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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  One year mark - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By scj - January 5 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding 1st year. Have owned Audi Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Volvo, Acura in the past. Saab 9-3 represented the best value when we went for a new car in August 03. Car has lived up to expectations. The car has the right amount of torque for daily driving. It is pleasant and smooth with adequate power when pressed. The Linear is a nice balance of riding comfort and handling agility (only my Porsche handled better). The car is one of the safest ever built (refer to crashtest.com for testing done worldwide).

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  Black Turbo Powered Beauty - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By chiroprincess - January 1 - 9:16 pm

  This car is FAST for a wagon and SAFE. Its a very sturdy, solid car being quite able to zip up a steep hill without a problem. I also love the design. Several times strangers on the street have commented to me how good looking this car is! Im also impressed how roomy the back is. I can get my large bike right in w/ the back seats down. I also like the low profile of the rear floor easy to get things (including our dog) in & out. I have had some oil leak problems and several hoses that have gone bad in the past few years, but considering it is now 8 yrs old not too bad in repair terms. I just test drove a 04 Volvo wagon and I have to say that I still like my Saab way more!

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  Best car for the money! - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By Paul Hughes - January 1 - 2:00 am

  The Aero wagon could be the most balanced car on the market, if you look at price, performance, comfort, fuel economy and cargo space. The car is has no torque steer like my old Viggen did. The automatic transmission shifts seamlessly, and for a wagon, it corners with minimal body lean. Vented and heated seats are fantastic, and the auto dimming interior and outside mirrors should become the de facto standard on all cars. The Harmon Kardon stereo sounds incredible. This is my second Saab and I still remain a convert to this unique and wonderful car!

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  Very High Maintenance - 2000 Saab 9-3
  By stoker999 - December 31 - 3:06 am

  Replaced the following items: 47K miles--serpentine belt broke, timing chain replaced. 56K miles--turbo replaced 57K miles--DI electronics replaced 58K miles--balance chain, water pump and head gasket changed With the 60,000 suggested maintenance, the repair costs exceed $6,000. Saab corporate thought this was acceptable.

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  Wonderful touring convertible - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By Bristol - December 31 - 12:10 am

  Very good mileage, extremely high fun-to-drive quotient, intuitive controls, plethora of options at a very reasonable lease or used-car purchase price. Many cold-weather features make it a true 4-season vehicle. Good trunk space for a convertible. Opening/closing top is a spectator event. Auto with manual shifting helps the acceleration and overcomes the lack of low-end torque. When turbo kicks in, the high-pitched whine and burst of speed is exhilarating. Comfortable seating, much-improved visibility. Safety features are industry-leading (popup rollbars, best crash test scores). Rear-seat access is improved, although seating is tight.

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  Awful build - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By pkelly944 - December 28 - 11:10 pm

  The car has its upsides: good performance out at the 2.3 w/ the turbo. Brakes well. On the downside: With 80,500 miles, head gasket, oil change never missed. Always has blown blue smoke occasionally, interior electronics fail, headlights burn out monthly. Horrible wiring system. All small things break. Air bag light on for no reason. Has had two tune up under warranty with no resolve for the smoke. Power steering lines replaced. Never would recommend.

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  Was nice until Saab went bankrupt - 2008 Saab 9-5
  By labluebabe - December 26 - 2:49 pm

  40k MSRP new, its lost $27k trade in value in 4 years. Thanks for going bankrupt SAAB, now our car is near worthless and were upside down on the loan! There are no replacement parts, there are no authorized service dealerships in the USA anymore, and theres nobody who is willing to buy this car off us at a reasonable price (because its unreasonable to want a car that you wont be able to fix when something breaks). It drove fine, has quite a few features but its become an antique in just 4 years. All the new cars out now have nice touchscreens and bluetooth and backup cameras.

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  Solid fun convertible - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By 3rdSaabCvt - December 26 - 3:56 am

  This is my 3rd Saab convertible and its great. Nice balance of performance and economy. Ride and handling are way, way better than my previous ones. GM Ecotech engine could be more powerful but is extremely smooth and balanced. Interior is a downgrade from previous cars. Guages look cheap and SID information display was better when at eye level instead of buried in speedometer, but seats are super comfortable seats. Fuel economy is much better than EPA estimates. Im getting 23 in town with AC on and 29 in my daily commute which is 80% highway, again with AC on. Fog lights should be standard and hidden exhaust pipe is cheap, should have polished tips. Great soft top - high quality.

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  Car needs improvement - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By saabisbad13 - December 25 - 4:26 pm

  Electronics are not well integrated. Cannot open truck without using remote or by opening car from inside trunk release. Many rattles and other minor issues still exist after more then two years trying to find/fix them. Engine burns oil, Saab unwilling to fix problem. Two oil consumption tests indicated car burned 2 qts in 4000 miles, and 3/4 of a qt in first 1250 miles of next test and then additional 1/8 qt in next 1900 miles). Saab says it is normal to burn 1 qt per 2000 miles, this is outrageous. This is a GM company wide statement to boot. There are better cars for the same money. This is how GM proves why they are going out of business.

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  S-hameful A-utomobile A-lways B-roken - 2000 Saab 9-3
  By Used2LoveSaabs - December 25 - 3:50 pm

  I bought my Saab used in 03 with 52000 miles on it, expecting to keep it for 10 years. The car has been a constant repair nightmare and all issues are apparently well known problems with this model. The worst issue has been the engine completely blowing at 96,000 miles due to "sludge" build-up. It cost me about $7,000 to replace mine. I have been stranded twice due to DI cassette failure and twice for serpentine belt failure. I have also had to replaced the AC compressor. Do not buy!