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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  Saab is my favorite - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By Zacharyzoosh - October 18 - 9:33 pm

  Ive owned about 4 9-3s, as I move a lot, and will sell my car before every move. I always buy these. They are one hundred percent reliable for me, and theyre fast. Also, I drove my most recent 2002 9-3 from WA to ID and back, and I got 35mpg on the highway for real, no joke!!! So I think they should change the average fuel economy on here. You only get 25 mpg (lowest Ive seen) when youre driving in city, using the turbo all day. I give this car an over all 9 out of 10. The only brand I like better then Saab is Lexus!

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  Loveable but complicated!! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By merashad - October 18 - 2:30 am

  I love the car for its design and drivibility. The car responds well if maintained. The complicated portion of the car is its electrial and quirky engine light. One day the car is fine and the next, the electrial system can just quit without warning. No, mishaves to complete shut off. If you are looking to purchase this car youll need to have on hand about $1500 due to abrupt problems.

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  Too many problems - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By help wanted - October 17 - 7:50 am

  The problems include, window failure, Onstar malfunctions, transmission slipping, brake problems, plastic door hardware falling off, rattling plastic in the dash. My car has been to the dealer 10 times in 19 months. Save your time & money! By the way - Saab corp has been no help. Local dealer sales dept. offered an insulting buyback option. As you read this & other 9-3 reviews, dont you think its strange about 20% of the cars have the same problems Ive experienced??

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  Too many problems - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By John St. - October 14 - 7:36 am

  The problems include, window failure, Onstar malfunctions, transmission slipping, brake problems, plastic door hardware falling off, rattling plastic in the dash. My car has been to the dealer 10 times in 19 months. Save your time & money! By the way - Saab corp has been no help. Local dealer sales dept. offered an insulting buyback option. As you read this & other 9-3 reviews, dont you think its strange about 20% of the cars have the same problems Ive experienced??

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  Much better than I expected! - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By S.C. - October 14 - 1:46 am

  This is a great car for the money. My last lease was an A4 quattro, nice car too but much to expensive when you can get a 9-3 for $4000. less. I really enjoy the Saab dash and display format. The 2.0t is an awsome engine with hardly any turbo lag. The exterior looks great and I love the new iPod hook-up feature (smart move). All in all you wont go wrong with Saab.

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  Great wheels - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By funcar - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Car has lived up to my expectations. Nice acceleration, great brakes, nice style, super fuel economy.

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  love it! - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By venkisiyer - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Weve had a 2000 wagon since jan 2001 - its a great car, absolutely no problems, great performance, like the interior layout and quality, good external looks (little more conventional than previous saabs), and of course, the dealers always been great during services, etc.

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  Swedes are fun! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By vasco - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Have my new 9-3 2.0t for 3 weeks and love it. Use to have Acura 3.2 TL and that was a nice car, very fast, but terrible in the snow. Saab is much heavier (I think a 1,000 lbs. more) and handles great. I think Saabs are only for people that really want to experience what driving a fun car is all about. Ive had two BMWs and their great with rear whell drive, but you cant beat the Saab. It looks great, handles great and lots & lots of fun. My wife is Swedish & Ive been to Sweden 4 times since 1996 and all I can say is that "Swedes are fun". Would recommend Saab only to those who want to experience a fun car.

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  Horrible Vehicle - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By Anna - October 9 - 9:23 pm

  This vehicle by far is one of the worst made of all time. Bought for 6700 and have put just about the same into it. Engine had sludge buildup even with regular oil changes and all scheduled maintenance. Problem after problem after problem. Truly lives up to its Saab acronym of Something Almost Always Broken... buyers beware of any Saab.

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  Drive of your life - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By doctj - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Saab marketing says : " 95% of people who test drive a Saab end up buying one". I have to say Im one of those. After test driving the Infiniti G 35 MT I wasnt too happy, when my wife suggested checking out the Saab. After the test drive my search was over; the handling, acceleration, implementation of turbo, braking are all superb not to talk of the silky smooth 6 speed manual transmission . Problems: 1. Battery completely died after a week requiring towing to the dealership, and was changed FOC. 2. Onstar lost reception and was reset at the dealership. In summary if you love to drive try out this car.