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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  1BDSAAB - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By SaabCO - March 8 - 4:50 am

  The car handles like a dream. Plenty of power and takes the mountain turns and hills like they are flat roads. Great gas mileage for a turbo. I average 30 MPG city and highway 50/50 split. Very reliable, dependable vehicle. Drives well in all conditions. I would not trade it for a Beemer/Benz/Audi. Every bit as nice as those cars but without the bloated price.

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  You want to buy a what? Accord? NO WAY!! - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By zfamily - March 6 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned this car 4 years and have put 120,000 on it. With a demanding travel schedule, I couldnt ask for a better and more comfortable ride. Ive had a few minor problems with computer screens going bad on the dash, which arent cheap to repair, by the way - but no major mechanical problems. When I wear this one out, Ill buy another one. Dont waste your time with an overrated and inferior Honda Accord or Camry, theres no comparison (for you die hard Honda Toyota fans). I also own an Accord, my 2nd one. The only reason its sitting in my drive way is because its a company car and I have to drive it. I cringe whenever I have to get behind the wheel

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  Jim - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By Jim - March 6 - 12:06 am

  Absolultely incredible vehicle. The drive/ride is superb; the handling is absolutely the BEST and the safety is above all others. The interior electronics are far superior to any vehicle in its class and all controls are within easy reach. We checked at least 10 other supposedly comparable brand-names before visiting Saab and we were convinced the Arc was THE BEST after 30 minutes of explanation on its safety features and a test drive.

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  Fun Ride! - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By yankercranker - March 2 - 9:30 am

  I have been very impressed with this vehicle. It has great looks with the top up or down. Not too windy/noisy inside with the top down and when it is up you would not know you were in a convertible. Inside lighting at night is compromised due to no ceiling lights. Back seat is only reasonable for kids but not "real size adults. Front seats provide nice leg room (I am 62"). Saabs attention to detail is impectably obvious in the instrumentation. They do need to develop a better wood trim option and DROP the metalic one-must be the GM influence. Bottom line this a great looking/performing vehicle while still maintaining the great ergonomics Saab is known for!

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  Best car I ever Owned - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Guyod - March 2 - 2:00 am

  The car has a solid feel to it. This car loves to be driven fast. Its hard to say no. I only had the car for 6 months but I only brought it to the garage once because the brakes were squealing. Turns out nothing was wrong with the brakes but they did replace the SID display because lines were missing(Covered in warranty). I would smile every time i came up to my car in the parking lot or looked at it out my window. I regret wrecking it. Planning on getting a new one when i save the money.

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  The King of Saabs - 2000 Saab 9-3
  By Barry Abella - March 2 - 2:00 am

  This is my 4th saab (2 spgs, 1 9000 aero, and my viggen). I get more people looking at my car then other cars around. In one day I may see 5 BMW M3s but never a viggen. The speed is awsome. Since they stopped making viggens and have no plans to make an Aero soon, the viggen will reign as the king of the saabs in my opinion.

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  Great car, flawed by mixed reliability - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By GF - February 25 - 5:06 am

  This is a great car to drive, and enjoy. Good size, performance and fun to drive. Unfortunately while it did not cost anything to fix as it is still under warranty, this car went into the dealer about 4 or 5 times over the 2 years for problems related to engine not starting or quitting unexpectedly. I had Saabs before with better luck, so maybe this was not typical.

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  Disappointed - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By Marianne - February 22 - 3:30 am

  Purchased this used w/only 32K (one owner vehicle myself being second) since I have had this vehicle I have had new brakes and rotors cut, fuel pump fixed, transmission flushed(that was at 50 k miles). This tops it all, I woke up at 1:30 am saw strange lights coming from my driveway to discover the hazards were flashing. I tried everything and could not shut them off, looked for fuses etc.. had to take it to a SAAB recommended mechanic near my home and his comments the SAAB is the worst car for the money and be prepared to continually pay for repairs... the repair cost was unbelievable. The problem electrical and the computer board....

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  Revenge of the Nerd - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By JD94 - February 21 - 8:30 pm

  Remember freshman year of high school, when the nerdiest, scrawniest kid from junior high walked into homeroom, huge with a mustache? Thats what this car reminds me of. At first glance, it looks like a harmless suby impreza wagon, look again, its a wrx, one more peak, is that a saab? The 92x is a great car. It is fun to drive, handles well in all climates, it can get decent gas mileage, and if pushed, can accelerate like a fighter jet. I was trying to explain what it looked like to a coworker, and the first thing that came to my mind was, my car is Mini Me on steroids. But in reality, it is built like a pug and runs like a greyhound.

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  Sporty SUV - 2007 Saab 9-7X
  By berne1 - February 21 - 5:00 am

  Got the 9-7X 5.3i this past June for my wife. We really like the styling, the front end is clean and the lowered suspension gives a sporty look. Definitely a better look than the other platform-mates. Get a lot of compliments as well.