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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  Fun to drive.... at the beginning - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By David Brennan - January 3 - 4:50 pm

  The electrical system is a joke. Windows are constantly breaking, trip computer goes crazy, electronic locking steering wheel malfunctions and I cant start the car. All problems continue even after services. The worst about this car is the brakes... sounds like a school bus, but according to saab its "normal brake noise". Not very saab like... or is it? That aside... very fun to drive. Would never buy unless under factory warranty and as soon as mine ends Im ditching it.

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  Great all-around car - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By homegirl - January 3 - 10:00 am

  Ive been driving my 9-3 for a year and a half, and must say its a great car. Fun to drive, reliable and has some really neat features.

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  Feel Safe -- Buy This Car - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By 1stTimeSaabOwner - January 3 - 10:00 am

  We wanted a crash-worthy vehicle for my wife to drive. The highways around here are packed with treacherous drivers. (Why didnt we get an SUV? Too big for my wife, a relatively inexperienced driver, and inconsistent with our philosophy and fuel economy wishes.) This is a perfect family car for us. Its pricey, but compared with other cars in its price class, it gives us what we need: safety, room, comfort. If you want a real performer, Im sure youll be happier with a BMW or Audi. You may read of turbo lag, and I can feel this especially in 2nd & 3rd gear.

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  SAAB 03 9-3 - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By jac - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I have found the 9-3 to be fun to drive for local around town, but not for drives over 100 miles straight. The seat comfort is very lacking, inspite of seat controls, lumbar control, etc. I have found good driveability in winter conditions (snow, ice and cold) and diving performance has not been affected. I purchased this vehicle based on the re-design plans and merits. I did not test drive, prior to purchase (ordered prior to models coming to country)and I am not sure that I would have purchased if I would have tested it. The On-star is shown on steering wheel , but has not been installed and install is planned for later this year.

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  Still Great at Two Years - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By tprettejohn - December 30 - 9:36 am

  No problems with this vehicle at the 2 year mark. This is my second 9-3 convertible, this time in a 5-speed. Gets about 32.5 mpg on the highway on a long trip. Turbo engine has great power for 2.0L 4 cyl. Front seats very comfortable.

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  Fun & Fast - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By David3d - December 29 - 10:00 am

  The Saab 9-5 Areo is a very fun car to own and drive. The car is flat out gorgeous to look at (midnight blue w/ tan interor) both inside and out. I still find myself admiring its styling. Driving is a blast, espeacially highway driving. The car has very good acceration on the freeway. The sport mode makes driving in tight rush hour traffic a blast. Quick acceleration to jump into gaps- it make the commute fun. The sound system rocks. But please dont buy one, I like having the only one, keep them rare. What is not to like? In my mind nothing.

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  Great Car from an New Company - 2011 Saab 9-5
  By gbytes - December 25 - 10:25 am

  I received my 2011 9-5 Laser Red Aero today. It is visually different from anything on the road and IMHO signals the beginning of a new era for Saab. I have been fortunate to own several high end Audi, BMW, and Mercedes automobiles. When shopping for a car this time I wanted something different from those (excellent) German vehicles. The 2011 9-5 is beautifully made and a very tasteful exercise in restraint. Having recently traded in my A8L it is nice to have a break from chrome and wood. The 9-5 feels very secure on the road and the 2.8L provides more than adequate performance. The pot holed B roads in New England do not break the cars composure even with the optional 19" wheels.

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  Really a Premium car - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By kakaroto - December 23 - 10:00 am

  This car is excellent, a litle turbo lag, but if you control the foot, you can made amazing acelerations, is fun to drive, the driver seat is rigth, the stability is correct, the sensations is like a airplane without wings, you feel that you are drive a premium car.

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  Lemon! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By no more Saabs - December 23 - 10:00 am

  This is a great looking car, fun to drive, and a good value for what you get. Turbo lag is minimal. Unfortunately I have had numerous computer glitches and one breakdown (with less than 2000 miles on the car) which required the entire engine to be replaced, the car was in the shop for more than a month. Fortunately, Saab customer service is superb and they are repurchasing the car. I am sad to see it go but I am looking forward to having a more reliable non-Saab vehicle. I would be very nervous about holding on to this vehicle once the 4 year warranty runs out.

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  Bought new; now 11 years old - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By john - December 21 - 10:00 am

  Car requires capable mechanic - not most reliable on the road after 50K. Ignition cassette crapped out at 70K ($600 for T5), seals blew at 80K ($1800.00). Im at 88K miles today. However, gobs of fun to drive (w/5 speed). Ive installed many handling fixes (1999 base version I thought was poor) and its great fun now. I recently drove 2007 BMW 328i wagon, 2010 MINI Clubman, 2010 Audi A3, 2010 Jetta Sportwagen, and 2011 VW GTI and decided to keep Helga. None improved on the room, comfort or dramatically in handling to my old SAAB - so what if $2K yearly on repairs?; its still cheaper than buying/leasing $25-$36K cars above. An enigmatic car, right for me.