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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  It may be slow of the line, but... - 2007 Saab 9-5
  By ultimate95aero - June 4 - 2:38 pm

  The pull between 50-120, scary. I had to pass a guy yesterday going around 55mph and had a small time period to do it in. Shifted my automatic into Manual Mode (complete with steering wheel shifters) and put it in "M3" (3rd Gear). I passed him with ease and came up on the car in front of him in no time. Looked down at the speedometer, and I was at 95mph in what seemed like 4 seconds. Once you get the turbo spinning at 100,000 RPM (yes, thats the correct number), the car acceleration is, Ive said it before, scary. I have had only 2 problems, compared to my problem-some Buick, the ignition coils (DIY $179) are very sensitive, and the gas cap ($14.99) needs to be replaced every 50,000 miles.

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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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  This car makes you unique - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Al B. - June 3 - 11:40 pm

  Ive only had this car for about 2 months and I cant tell you how excited I get when I jump into it every morning. This is a very fun and sleek ride. It handles the turns well, manuevers with ease and when I want to kick it into overdrive I just switch over to the 5M tiptrometer. Just to tell you how well this car handles, I took it to 115 mph the other day on the hwy, and I literally didnt realize how fast I was going. Its that smooth of a ride. Yes, people told me to get a BMW 3 or an Acura TL (give me a break; but I tell you what-this car is just as good as those and the cool thing is that Im the only one I know who owns a Saab! Hows that for being cool.

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  Quick Review - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Mavv23 - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Simply put--this is by far the best GM sedan on the market. Moreover, when I matched it against the stiff entry- level luxury class, it was by far the best value for the luxury offered. But,I did have the GM discount--a whopping 3400.

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  Saab- 2002 -9-5 review - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By Scott Gault - May 27 - 2:00 am

  The Saab 9-5 combines great performance with safety and comfort. This car is better on ice and snow than my 4-WD truck. The traction control is awesome. Great Mileage and stop in your tracks good looks.

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  Went from a Sable to a Saab - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By nelsoncm - May 27 - 2:00 am

  I spent my first 2 months in major buyers remorse, mainly because the ride is so jittery compared to my Sable wagon. I bought one of those cheesy vinyl steering wheel covers to reduce vibration on the wheel. It helps a lot. But Ive gotten fairly used to it. Seats are awesome and I like the rear cargo shelf, which gives you extra room in back. The HK stereo ROCKS! The cupholders, as everyone will agree, suck. Supposed to have decent reliability, but Ive already had it in the shop once, so this remains to be seen. Am I a Saab convert? Dont know, but there is something about these cars on a test drive that grabs you.

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  Overwhelming experience!! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By LUV4SAAB - May 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought my new 9-3 Sport Sedan about a month ago, and let me tell you, I wish this car were out 3 years ago!! The styling of this new Saab is outstanding. This is the first Saab Ive owned, and heads are turning as I drive. The power in the Linear model is great. I love the ability to switch from auto to manual for a little more excitement in driving. The sales staff I worked with was phenomenal as well. Ive never had such a positive and honest car buying experience.

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  Happy with the unique SAAB - 2005 Saab 9-5
  By K. Pospisil - May 26 - 3:06 pm

  This is our second Saab. My husband bought one while in college in Colorado and again recently. We have always enjoyed driving a car that is a bit on the unique side, and doesnt look like everything else on the road today. Our first Saab was a 900S coupe and it was great, even more unique looking than the current 9-5.

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  Style with a price - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Scott Simpson - May 25 - 7:43 pm

  It is obvious that this is a GM vehicle. I looked at audi and BMW but settled with the saab that was thousands less. But factoring in the two times I found myself on the interstate waiting on AAA and the price of the repair bills Audi or BMW would have been such a better deal. Saab also has a problem with its AIRBAGS because I was hit head on by a truck going about 30 mph and the airbags did not even deploy! Problems with softtop leaking... fuel pump, power top not working the list goes on. Buy something else or be sure you have AAA.

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  little car with a lot of heart - 1996 Saab 900
  By Chelie - May 19 - 12:43 pm

  This car is by far one of the safest cars to have out on the road. I was hit on the highway by an 18-wheeler three times, and I walked away from the accident with minor cuts from broken glass. This saab saved my life. Other than small problems (due to lack of maintenance on my end), no major problems at all. I owned it for 6 years, bought it with 101k mikes, and it will now RIP with 168k miles.