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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  Gambled on a Swedish hottie... - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By bca1995 - February 4 - 10:00 am

  Disappointing dealer experience, but satisfied with the car. Enjoy the quirky styling; very different. Like the turbo and 4 dr utility. Awesome brakes, supermodel looks. Disappointed in the quaility of plastics, both inside and out (outside door handles already fading, cheap plastic trim inside). Wish it had more power off the line, but it has surprising mid-range acceleration when merging on the interstate. Rock solid at 100 mph. I describe it to my friends as my "upscale economy car", which is exactly what I was looking for.

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  Enjoying my Saab - 2010 Saab 9-3
  By smg - February 2 - 10:00 am

  This is my third Saab. Im enjoying this new 9-3 a lot. The car is very quiet and has a nice smooth ride. I really like the sound of the Bose stereo. My car has Onstar and I like the turn by turn navigation which shows the directions on the radio display. I got a great deal on the car.

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  Saab-The Bedington Terrier of Cars - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By Spencer Aronfeld - January 29 - 5:06 pm

  I had a Saab 25 years ago and still dream about it. I test drove every car on the market and nothing provided the drive, look, quality and fun of the 9-3 for the price. BMW too expensive. Lexus, too boring. MB too common. This is a unique car. I leased it with an automatic (my only regret so far) in Fusion Blue. Dealer worked hard to make the deal. On Star is a great feature and already worked to unlock my car when I left the keys in side. If you want a unique car with lots of personality, I recommend it. Make sure dealer puts air in tires and balances wheels before you drive off lot if, like mine, it had sat there for months. Saab is a European car owned by GM. Love it!

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  SAAB Rocks - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By Rick Rock - January 27 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned four other SAAB models and they just keep getting better. The General (GM) is adding some nice touches and improvements - better climate control system, braking, quiet interior. Superb Harmon Kardon sound system, sport car handling, room, comfort and nearly 30 mpg! The best Saab model to date.

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  saab 9-5 - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By john sise - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Good handling, great ride, comfortable seating, adequate luggage space - would be better if they still offered a hatch. Power seems slightly better than my 2000 9-3 SE, which isnt bad, but it should have more to make it superior to others in its class. Also should come with sportier tires and wheels to improve the handling even more.

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  Exceeds my expectations! - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By Mojodad - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Never considered a SAAB before I saw the special offer they had on my car (04 linear) in the dealership. Traded in my 02 TDI Golf (worst car ever owned). So far the SAAB has been flawless on the first 1000 miles! Strog engine, high milage and so much fun to drive!!! Equal or better than my 99 A4 quattro with sport package. Still need to get used to the ignition switch location.

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  Love this Dependable Smart Convertable - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By Scott Stiens - January 22 - 2:00 am

  I have had many cars, and still do: a DeLorean DMC-12, a Honda Accord, a Honda Civic, a Nissan Maxima, a convertable 77 Buick Skylark convertable muscle car, and in the end - - I love the Saab best -- it has all the best of the others, even the sex appeal of the DeLorean with the Saab curves and hidden retractable rag top! They are an especially good buy one year old, and the warrenty lasts five!

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  A Good Start - 2001 Saab 9-3
  By wineman - January 21 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I looked at every class of convertible from the corvette to lexus to sebring and found that the saab had the best to offer. We wanted a convertible with enough storage to go away for a weekend with golf clubs (two sets!) And we like the automatic retractable top with a glass window that has a built in boot to cover the cloth top for a nice clean look (unlike a jag). Lots of nice speed and front- wheel drive is nice too. Sticker was higher than a BMW325, but the dealer lowered the saab price about 7K and BMW wouldnt budge.

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  loving this car (again) - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By thorgan - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Went from a 99 9-5 to a 01 9-5 Aero when the first lease was up. We really liked the first car, but found that there were times when we could use more power (e.g. when attempting to merge into Boston traffic). The Aero has that power, and more. It rides incredibly well, is very comfortable, and (knock wood) weve not had any problems at all with it. We now have about 10K miles on it. We found with our first car that the 9-5 actually drives better the more miles it gets on it. That seems to be true with the new car as well. At 10K it seems to be just getting broken in.

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  euro quality - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By ernst - January 21 - 10:00 am

  I look forward to drive my Saab and use any excuse I can find to drive it instead of my wife getting behind the wheeel.We both enjoy its handling and performance and can feel the european build quality all around us.