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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  14 Months of Ownership - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Jm94 - January 28 - 7:36 am

  I had the Silver Bullet for 14 months before I traded it in. The 92x is a very fun car to drive. On an open winding road, I cant imagine a better vehicle. It also handles extremely well in the rain. Every day use though is a different story. In stop and go traffic, it beats you up. I took a 5 hour road trip and found that it performed much better on the highway than I expected, but by hour 4, my back, shoulders and neck hurt so much I couldnt wait. Turbolag is poor, slow off the line, from 30-70 in 3rd gear, its an F16, arguably one of the fastest cars on the road. Bottom line, this car is like driving a race car. What it lacks in comfort, it makes up for in fun.

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  Get it while you can! - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By SaabFan - January 25 - 7:40 pm

  Ive had the car almost two weeks now and what a blast. Very quick and feels very solid. Love the exhaust note and the low end torque, which I wasnt used to in my previous 98 Saab turbo. If you like to drive this is a great car with the 6 spd manual. While the shift action may not be as smooth as I would like, it enhances the experience much more than the automatic version. While the MSRP may scare you, Saabs incentives make this car a great buy! Excellent car for the money and fun factor!

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  Impressed with ride, not Reliability - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By Last Saab - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 9-5 new in Germany. I bought it for safety, performance, and reliability. Handled great in Europe and is still fun to drive, when it works. Have 70,000 miles on it now and pay average of $600/4 months for service/reoccuring problems. Ex, the clutch system. The clutch lost pressure and became sloppy. Eventually, the clutch no longer engaged! The electronic displays are shorting out, seat controls are fragile. Throttle and ignition controls went out. It is not all bad. The car would cruise smoothly at 130mpr on German roads for 300+ miles/tank with 2x the range in the US. Brakes perform smoothly and stop the car with full control in a short space.

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  vector - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By M.P. - January 24 - 10:00 am

  This was a huge surprise from Saab. Six speed with good passing power. Perfect seats, could have used a bit more room in the rear and less trunk (its huge).

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  My new 93 Saab - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By rbuckman - January 24 - 10:00 am

  The SAAB 93 Vector is a very fun car to drive. Just loving it!

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  Excellent - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By Emily - January 23 - 4:23 pm

  This is a wonderful car. It is safe and fun to drive- not 2 characteristics that usually come hand in hand with a sedan. I love the design and it handles well in winters of Buffalo!

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  saabaru - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By jbg - January 21 - 1:40 pm

  a great car that, with the GM incentives, was less money than the Subaru that it copies. plus it is much better looking - the nose-job makes a BIG difference - and you get Saabs service. interior a bit stark, but a good value for the money when you consider the all wheel drive. if getting the 2.5, be SURE to get manual - auto is VERY sluggish. Love that saab once again has a hatch-back.

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  Got lucky and didnt get a lemon - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By aigoo - January 21 - 10:36 am

  Thought Id add my two cents. Had an issue with the loose screw in the trunk which made rattling noise. Plastics inside vehicles also make rattling noise at high speed but manageable. Mines manual, and so far at 68K over 2.5 years, I havent had any problems with it. I drive mostly on the highways and drive fast. Starts slow but once it gets moving, hitting 100 is easy. I knew going in that reliability is an issue but Im crossing my fingers that mine will last a while longer...

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  Great value but expect some issues - 2006 Saab 9-7X
  By BCR - January 20 - 11:03 am

  If you can get this vehicle for under $35k you would have a tough time beating the value in the higher-end SUV market. It looks great (inside and out), is roomy, and the ride is OUTSTANDING. Saab-GM have done a great job improving the suspension, lowering the floor one inch (makes for easy in and out), and soundproofing the vehicle. If you have small ones, youll love the latch points for car seats - they are extremely easy to get to. 4.2 has plenty of power. We live at high altitude and it takes climbs well. Disappointments - low beams and lumbar support did not work on delivery. Battery went dead after having the radio on for 10 minutes (battery power only). More storage please!

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  9-7x - 2005 Saab 9-7X
  By spencerhartman - January 19 - 4:00 pm

  The styling is a head turner when out on the town. The throaty V8 sound and associated 300 horse power realing make driving this SUV fun. I am also impressed with the tight turning radias and parking ease which my wife loves. Saab/GM has really made the total package SUV. Saab was smart to make a real five seat vehicle and not a so so third row seven seater which most SUV try to be but fall short. Lastly it is nice not to have to pay the extra $15,000.00 other SUVs makers make you pay for loading up the vehicle with options.