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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  AMAZING - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By case - April 11 - 2:00 am

  Ive had the Audi A4 and BMW 330xi all in the last few years, and they cant even touch this car.

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  Lets hope it keeps up - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Daan - April 11 - 2:00 am

  I plan on racking up miles fast so it will be interesting to see how she holds together. I plan on being in it for the long haul, so we shall see how we look in after six years and 150,000+ miles. The first 500 miles have been a delight and a refreshing change from the 3-series BMW I traded in. There is a learning curve to go through with the many functions, but it is user friendly. I suggest learning these functions in your driveway and not on the road…Thus far the experience has been great.

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  Zoom - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Mysaab - April 11 - 2:00 am

  Nice car - fast and good looking! Backseats are pretty useless.

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  Read this before you buy!! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By MikeCo - April 11 - 2:00 am

  This is my second review of this car on this forum. Im now up to 8200 miles and the car has spent a total of 7 days at the dealership for different electronic glitches and engine issues. Also, I got into a minor fender-bender and it took five weeks to repair because Saab couldnt provide a tie- rod. Needless to say, parts can be difficult to get for this fairly new model. By far, the least reliable car I have ever owned. I took off the standard 16" Pirelli tires because they were terrible and upgraded to 17" Sumitomos. Big improvement. Please email me if youd like any other info. on this model. There are much better cars out there.

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  V6 Turbo Power - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By Pete - April 8 - 8:13 pm

  My first Saab. I looked at BMW, MB, Audi but purchased the Aero because it was better priced, less "common," and the performance is equivalent (especially with the V6). Excellent dealership service, very few issues over the past 18 months (defective battery shorted), and it turns head in the dark Fusion Blue. Glad to see Saab has been purchased and will continue on!

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  Great car, great price - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By burt - April 7 - 4:43 am

  We have had absolutely no problems with this car through the first 41K - a first for me with new cars. It is responsive, comfortable and fuel efficient. If I had to find any knock on the car it may be that it does not idle as smoothly as a BMW, Toyota or Nissan. I would buy this car again.

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  the best of the best - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By cr92290 - April 6 - 2:00 am

  This feels so fast. It is the best long distance car you can get other than a Bently. very good MPG

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  Saabaru? - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Paul - April 5 - 5:23 pm

  Nice car. Drives nice, roomy, comfortable, AWD, economical, and great price. Good warranty and it is a Subaru (Subaru, known for its reliability, made the car -base on Impreza- GM worked on quieter and upscale interior look.) Many people asked me what kind of car was it and if I ordered it from Europe

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  What high hopes......What a mistake! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By bd - April 4 - 1:46 pm

  I searched for a used Saab to replace my 02 Passat and found an 03 9-3 Linear w/Touring Package. The car was beautiful, and had all the difficult to find bells and whistles I was looking for in the Linear. However, as we all know, looks arent everything. The car has been at the dealer 10 times in 5 months. It takes forever to get parts and the techs are terrible at diagnosing problems. Saab North America could care less about customer service, their reputation, or dealer service standards. Tomorrow, the Saab is going away in favor of the 06 Passat. Word of advice, stay away from used or new Saabs until they start building quality w/ a decent residual

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  9 Kick Butt 5 - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By JDSOlds - April 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought a 2002 Nissan Altima with everything. You know what it cost? $29K out the door. You know what it was put together like? A $18K Altima model with a higher sticker. So, I said life is too short and took my wifes Chrysler Sebring convertible ... AND my brand new Nissan Altima 3.5 SE and traded both in... For a 9-3 Turbo Convertible and a stunning black, Saab 9-5 ARC 3.0t. The SAAB is way faster than the 240HP Nissan with only 200HP and get this.. The sticker read $39K (SAAB incentives lowered it to $34K) and it is screwed together better than my fathers Lexus 430LS... Saab.....way to go. The best car I have ever owned.