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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  Great car!! - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Grreat - November 22 - 7:20 pm

  This is the best car i have ever owned! It is fun to drive and reliable, there have been no problems

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  Love it - great performance and value - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By Steve - November 22 - 8:26 am

  This is my 6th SAAB. Looked serious at Audi A-3, but came back to SAAB because of value for $$. Bought new, now at 42K. Sport-combi, 2L turbo, 6 sp. manual, 17" wheels. Loaded except heated seats. 34mpg hwy! 3 small problems so far; seat memory does not work (after dealer replaced the entire seat memory module, it still wont hold a setting - I give up), drivers anti-pinch windows needed re-calibration, some front end noise at around 20K (doesnt seem to affect performance). I like that I can do my own basic maintenance. Snow tires in the winter and it drives to the ski area on powder days safely and with confidence. The rain sensing wipers dont work great; prefer adjustable intermittent.

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  Power, Style, and Prestige - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By Juice22 - November 20 - 3:06 am

  I bought this car after looking at BMW, Lexus, and Audi. We chose the Aero with the Six-Speed manual tranny after testing out the 2.0 automatic, which was great, but a little twitchy in response for me. The Aero definitely has a better low-end and the manual tranny means I get to control it exactly as I want. This is by far one of the most enjoyable cars to drive. The Turbo is better than most other cars Ive driven. It always turns heads and gets a lot of compliments. Its nice not seeing so many on the road as well. Just had Coolant reservoir replaced via recall. Saab service has always been strong and quick to fix any issues...of which Ive had very few (replaced stereo amp).

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  Stealth Wagon - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By Rob Lichtefeld - November 19 - 10:00 am

  I had previously owned a 9000 Aero and really wanted a large hatchback when I replaced it. However, no one is manufacturing one now. So, I looked at Audi, BMW, MB, and Saab wagons. Finding a wagon with a stick is very difficult here in the US. Both my wife and I prefer manual transmissions. The Saab Aero wagon is the most fun to drive of all of the wagons in this category. Most of the time, I never notice that I am driving a wagon. Other than the rear visibility is better than on sedans.

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  Entertaining Platformed Vehicle - 2006 Saab 9-7X
  By ghack - November 12 - 11:23 am

  Considerable sportier handling than its other shared platform vehicles. Any issues that have occurred, dealership has the utmost professionalism in correcting the problem with few questions asked

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  Nice! - 1996 Saab 900
  By grudolf - November 6 - 2:00 am

  This car handles wonderfully. We purcased the non-turbo 900s to hopefully provide increased reliability. So far have been very pleased. The car has a few annoying rattles coming from the dash but that is the only complaint as far as build quality. Love the fact that it is a safe car, with excellent hauling capabilities. The car is stable and quiet at 85 mph, but the ride is a bit rough at around-town speeds. Overall we are extremely pleased with this cars blend of fun, comfort, and practicality.

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  Third Saab is a Charm - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By Colonel - November 6 - 2:00 am

  Car is a beautiful cosmic blue 5 speed Aero wagon. Had to wait three months to take delivery, but has been worth the wait. Although not as tight a thoroughbred as my 1988 SPG or 1989 SPG it still is a excellant family performance vehicle. Car accelerates effortlessly without turbo lag. Car easily hits rev limiter if not carful and can hit 70 mph is second gear. Still have not approached 5 gear rev limit of car. Suspension is softer than Im used to, but it does make for a very enjoyable touring vehicle. Acceleration from 30 to 100 mph can be dangerous due to the amount of torque available from this light vehicle.

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  saab builds good cars - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By trollhatten - November 6 - 2:00 am

  This is the 4th Saab I have owned. Unlike most American and imported cars, built for somebody who is tall. Excellent performance, impeccable reliability, easy to park, good fuel mileage. What more do you want?

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  Sixth and best Saab - 2000 Saab 9-3
  By Len Avant - November 6 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car to drive. Very intuitive on the highway and 21 MPG around town for 185 horses is better than the 92 900S 140 horse non-turbo it replaced. Very torquey and if you punch it in first or second gear the torque will jerk the steering wheel. Not uncontrollably but not exactly a smooth delivery either. Seats are well positioned and supportive.

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  Best Bang for Buck - 2007 Saab 9-5
  By gummibear - November 2 - 6:43 am

  People too often make the mistake of comparing the 9-5 with top luxury car makers (BMW, Audi, Lex, etc). The only problem is that such a comparison doesnt take into consideration that those cars cost at least $20-30k more when you start factoring comparable extras. In its price class the Saab 9-5 is simply the best value offering sporty power and handling, great comfort (seats + interior roominess), decent gas mileage and a unique design. Really this car is equal parts fun and functional. While the 2.3L turbo takes you 0-60mph in 6.7s, what is really impressive is how it performs in its unique power band (40-70mph). In that range you are accelerating faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera.