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:

• 

  Best Value on the Road - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By pmgreene - April 26 - 10:50 am

  I love this car. Saab has greatly improved the ride and build quality of the car. I have owned Saabs in the past, and this one much smoother over the rough roads here in New England. Many fewer rattles and overall a much more refined experience. The best thing about this car is the balance of fuel economy and performance. I do a lot of highway driving, but I average 30 mpg. I dont understand the EPA ratings. I had a Lexus IS with the same EPA rating and never got better than 25 mpg in that. I am very happy with the Saab and highly recommend this car to anyone shopping in this segment.

• 

  Typically good Saab - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By sgylfe - April 24 - 2:00 am

  This is my third Saab, and I have found them to be dead on in terms of ride comfort, lots of convenient features, great trunk space and passenger room, and has great turbo. Gas mileage isnt as great, but thats with city driving.

• 

  Viggen Convertible - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By FAB - April 22 - 10:00 am

  For those looking for a "true" sport convertible with a real backseat, the Viggen should most definately be considered. The car is fast, well made, with very good space and fuel efficient to boot. I live in New England which is Saab territory, but Viggens are rarely seen on roads (I like that)Very much a 4season convertible(though,watch out for bad weather given the fat tires) & still fun to drive with top up. Also did the Flight School which was a total blast. I got a very good deal, which made my decision easy when combined with attributes of Viggen vs. competitiors (BMW, Volvo, MERC, US).

• 

  Jet Fighter with Cargo, uses Reg Gas! - 2006 Saab 9-5
  By Paul F - April 22 - 4:20 am

  If youre into performance and styling but need a wagon (for family) and conscious of gas price, then the Saab 9-5 Aero SportCombi tops them all. This car is meant to be driven so hang on (esp. Sports mode) - youll feel the G force! Tremendous acceleration, agility, cargo, brakes and sound (Harman-Kardon). Drinks regular gas & retains performance. Recommend the Aero (Sports) & Safety Pack - best value, everything except GPS. Great reliability. Only con: could use a bit more upgraded interior. Prev car: BMW-5 350i Euro.

• 

  I love these cars - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Pat - April 21 - 7:50 am

  In October of 04, I bought my first Saab, a 99 9-3 S sedan. for 8 months, I loved this car. Then one June night, I was rear ended by a drunk driver at 40mph while I was at a stop... this car saved me from much pain. Since then, it has been replaced with a 99 9-3SE HOT. The AC Compressor binded, shredding the serpentine belt. $1200 dollars later, all is well. Its a joy to drive, gets a lot of looks, and people assume you paid so much more then you did. Rule of thumb is, this car breaks down less then most, but when it does it hurts the wallet. If you cant foot a 1000 dollar bill bi-annually, then this is not the car for you. I love it to death. Drives great, looks great, worth it.

• 

  VERY GOOD CAR! TRUE WINNER! - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By ALEJANDRO114 - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Its a very nice car,with all the toys for fun. Very responsive,handsome design.

• 

  New Saab owner - 2007 Saab 9-7X
  By Chicago 9-7 - April 19 - 4:16 am

  I looked the the GMC Envoy Denalli and SLT with the 4.2. In the Envoy there was a huge difference between the Denalli and the SLT with the 4.2. The 9-7x falls right in between as far a comfort and ride. You get much more luxury with the 9-7 than with the Envoy SLT. The 9-7s ride and handling with the lower profile and larger wheels makes a dramatic difference. Unless you actually want to drive somewhere off road, I would choose the 9-7 vs its GM brothers. The downside is the quality and fit and finish are still GM. Youre not buying a lexus.

• 

  Too Much Hassle - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By John G - April 18 - 2:40 pm

  Lots of mechanical issues. Two ignition modules, SIDs display is failing, heater controls cause the right side to switch to uncontrollable full on heat. Engineering stinks - catalytic converter right next to oil pan and cooks the oil. Must change the oil at no more than 5K miles. Very noisy interior. At 60,000 miles the engine failed. Recommended 10K oil changes followed religiously. Saab knew this was faulty but did not publicize in States tho Europe knew all about it then tried to stiff me on an engine replacement until lawsuit broke loose a new engine. Apparently system does not save fault codes on many failures.

• 

  SportCombi - More than a Sedan / Minivan - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By BikeFit - April 18 - 8:26 am

  We have just crossed the 500 mile mark and the car has performed great. Out on the highway the car does well for a midsize car (e.g. semi trucks that went flying by us didnt move our car as much as our minivan) and around town the car is a blast to drive. The safety features are second to none and car has many luxury features with impressive build quality - no rattles. Back seat comfort and cargo area exceeds the rest of the cars we looked at (Volvo, Audi, Honda) and meets our needs as well as the minivan does during arond town drives. The controls and radio are simple and easy to use. Speed warning feature is very nice and provides another safety feature (i.e. no speeding tickets).

• 

  Great SUV for the price - 2007 Saab 9-7X
  By EstateAttorney - April 17 - 4:10 pm

  We currently have 20,000 trouble free miles on our Saab 9-7X. I bought this SUV because it looks & feels as good as the Porsche SUV but for far less money. The handling is excellent for an SUV, the acceleration is more than adequate considering we did not opt for the V8. It feels like you are driving a more expensive car.