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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  Never Again - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Dan A. - March 5 - 5:06 am

  Where do I begin? My "latest" issue is that although the electrical system is working, the car wont start! The Saab mechanic informs me that it "may" be the started, but maybe not. He can replace it for $700+, but if its not the problem, Im out the money! The leather seats are worn out. The fan for the a/c stays on for an extra 15 minutes after I shut off the car. The car rattles way too much. The seals on the back window are coming off. Oh, and the motor for the passenger seat is gone and now starting to go on the drivers side as well. They inform me that the motor is over $700! I can easily say that I will not buy a Saab OR a GM auto ever again. Havent met many happy Saab owners lately.

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  RUN!!!!! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By beth - February 22 - 2:00 am

  DO NOT buy!, bought mine with 27,000 miles, when the car hit 40,000 it was down hill!, rattling under the hood, cup holder broke, radio dislpay broke, panel behind the drivers seat broke, compressor broke, forget about check engine light, ALWAYS on despite paying hundreds of dollars to replace stupic sensor, last 8 months i;ve shelled out $3000, and as we speak, was towed from work to dealer for not starting, not battery either! ive had it!, when it comes back im driving it onto HONDAS lot and prepared to take a hit. PIECE of crap, DONT DO IT!!!!! unless your rich and have $ to literally to throw away!

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  Dont buy one! - 1996 Saab 900
  By tillerysl - November 12 - 2:00 am

  Just wanted to put this out there for anyone thinking of getting a 96 900S. Ive had SO many problems with mine. I bought it used less than 2 years ago, with about 96k miles. Since then, I have poured money into keeping it running. This car averages breaking about every month, more recently every 2 weeks. There are so many mysterious warning lights that illuminate all the time. My first car was an 85 900 Turbo, and I didnt have half the problems I had with the 96. They were obviously MUCH better made before the GM buyout. Buyer BEWARE!!

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  Didnt expect so many problems... - 2000 Saab 9-3
  By AlexisRich - August 3 - 10:00 am

  Purchased this vehicle mid-2001 and has unfortunately been a tremendous headache since end of 2001. Has shut down WHILE DRIVING 3 separate times, towed in total of 6x, is into dealer average of once every 2 months. Manufacturer doesnt seem to stand behind warranty and dealers in this area arent very knowledgeable (if no "code" comes up, dealer says cant fix and need to keep bringing in). Was told by other Saab owners that quality of vehicle line severely dropped once GM took over... Would strongly urge someone to go with a more reliable car.

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  Cheaper is definitely not better! - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By Sad Saab Owner - May 23 - 10:00 am

  So you want a luxury vehicle and a 9-3 is appealing because it is cheaper right. Dont make the same mistake we have all made. I am writing this review to save you time and money. Spend the extra money and get a car worthy to be called a luxury vehcile. Saabs are different but when it comes to reliability and build quality the 9-3 is a definite NO,NO,NO... I wanted to love this car, I paid cash for it. It is a DEFINITE THAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. These problems range from rattles to weird problems with the transmission, brake noise, to things just not working. PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF THE HEADACHE. DO NOT BUT A 9-3.

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  Yes, GM ruined Saab - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By The Mules - March 29 - 2:36 am

  Look at all of the poor reviews previously submitted and you basically have my review. I purchased my 3rd Saab, a 2004 9-3 Linear and what a disappointment. I knew GM had more input in this 9-3 than the previous models, but I still bought one. Thats how loyal I was to Saab. Boy, was that a mistake. Ive lost count of the number of times shes been in the shop; brakes, radio, transmission, rattles, doors unlocking by themselves, SID going blank, key replaced, etc., etc... I wish I could tell everyone who is considering a GM...er, Saab to NOT DO IT! Stay away. Dont let the image of the old Saab cloud your decision. PS: Saab no longer makes fighter planes - havent for some time now.

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  What a scam - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By mike03870 - December 3 - 10:00 am

  i have owned a dozen cars ranging from hondas to BMWs and this is the worst piece, least reliable piece of dung I have had the displeasure of owning. The dealer, Gray Blake SAAB in Exeter, NH has been beyond terrific. Very helpful, straightforward and polite. The car is a different story. Within the first 30k miles, the car completely ran out of oil TWICE. I drove this heap for up to 20k miles with NO OIL before the indicator came on. The most frustatrating part of the ordeal has been SAABs absolute refusal at a corporate level to acknowledge this or rectify it. Just Crazy. Stay clear.

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  keep looking - 1996 Saab 900
  By stuie445 - November 19 - 10:00 am

  too much torque steer makes this car no fun to drive

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  Stay away - horrible piece of junk - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By Bill Wolf - August 20 - 5:50 am

  Stay away from this junk. A $40,000 dollars car that has 11,000 miles has been in the shop 13 times for different repairs. The latest one - transmission failed!!!. The dealer will have to install a brand new transmission after only 11,000 miles. I would not come even close to another Saab car.

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  Dont Buy! - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Saab Stinks - August 14 - 6:36 pm

  Do not buy a Saab! This car is riddled w/ electrical problems! The ECM has a known defect which causes the ABS, Stability Control, Traction Control, brakes all show as failing, then the speedometer and all other dash components stop working! Only fix is to pull over and restart! Talk about dangerous. Saab knows about it and has no fix in sight. Stay clear of this junky car. Bought used 8K and have had it in the shop every month or every other month. Warranty is up in a month and so is my ownership. Time to buy a quality car. All service people at the dealer know be by name- no joke.