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 in the Sun - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By WillieA - August 23 - 10:00 am

  I chose my Saab convertible over the BMW 3 series for a variety of reasons. The nutshell reason is it is a better bang for the buck. The incentive laden Saab blows away the beamer from a financial perspective. The msrp of 42K for the Saab would be out of the question for me but with the money rates of its current lease and 6k in incentives, it is a no brainer.

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  Boring - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By John - August 22 - 1:36 am

  The electronics in the car dont seem to be all that reliable, but everything else is aesthetically nice and comfortable. One specific problem I found is the new rotors they installed in the 03 and newer are too thin andneed to be replaced much too often. Very fun to drive though, especially the 6 speed.

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  First Car & $4,500 Loss - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By eurodrive25 - August 21 - 4:46 am

  I bought my 1999 9-5 as my first car from a sleazy car dealer with 132k miles. It looked great and was unique. I loved it at first. First week I had to replace the emission tubes. About 2 weeks later as I was getting dressed for work it died in the driveway. I rolled into the street, blocking traffic and looked like an idiot pushing my car back into my driveway. I ran a stop sign because it stalled and luckily avoided a collision. It cost me tons to fix fuel pump, spark plugs, and carburetor. Weeks after that the timing belt broke on my way to work. On the busiest street possible of course. About $3000 to fix. Sold it for $800. Had it for 4 months, made 3 payments. Lost 4k. Own a 9-3 now.

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  Update - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By NEPA SAAB - August 18 - 9:13 am

  Its been about 10 months since I submitted a 1 year review so I figured Id provide some more info. First, my 9- 3 just hit 40k miles. Outside of oil changes the only things Ive had to replace is front brakes, tires and headlight bulbs. So in my two years of owning the car Ive spent about $800 in repairs. I am extremely thankful for this but I do take very very good care of my Saab. I bought this car out of college after doing a good amount of research. I wanted a nice, sporty car that that offered a little luxury but didnt cost a fortune to buy or repair. The car has delivered in all aspects. If Saab pulls through, Ill buy again.

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  Mixed Feelings - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By AMB - August 18 - 4:03 am

  I bought this car used about 2 years ago with 88,000 miles on it. (My dad purchased a 2000 9-5 aero a few months earlier and I loved his so much I wanted one). Its a fun car to drive, love the sports drive option, and has good overall handling (except in the snow!) Mechanically...I always feel like Im replacing something! The turbo has gone once already, air filters, struts, brakes, and the oil needs to be changed constantly or the check engine light comes on. The pixels in the dash computer keep going as well and it always reads tail light out even though its not. My dad has had similar issues with the dash computer and it is expensive to fix. This is a car I hate to love!

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  Better than the A4! - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Kuribo - August 17 - 5:50 am

  Just picked up a 2006 9-3 Sport Sedan with Automatic and Cold Weather package. Coming off lease on a 2003 Audi A4. Weve only had the Saab for a few days but its really wonderful. Side by side, the performance is better than the A4 1.8T. Smoother shifts, more refined engine and much faster. Interior is really nice and different than German & Japanese cars. The mpg is also quite a bit better than the Audi. Priced the 2006 Saab 9-3 against a 2006 Audi A4 2.0 front driver: the Audi ended up $9000 more. Not worth it! Our first Saab and I think its a great, under appreciated car

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  Fun to Drive - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By Perfect for me - August 17 - 5:06 am

  I purchased the 60th Anniversary edition which I preferred for its "fancy trim" package. I find the car to suit me well as it is small, yet seats four fairly comfortably, quick on its feet yet provides a nice MPG and its stylish without being pretentious.

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  No Resale Value - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By TheRonTonDon - August 14 - 4:40 pm

  DO NOT buy this car on the used market. Bought mine CPO in 2006 for $19k. Owned it for 2.5 years, still owe $11k on this. Heard from dealer that they are going for $4k at auction. So Im in the hole $7k. Car is not worth it. Yeah its quick, gets good gas mileage, and is fun to drive, but thats about it. Reliability is crap. Eats through tires and is in the shop at least 2 times a year. Go with a BMW, youll be much happier.

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  My 9-2X - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Bret - August 13 - 8:43 am

  Great car wish it came with leather seats in the 05 model. I like the Subaru engine and look. Runs very fast and agile. Needs a little better interior design like the new Saabs have to make it more expensive/Saab looking up to the Saab standard not Subaru standards.

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  Great car - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By burner - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Vector for nearly 5 months and 11000 miles. It handles great, has wonderful acceleration and great style