the lease in to buy a 9-3 convertible @ 0% financing. My long term impression of this car was quite good. In fact, I had intended to buy this car at the end of lease when the 0% deal came up. There was a small leak in the sunroof from a poor seal when I first bought the car, fixed under warranty. After that, only required routine maintance over 61K miles. Most reliable car I have ever owned over 4 years. The 185 hp sometimes made me wince, and strained at times merging onto highway, but putting in sport mode usually solved all problems. Was excellent in the snow with all-season tires. Never bought the snows, although I live in MN

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  For a used car there is no equal, but... - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By Love/mild dislike - January 29 - 7:56 pm

  Reliability is less than stellar. I love my Saab. For the price it is far superior than any other car. Ride is excellent, lots of power, great ergonomics/comfort. I bought a used car w/49K miles, however the turbo blew at 53K (covered under warranty + free towing), the paint is VERY fragile (has gouges in hood from the tow, and keeps getting scratches in parking garage from other drivers resting briefcases on the trunk, top). I am now taking maintenance VERY seriously (there are several other common problems). However, for the safety, performance, and style there is no equal.

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  Fun, But look out! - 2001 Saab 9-3
  By DooleyW - January 29 - 10:00 am

  The Viggen is a joy to drive, just know that gear selection is very important as turbo lag can put the unwary in precarious positions in a hurry. Watch out for the expensive wheels, they are easily bent. The wheels are not cheap to replace. In 20,000 miles of city driving Ive had to replace 4 wheels. If you buy a Viggen, for Gods sake, get plastic impact covers for the fog lights and the headlights, it costs more to replace one headlight than the entire windshield. Performance-wise the car is a joy but requires much of the driver. The Viggen doesnt suffer so much from torque-steer as it does an exceedingly light touch when hard on the gas.

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  Run, dont walk away from this car - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Pamela - January 27 - 3:40 am

  We bought our 1999 9-3 Saab with delight after a lot of research. It had 29,000 miles on it and we got a good deal. We have spent thousands in repairs on this car. The quality is terrible, with major parts wearing out and NO warranty to cover the expenses. We thought Saabs are good quality cars, and that is simply not the case here. Run, dont walk away from the 1999 Saab 9-3!

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  50,000 miles per year - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By Herb Hirsch - January 24 - 10:00 am

  This car has demonstrated outstanding reliability under very high usage averaging 50,000 miles per year. Saabs recommended maintenance has been followed consistently, and only Saab parts have been used. Now at 225,000 miles everything works flawlessly. I expect to put between 300,000 and 400,000 miles on the car before replacing it with another new Saab Aero. Today, the car still gets 27-30 mpg on the open road at cruising speeds of 70- 75 mph; weather is the major cause of variation in mpg when speed is in this range. I added XM radio and a Nokia hands-free cell phone to the car.