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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  Won my heart, hurt my wallet - 1996 Saab 900
  By saabsrule - November 6 - 9:45 am

  This was my first car in High School and I absolutely loved it. I bought it from my parents and it was about 14 years old then. This car looks amazing, gets about 27 mpg while driving agressively, and is excellent in winter weather. I drove the manual transmission model which was great fun. The engine was zippy and the car handled like nothing I have ever driven. However, in the 2 years I owned it the tranny went out, it needed a new exhaust system, the ignition module went, the clutch went and what eventually killed it was the headgasket blew. I loved this car and still do, but I could not afford the repairs. They were too expensive and too frequent. I sold her with a broken heart.

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  SAAB 9-7x Aero (SS-Package) - 2008 Saab 9-7X
  By bIll - November 5 - 10:40 am

  This is a Trailblazer SS in SAAB Suit! The Performance and ability to hide in a crowd is Great! Push down on the GO PEDAL and life changes in 5.5 secs flat. Gas Mileage is 13-15 at best, but this isnt for the faint of heart. The Seats dont hold you in the corners like an SS and that would have been an EASY fix (JCI-GM) The Cup holder in the dash was totally a waste of time and money, but SAAB Wanted that. (I wonder why) The Auto AC is a TOTAL JOKE! No feed back loop to confirm real air temp in cabin. (Duh, I guess they didnt have enough engineers that day at GM-HVAC)

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  Fun car at the right price - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By JPC - November 3 - 10:20 pm

  After owning a Nissan Xterra (and dealing with its appetite for fuel), I was in the market for a more economical vehicle at or around $16K. My choices were limited, and I had started to resign myself to purchasing a Toyota Corolla. Thanks to the current GM rebates, the Saab 9-2X Linear was in my price range. The car has a distinctly Saab look in the front, Subaru look in the midsecton, and Saab again in the rear. There is a world of difference in the ride quality between the related Subaru Impreza 2.5s & the Saab 9-2X linear. The spring rates in the Saab are not as harsh as in the Subaru. The styling of the Saab is more mature. Saab also made many safety features standard.

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  Great Car! - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By Tim Choppin - November 2 - 3:13 am

  I purchased the Saab after driving the Audi A4 and the BMW 3-Series. The BMW really left me cold. I really liked the Audi driving experience, but the interior was far more cramped and the price for an equivalent trim level was shocking. The Saab has been fun and generally reliable, with the exception of the rare and mysterious message from the computer about the engine immobilizer. The car keeps running, so I ignore it. The top goes down rapidly and the seat heaters allow me to drive top-down whenever the outside temperature hits about 40. The car has plenty of pep. The rear seats are unique in this class for being truly functional for passengers. The digital media input jack is nice.

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  Great car, but no Acura - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By 1saabowner - October 31 - 3:20 am

  I currently own a 2005 Acura TL 5AT with navigation. My wife traded in her 2001 Lexus ES for the 9-3 Aero with everything, for about the same price as my TL. I really like the seats on the 9-3, which are slightly more comfortable than my TL. However, we werent impressed by all the hard, black plastic throughout the interior, especially when compared with the TL. Acceleration is good throughout the RPM range, but the normally aspirated TL is better. The Saab does shine in safety, with a BEST PICK side rating (1 notch above TL) and GOOD rear impact rating. Not a bad choice, but we like our TL a lot more.

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  Auto Industry best kept secret - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By greeny9 - October 28 - 2:00 am

  This car offers a great balance of ride, handling and accelleration. It has nice qulity feel and look to it both inside and out. So far It has been very reliable.

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  My Jet - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Islah - October 25 - 2:46 pm

  I saw the Combi in 07 and i fell in love with the car, it looked like a Red jet coming from the other side, It looked beautiful and since then i was trying to buy this car but they seldom come out for sell, used that is. I finally bought the car last week, and in love with it. cant stop thinking about it. I didnt know, driving a car could be this much fun. I also have an 02 525i, and it delivers its own fun, but the sheer driving pleasure that this car provides is out of the ordinary. There is plastic all around is because the car needs to be light on its feet like Acura RDX.

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  Frustrated and Fearful - 2006 Saab 9-7X
  By Frustrated - October 21 - 9:46 am

  Ive had my SAAB 9.7x just over 2 yrs. Mileage at purchased 23,000. Before my 9.7x, I owned 1998 Lexus ES and 2002 Audi A6. I travel three months out of the year averaging about 300 additional (highway) miles per week. Repairs to date: over $4,000 from wheel suspension and other minor problems. Last week, the fan for heat stopped blowing @ $340 (I live in Iowa); to the most recent problem--the fuel connector quoted at $700+ (fuel shows on "empty"). And now, I have concerns with performance. All this at 68,000 miles! I change the oil every 3,000 miles, align wheels regularly and do the regular checks on all fluids. Sound system gets hot when on for too long. Im fearful of whats next

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  Could be better - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By CP - October 10 - 4:43 am

  It is a great car, but have had problems with steering wheel locking and key not working car at all,this has happened a few times, they said nothing could be done about it .. problem for that year? Have had electrical quirks, and had to have key reprogrammed. It has speed unreal, can go so fast in seconds. Seats are extremely comfortable, and the gas mileage has been fantastic. It is like the car that keeps giving in the fuel department! The quirks are annoying to say the least for such low mileage, but if I had not had a problem with the above mentioned, the car would rate a 10 in my book hands down.

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  Bought off E-bay - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By OB - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Nice styling, car is very fast in stock trim and handles well. Radio/CD player are descent. Ihad problems with paint peeling in the rear wheel wells,exhaust went, and so did the head gasket. I hope these arent common with all of them.