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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  Love it! - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By grocerygetter - April 13 - 7:50 am

  Love my car. Love it so much. The manual transmission is a blast to drive, especially downshifting to 4th to kick in that turbo. Sturdy and safe and comfy for me (54) and hubby (62) and our family. We couldnt be happier!

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  ok car for the money, very reliable! - 2009 Saab 9-3
  By chris_gallucci - April 11 - 9:14 pm

  Performance: great in snow! turbo lag is very high though Comfort: over roads freshly paved-perfect, anything else-horrid! Value: compared to other cars I have driven/ ridden around in it is not the best, seats are rock hard Fun to Drive: Oh yeah! Interior Design: great the first year it was out, but got old fast Exterior Design: they are like Chevy, they keep almost the same design for a few years, then finally get the idea that people want to see something new Build Quality: the best, except for a tank, I was behind a dump truck hauling logs (one lane road) it dropped a log 6" in diameter, I ran it over, the car suffered no damage Reliability: I can do everything at home (change oil, etc.)

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  Bud - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By lenore - April 11 - 10:00 am

  Best car I ever drove!!! It is a plow horse. Always there and reliable. Pack horse too. Carried home two full sized desks and 2 storage units from Pottery barn in the hatchback. Unbelievable!

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  Love / Hate Relationship - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Vectra - April 11 - 10:00 am

  This is such a great car, it is a shame that I have a Lemon. I was not worried about buying the Vector as soon as it was made available b/c of SAABs committment to quality, however have ended up driving the loaner car more than my fun Vector. There is something draining the battery when the car is off and they have replaced everything: CD Changer, 300W Amp, Window Controls, Battery, you name it. Unfortunetely due to the fine print on the contract since I used GMS discount I have no protection under the Lemon Law. I hope they get it fixed b/c it is a great car.

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  its the little things - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By tb9er - April 11 - 1:23 am

  Move the cup holder! Slight spills and your coffee is now part of your cd player. Speaking of audio components, if a cassette is not part of the system, provide an aux input for the ipod or mp3 played or even better a portable XM radio. Also, improved spearkers would help; perhaps incorporating speakers into the headrests. Try listening to something other than blasting rock (like subtle classical) while moving at 65mph with the top down. Is that Mozart I hear!! Could use a secondary power port. Cruise control cancel should be a "push" not "pull" switch. Seems more intuitive. Light, window, lock and roof switches on console should be illuminated. That said, I love the car.

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  Big improvement - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By dso - April 8 - 12:00 pm

  i had an 03 that gave me no problems other than a squeaky top in cold weather. Love ragtops, and was considering Audi, or BMW. Redceived SAAB early termination deal, coupled with GM program, which would save me quite a bit, so i looked at the SAAB Aero and fell in love with it. Black on black is a hot car. great seats and interior, although I think trunk is smaller. Miss the fold dowm back seat, but it had to be sacrificed for the pop-up rollbars. Still havent figured out the displays.

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  what a car - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By ktm - April 5 - 10:00 am

  This Auto is the best ever, it hugs the road and handles great. It has enough power to get up and go at any legal speed limit and then some.

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  Great design... - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Tom - April 3 - 8:36 pm

  Ive enjoyed this car - it is the best to drive on the freeway Ive owned (or leased). Great seats, great ride at speed, and great performance. Its fun to drive. The downside has proven to be continuing service problems: Sunroof doesnt work, windows wont work, A/C fan quits, headlight quits, for starters. Even had to tow because the parking brake lever stuck in place. The dealer has been great, and always has a loaner ready for the inevitable visits.

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  Great Car - I will buy another. - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By AM - April 3 - 10:00 am

  We bought this car for my daughter and I now ask to borrow it. It is great fun to drive. We have the 5- speed manual and I was surprised by the level of performance. The quality is evident and I especially like the fact that the 2.0 L 4 cylinder has a timing CHAIN instead of a timing belt. We get 37 MPG on the highway at 70 MPH. Driving 60 MPH, I can get over 40 MPG (I did this on a 300 mile trip I took recently on back roads). About 26 MPG in the city. Good quality leather seats. Beware of trying to modify the radio. The whole electronics system in the car is controlled through fiber optic lines that also run the radio. It is expensive to repair the radio.

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  So Far... - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By Red9-2X - April 3 - 4:26 am

  I have owned my 9-2X for 3-1/2 months and so far Im generally pleased with my selection of the Saab 9-2X as my daily driver. Its a refined fusion of Euro-Style & Japanese AWD Technology. I am pleased with its functional side as well as its sporty/fun side. I like knowing that I have several safety features working for me with Side curtain and front airbags, ABS & 4 wheel disk brakes, AWD for slippery road conditions, and the Xenon driving lamps. I also feel secure with the great warranty offered. I really like the cargo capacity. The split fold down rear seats are vesatile feature. I would recommend this car for anyone whose functional criteria match up to what this car offers.