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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  Earned Respect - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By saabtech - October 26 - 6:14 am

  I had never planned on buying a Saab and in fact all I could remember at the time was how ugly the older Saabs looked. A friend of mine had a 2005 Saab 9-3 and the first time I rode in it I was truly surprised. It was far from the hatchback design of the S900 and it was quick and had nice fit and finish. This began my passion for these cars. I have driven a 2005 9-3 2.0T a 2006 9-3 aero, and two different 2008 9-3 2.0T. All the cars I had were great although I did experience less than stellar performance in the Pirelli and Continental tires that they were putting on the cars until 2008 when the TMPS sensor option was included. I have been very pleased with the reliability of all the cars I owned and feel that the 2008 and up Model Years to have the best long term reliability. This is why I went ahead and purchased one after my lease on my first 08 9-3 ended. The overall fuel efficiency of this car is excellent and seems to beat many other makes for the power output that it gives. I worked for VW and Audi and have driven many of their cars and just don’t feel that their 2.0T has as much power as the 9-3. Even though the 2.0T for Audi and VW has been rated very high I know internally that there are still issues with oil consumption and slug in models that this engine has been used in, and that’s why I would never purchase anything containing their 2.0T. The new styling in 08 really for me was a winner. I had appreciated the older design, but wasn’t a fan of all the plastic rubbing strips and trim that was visible on the outside of the car. I was happy to see that the facelift was focused on the outside and left the interior relatively untouched. The only thing that I wish had been standard on the 2.0T is visible sports exhaust, and xenon option. I really enjoy the interior and the only thing I would have like to see is a little less plastic and more leather covered surfaces like on the door handles and the front panel that surrounds the radio and instrument cluster. The leather I’ve noticed stays in good condition if you maintain it, however if you don’t after about 100,000K the driver’s seat gets pretty rough looking. In older VW models that have leather it holds up much better probably due to several seemed portions on the seat bottoms rather than one large piece that tends to get stretched like in the 9-3.

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  Too good to be true - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Jessica - October 22 - 9:16 am

  I leased this car the first year it came out (I have since been told this was a mistake) because the price was right and because it came with free maintenance for 3 years. Within the first 5 months of owning the car, it started giving me problems. My lease is up this month, and I couldnt be happier. The car is too technologically advanced for its own good, so although it has great "extras," the electrical malfunctions are numerous. Ive have problems with everything from the engine light, windows, radio and locks (they lock and unlock while Im driving on their own) to the gear shift box, in addition to several recalls. On average, the car is in the shop every 4-6 months.

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  Fun to Drive - 1996 Saab 900
  By Prmetime - October 17 - 10:00 am

  I purchased mine brand new and I have had almost no problems. The only one I had was an electrical glitch which was finally fixed and the car has run flawlessly otherwise. It is a great Gran Tourismo especially after I put aftermarket shocks and springs on it. It is comfortable, fun to drive, and has great cargo space.

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  Still Love It - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By ek - October 17 - 10:00 am

  I have had the car for nearly a year now and 11,000 miles and still enjoy driving it every day. It is spacious, comfortable, and handles very well. The only part of the car that leaves something to be desired is the climate control. It is not intuitive, but I have gotten used to it. It is unique and gets good gas mileage. I would recommend it to anyone.

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  Excellent - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By Jocelyne Potyka - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Its a great car!

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  First Saab - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By HCP - October 17 - 10:00 am

  This is our first Saab and boy are we impressed. I can usually drive 5-6 hours and I tire out .... took this on a 450 mile trip and I never tired and Im not small either - 61" and 220. I previously did a lot of braking on the PA Turnpike with our SUV but not with this 9-3 which handled the curves excellently. Ran this first trip fairly hard at 75 mph thru the mountains and still averaged 33-34 mpg. Were so satisfied with the car and the dealership that my wife and I have decided to trade in our loaded Chevy SUV and get a 9-5 so weve really become a Saab family.

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  2nd Saab.....Not my last - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By capt_slow - October 14 - 1:03 pm

  Sold my 9000 Aero with 155K miles and bought a 1999 9-5 2.3T wagon with 120K. Absolutely love it as my commuter car. All options still work and is still nice and quiet. I have however had lot of vacuum problems. Replaced the turbo bypass valve, vacuum hoses, and fixed brake booster lines(Did all the work myself with the help of a friend so very inexpensive). Other than that nothing beats this car on performance and gas mileage. I get a couple mpgs better than my 9000 Aero. My family is full of Saabs and thats for a reason. Fantastic cars if you keep up on maintenance. Hoping to get a newer 9-3 after this 9-5.

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  I feel the need--The need for speed - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By telrod - October 13 - 6:36 am

  Ive had Porsches, Bmws, et al, ad nauseum but this is the first manual Ive had that I need to check the tach to see what gear Im in. Its that quiet and that smooth. When I first bought it Id be going along the freeway at 60 and notice that the tach was at 5000 and I was in 2nd gear. The gears are VERY long in this car. The Viggen drivers seat is the best, most comfortable seat anywhere including Buster chairs and couches at home. Ive gotten used to the torque steer which adds a quirky challenge to stay earthbound. It reminds me of the fishtailing 1980s Porsches Ive had, about which the reviewers used to say, "Fishtailing off a cliff is part of the 911s charm"

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  Great car at Great Value - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By tk421 - October 12 - 10:00 am

  The car get 30 mpg at 100 mph. I love the turbo and zero torque steer. The value is great and the interior is fun. I like the safety and the sporty feel.

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  2003 Saab 9-3 Linear - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Perdition - October 12 - 10:00 am

  The turbo lag on this car is frustrating and dangerous. Initial boost takes a full second or more to engage making crossing a road with traffic impossible. After turbo boost, however, this car propels the car like a high end sports car. Get a manual transmission, not an automatic.