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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  disappointed and shouldnt be - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By whatever21 - September 22 - 12:53 pm

  bought this one used in 2009. cd player broken. headlight wire harnesses broken. front spoiler fell off. paint peeling on control buttons. comfort fan replaced-$600. driver side spring broken-replaced- with new tire $1000. lock system always malfunctions. key fob disintegrated in my hands. cover on third brake light fell off. seat belt retractor just broke-recall item. i am waiting for the next thing to go wrong and i shouldnt be. the engine has been great. the ride is fun although the seats are uncomfortable. have been able to get good gas mileage 31 - 38 and thats what keeps me in it. if I had to do it over I wouldnt. if youre looking at saab used be careful

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  Unreliable Car - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By Sad Saab - August 23 - 2:46 am

  Bought a new 95 Linear on 05/03 with 23 miles. At 3k miles the back passenger door latch jammed. AT 7k the sunroof jammed. AT 14k noise on the front wheel with bearing replaced. AT 35k the trunk would not open. One recall to replace the clamp on the fuel system. AT 41K engine lights on with O2 sensor replaced. At 44K there is a front axle leak and broken belt protector. At 56K heater valve leak. At 58K again O2 sensor was replaced and also the fuel pump. Car just died on the middle of the road. Now at 61K stranded again. Car just choked, jerk and not getting into gear. Very dissatisfied. Maintenance schedule has been followed.

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  I am in love with a 19 year old! - 1996 Saab 900
  By Donsdad - August 22 - 8:28 am

  I just bought a 1996 Saab 900 S convertible. I am in love with her. There are a few mechanical issues which need attention. But because the previous owner cared so much for this vehicle, those pale in comparison to the sheer fun. Riding down I-95 is a whole new experience. I wish someone would revive the make. There is nothing quite as sexy as a Saab convertible. Nothing.

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  Think Twice - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By EuroCarDriver - June 13 - 9:23 am

  Bought this vehicle with 95k and it was a one owner vehicle that was dealer serviced, so thought it would be a good buy. Have had a Saab in the past (92 900 turbo) which was a great vehicle. This 03 model, not so much. Day 3, engine light came on. Something to do with emissions. The grill has even fallen out driving down the road. Twice! Theres been other issues too. Right now the water pump is out. I got tired of the car and its been sitting for a year now. GM ruined what was once a great vehicle. Hopefully Saab will go back to its former glory now that GM is out of the picture.

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  total disappointment - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By cedegirl - June 4 - 10:00 am

  this is my 2nd saab. my first saab (2000 9-3) saved my life in a near death car accident, so i replaced it with this brand new saab (and my first brand new car). imagine my disappointment when the gas gauge broke 2 days after i had it, anthor month after that it broke again, then the locks broke and i couldnt shut my drivers side door, then the remote control stopped working, then the black plastic started pealing off the inside console, the gas gauge broke again... then to top it all off as i was going down the highway at 65mph the entire car just shut off - NO WARNING - it just stopped working. the car hass been in the shop 6 times in under 8 months!

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  GM in SAAB clothing - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By charlie - May 12 - 12:30 am

  Keep in mind thid is a GM. Forget the past reliability. This vehicle begins to self destruct at 50K. Shocks, direct ignition, wheels frozen in place,rugs, interior trim, failure to start, leaky radiator, info display, etc, etc, etc. Stay away till GM gets thrown out.

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  No wonder Saab is bankrupt - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By TriHill - April 23 - 1:46 am

  The city mileage totally stinks on this car, between 10-20 mpg. For some reason on the highway, theres a disparity jump to 30-40 mpg. Great car for road trips, but I am a city driver most of the year, so this is not a good car for that. A lot of the electronics and computer systems onboard have bugs in them. I have had to take the car in at least monthly for these annoying fixes. Customer service is poor for things that should be covered by the warranty, particularly within the first year of car ownership where most of the problems have been happening. I will tell you that the first repair service wasnt an oil change...it had to do with changing a light bulb.

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  92x--The worst car Ive ever owned - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By nomore92x - April 13 - 4:00 pm

  Im leasing this car for two years. Ever since I got it, my arms, hands, shoulders, neck and back have been killing me. i finally figured out that it was the really hard seat pressing into my back causing the back pain and my hands jamming into the Saabs European seating design from the steering wheel, causing incredible pain. I am trying to get out of my lease. Saab has been no help. So now Im trying to just have someone take over the lease payments. I hate this car!! Never again with Saab. Im going back to Subaru!!

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  Buyer Beware - 2001 Saab 9-3
  By lotek - April 7 - 3:40 pm

  If youre thinking about buying a 9-3 Hatchback: dont think twice, just walk away. If you work on your vehicles yourself youll end up tearing your hair out because everything in the engine compartment is so poorly planned, parts are hard to find and expensive. Good luck finding a mechanic that will touch it. I bought this car 2 years ago and have had nothing but problems for the last year and a half (and its been well taken care of). There are so many people saying theyre happy I felt it necessary to share my absolutely terrible experience with this car. I find it no surprise Saab isnt around anymore.

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  Not overly impressed - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By MikeC - April 3 - 10:00 am

  I must admit, part of this is my own fault. I test drove a Vector model since it was the only manual transmission model the dealer had. I then bought an Arc to save some $$$. Well the difference in handling is very noticable. My Arc is too softly sprung to offer top-notch handling. Plus the seats are much less supportive than in the Vector. A major improvement over previous Saabs but still no BMW or Audi.