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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  2001 Viggen - 2001 Saab 9-3
  By jay smith - February 28 - 2:00 am

  Simply a great car.

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  Not as bas bad as the reviews suggest - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By annonymours - February 18 - 11:33 pm

  This is the 3rd saab Ive owned and the first since GM took over. All my Saabs have been good to me as far as reliability goes. Ive never had any problems and have only had to replace tires in addition to routine maintenance. My only complaints about my 9-3 is that for the price, it should have more performance/HP and the interior material quality is noticeably inferior to my older 2000 9-5 wagon. Braking and cornering on this car are excellent. Acceleration is not, but it handles well at higher speeds and on the highway. You can probably get more out of a car for the same price, but it won;t look as good. As for the reliability of my saab 9-3, I have no complaints.

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  Love my 9-5, when its running! - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By Jessica Gochee - February 1 - 6:38 am

  I bought this car in April 2015 with 131k miles. It ran GREAT for about 2k miles then one day I hopped in it while it was parked in my driveway and wouldnt start. I had no previous issues and the breakdown came as a total surprise. Turns out the starter had gone out due to an underlying key ignition issue. I have to physically turn they key back to the "on" position immediately after starting. I believe the previous owner did not know the importance of this issue. The starter had probably alot of stress on it due to the key not always being turned back and the starter constantly turning and grinding on other things in the car. After I replaced the starter which I got pretty cheap from eeuroparts.com, it ran good for about another thousand miles. Then while I was on the interstate the car just shut off completely while I was driving with no warning signs and was stuck on the side of the road. Turns out the fuel pump went out at 132k. My dad is a certified mechanic and does all my car repairs and he has consistently been very impressed with the overall mechanical design of the car. Replacing the fuel pump was a breeze because it is located right under the back seat! Nice and easy fix. I have had other issues with a squeaky serpentine belt. But the biggest problem so far has been the oil. I do not suggest running 10W-40 like the car initially recommends. 10 weight is entirely too thick for that car and caused some clogging problems. I kept getting an oil alert warning light and couldnt figure out why because my dip stick read that the oil level was fine. Then the lifters started to tick very loudly. Luckily my dad figured out the issue before it was too late. It ended up being a simple fix with cleaning out the oil pan and drilling some bigger holes in the screen to allow oil to pass through much easier. We plan to switch to synthetic at the next oil change, which is what everyone else recommends too. Still havent fixed the ignition switch but it will be fine if you just turn the key like it is supposed to be. Overall, I couldnt have asked for a better used car! I bought it for $3250 and have put about $800 and most likely will not need to spend much more. It is so fun to drive. Stylish and unique! I get compliments everywhere I go and the turbo is so nice. The manual transmission truly makes me feel like I own a jet. The interior is far ahead of its time in terms of its technology and design. Despite these problems, I love it and want to keep it forever. I have not minded putting out the money for these repairs because my father and I are convinced that as long as we keep up the maintenance that it will run till the wheels fall off. I would tell anyone to get a saab that has been taken car of.

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  Different Kind of Car - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By mrcook128 - January 23 - 12:26 pm

  I have driven lots of other cars from Bimmers to Hondas. Personally, I find it to be a beautiful car. The drive is refined, with a more compliant ride than my Mazda6. The steering is precise, although the body will understeer out of a tight turn if youre not careful. The engine is leaps and bounds better than any turbo-4 Ive driven short of the Subaru WRX. The power delivery is strong and fairly smooth. The much-maligned interior layout is perfectly simple to me. The seats, though comfortable, lack any sort of grip, and are short on lateral support. The 6-speed is a bit heavy, and can be a bit tricky with some of the throws. The brakes are adequate and have good feel.

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  Im suprised they dont sell more - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By newsaabowner - January 13 - 10:06 pm

  Im new to the SAAB world. I am a car nut. I considered this car based on price. If I could have afforded it, I would have gotten the 325i. I didnt want an accord or a camry. In terms of price, this is a similar car to an accord with leather when you calculate the lease. But the saab gives you soo much more. You cant beat the safety items on this car..large tire, large brakes, stability control, traction control, #1 in safety both side and frontal. This car is small on the outside, huge on the inside. I got the manual 5 speed. Its a nice stick...not as nice as the bmw, but nice. I am tremendously happy with this lease and Id do it over and over again. Very zippy on the highway!

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  Great Car, some problems - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By TRudd - January 13 - 9:10 pm

  I bought this car with 50,000 miles on it from a dealership and was the 2nd owner. A day after I bought it, the head gasket went out. The dealership paid for labor, I paid for parts ($300). Needless to say, this should not happen with a car that has 50,000 miles on it. After the repairs, I havent had any problems... yet. I love this car, a little more interior noise than my Honda Accord - but much more fun to drive, better looking, and gas mileage wasnt all that different (28 mpg/hwy with the Saab; 28-29 mpg 97 honda accord 4 cyl).

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  The best used car you can get for your money. - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By zidjan - December 25 - 12:16 am

  I started with saab 10 years ago, bought the 1999 model but has tons of issue. Sold it cheap and I ended up with the 2002 model se at 80K miles. Nowthe car has 120K and had no problems at all. Its all been fun with this car...205 hp and gets 30mpg hwy miles driving 65-70 mph. So my conclusion to new buyer out there, research the history of the car, if the car has always used synthetic oil and been taken care of well, chances are youll have a good reliable car...but if anything points out that this car has not been care well then buyers beware. NEVER Buy this car if you are going to treat it like a Honda or Toyota. Youll reap what you sow.

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  Uncomfortable Seats! - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By NOVA SAAB 9.3 Owner - December 21 - 8:23 pm

  Maybe I just got a lemon. The seats on this otherwise wonderfully fine convertible are HORRIBLE. I really dont know what to do and I grimace every time Im about to get into the car. Just for this reason, I recommend nobody consider this car.

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  Objective 2003 Saab convertible review. - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By geek - December 10 - 8:03 pm

  Quiet (yes a convertible) solid feel, comfortable seats, highly responsive engine, reasonable few blind spots, good MPG. Some odd features but not annoying and something Saab is noted for. The torque steer nonsense you read about is something that average drivers will never notice or care about. This is nice riding and driving car, that was a great purchase. It has all the options that you would expect in a car that sold and sells in this price range. The higher than normal depreciation means you can buy an expensive car for less. The cost of repair is not out of line with any high end car. BTW the trunk is functional for trips, the back seats go down to extend the storage.

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  Saab 9-5 Arc - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By - December 10 - 2:00 am

  In 2000 miles, Ive experienced a car with oustanding highway & city driving capabilities. The seats are exceptionally comfortable (w/ heat and a/c !) Driving through a downpour on the highway provided me a great deal of confidence due to traction & stability control. The Sport mode on the trans. launches the car like it has 50 more hp The stereo (240 watt Harmonn Karden) is awesome. The build quality is very good.