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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  Engine Failure - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By Matt - June 10 - 5:53 pm

  The engine on my 2005 Saab 9-3 has failed two times within the first 4900 miles on the odometer. The first failure occurred in June of 2005 and the problem was diagnosed as a throttle body failure. The failure results in the car accelerating extremely slow without any prior notice. The second failure occurred on July 18, 2005 when I was nearly hit making a left hand turn. The same symptoms presented without any indication that there was a failure about to occur. So be careful!

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  Great Car - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By JWR - June 10 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this car about a month ago and love it. The car handles great,is fun to drive and is extremlery practical. A friend of mine owns last years 9-3 Vector has about 25000 on it and has had no problems so far.

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  Oooh baby! - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By bozsr - June 10 - 2:00 am

  Just picked this up a month ago. Got a great deal and a lot of options (because of a great cash rebate). Normally would buy a stick but my wife will also drive it occasionally and I got the automatic. The engine purs and the turbo adds lots of push at low end. Who needs the stick? Braking is great. Stereo is fine. Auto driver seat is very responsive and comfortable. Interior is quiet. Dealership is very helpful. Just got a 30 day check- up, they put on my plates, checked the systems, washed the car, vacuumed the interior. Its new all over again. Oooh Baby!

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  Sleeper car - 2007 Saab 9-5
  By saab driver - June 9 - 8:26 pm

  This car is a Q ship. It has more power than a lot of other cars in the same price range, handles like a dream, and is very reliable. Who cares if it hasnt had a major restyling in nine years? They got it right then. Very solid, quiet, great stereo, and pretty good on gas too, not to mention crashworthier than a lot of coveted Japanese cars.

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  Honest Review - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By leviphx - June 9 - 11:34 am

  I bought this car used with 63k miles on it and havent regretted it a day since. Knowing the history of these cars however, I made sure I had an independent mechanic familiar with the brand take a look at it before I made an offer (easily worth the $150 dollars). I dont want to put anyone down, but I believe that at least half of the poor reviews this car gets are due to A) Poor maintenance by/no knowledge of previous ownership, or B) Poor maintenance by current owner. Love this car and it will love you back, simple as that. And dont buy a performance (or any other) car without a thorough inspection. Tho people I suppose have been burned by a bad car regardless of their caution I guess

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  Pauls Review - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By pdozier - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Own a 99 black 9-5 Wagon. Great car. Rides like a sedan. Handles better than my BMW 5 series. Needs more storage, which could be accomplished by moving the ignition to the dash (Goes against Saab purists). Great handling, mediocre gas mileage..did not see 20+ until the car had 30,000 miles? Intermittent problem with the on-board computerized A/C (Goes blank, quits working, but eventually works) Dealer is poor (no licensed Saab mechanic) which lowers my rating. Love the turbo power when merging, passing. Would consider buying a new one, but Saab needs to drop pricing. Its not a BMW. Glad to see Saab addressing this on 03 9-3.

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  No justice for one of the finests cars.. - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By fedomg - June 8 - 10:00 am

  When the test drive of the Aero here in Mexico no vendor was at the time and one of the mechanics came with me. We both were atonished. Acceleration is incredible, handling in curves is equal to none and the ride quality, even with the tunned suspension, is absolut comfort. Also tested the 330iA. Just said, "..thanks, but I will have the Saab". Not many 9-5 (neither 9-3s) can be seen in Mexico, so this is realy a head turner. BMWs are now in every corner. What most impreses me is that Saab was not even in my third choice (also considered the A4 and Volvo S60) and almost got unnoticed, if not given the advise to test drive it by a friend.

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  Go manual tranny.... - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By wingnuttzz - June 6 - 10:10 am

  With the employee discount and dealer incentives, I paid 18.5k for a 25.5k car. I went to Subaru dealer, moonroof and heated seats only avail on sedan version of WRX, not on standard impreza or even the WRX wagon. This car drives like it is on rails. I test frove the auto linear and it was underpowered, (165hp) for a AWD car. 5 speed is fun and optimizes performance. Seats I scotch guarded, only complaint i have is that it came with the crappiest floor mats I ever saw. I am gonna buy the Saab mats, $110 if they dont give them to me. Stereo also lacks punch, but its my wifes car primarily and she doesnt play it loud anyway.

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  2002 Saab 9-5 Aero review - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By nate - June 5 - 6:23 am

  I have owned Saabs my entire life, this being the first "GM" saab. I am pleasantly surprised with the ride/seat comfort on long trips. The handling on the Aero is much better than that of a standard 9-5 turbo that I have driven. And the sound system is amazing. Only thing I do not like is the small amount of storage space. Overall, I am very happy with the car.

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  Wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By dean-arammalamma - June 4 - 9:40 pm

  I traded in my Mazda Protege 5 for the 9-2x Aero a week ago, and havent looked back. I was a bit concerned that I would miss the handling of the Mazda, but a week in the new car has put that worry aside! I absolutely love the handling of the all wheel drive, and the kick from the turbo is just a blast! Its like my Mazda and my old 98 Vette combined. Now I ask ya, can you get any better that that?? :-)