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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  Starting to regret my lease... - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By saab93owner - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I just recently leased the first 05 Arc my Saab dealer received. The lease expires in a year by the way. While the car looks nice and drives nice, the interior leaves something to be desired. The night panel function is lovely but theres too many buttons and cheap plastic everywhere! Im also not impressed with the build quality. The doors have a junky, tinny feel to them.

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  Slow and quirky - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By dumpdit - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I know, I got the Linear and performance could be better, but the biggest downsides of this car are the random layout of the interior controls and the soggy performance and handling. You have to punch, turn turn punch to go AM to FM and the sound is the worst stereo in recent automotive history. The base engine has bad turbo lag and more torque steer than you would like. Better give it some consideration before jumping out in traffic.

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  Worst car ever - 2001 Saab 9-3
  By stacy - August 29 - 12:23 pm

  I purchased a used Saab that had 35,000 miles when I bought it. In a 2 yr. period it has had approx. $7,000 in engine work done on it and the problem is still not fixed. It doesnt matter how many bells and whistles a car has if it wont run. I am not sure what kind of aircraft this car was born from but I would not want to fly in it. My advice is run, run far away!

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  Be careful... - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By JCool - July 16 - 10:00 am

  After 1800 miles a new transmission unit was installed because the last one caused a loud grinding noise when shifting into second gear. At around 4300 miles, the same EXACT problem with tranmission happened again. The second time my car was worked on, the problem was actually worse. The problem only occurs when the engine is cold. In addition, "engine malfunction" light has come on twice. Power seats didnt work properly. The radio has messed up. A headlight has gone out. All this with less than 5000 miles.

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  Shameful - 2000 Saab 9-3
  By getts45 - July 11 - 8:06 pm

  I would expect a lot more out of a car that claims to be an upperscale car. Been a constant nightmare since purchased. While driving it home from the dealer it broke down- $300 repair. Two months later again. $700 repair. then twice more each over $150 repairs. It rides clunky, choppy and stiff, rattles and the body hardware is terrible: door jams wear easily, under the wheelwells wear to the bare metal, and the only good thing is the power and fuel economy and the looks of it. Stay away from this car!

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  Perplexed as heck!!! - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By James - July 6 - 8:13 pm

  Bought a used 2001 95 wagon in jan.08. The first 8 months-great! Then, starting issues began. Replaced starter, battery, ignition cassettes; still wont start now and then! Googled "Saab issues" and cant fathom how many problems there are. Why are they allowed to continue to sell these defective things! Is it GM or a pre-GM issue? Im so over it I could puke. Oh, the power window issue and the rear light failures, too! When it starts I could drive it to California and back (from KY where I live), but dont dare let it sit for a few hours! Any input or thoughts? Im at my wits end! No more Saabs for me!

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  The car you love to hate - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By another8a - July 5 - 7:30 pm

  I am the original owner of this vehicle and have always had it regularly serviced at the dealership where I purchased the vehicle. Two turbos have been replaced, oil sludge blew the engine, and now I am dealing with a bad ABS modulator that disables the ABS braking system. My dashboard is an xmas tree of warning lights and the dealer cost on this repair is $2400. I believe that saab should take some responsibility for this design flaw and I have petitioned the NHTSA to help owners of these vehicles. I like the technicians at my dealership; however, I should not know all of them on a first-name basis.

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  Repairs and you better hare your records - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By danielrpatrick - June 8 - 10:00 am

  All i have to say is you better keep all your receipts or you will be in trouble. I just got off an hour long converstation with SAAB. They are not going to fix a clogged oil pump, because I dont have the reciept for everyone oil change. I asked so what happens if the motor blows up are you going to stand behind me: they said nope based on the fact that i dont have all the paperwork. Save it all that is my advice. Im going to pick it up and trade it in on a bmw.

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  Good Car, Needs Improvement - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By WI Saab Owner - June 2 - 12:30 pm

  This is our second Saab 9-3. Its a great car all around, stylish and a great price. Handles great in the snow, and the standard heated seats are lifesavers in the winter. The gas mileage is the biggest problem - we do mainly city driving and are getting between 15-16 mpg on regular. This was a change from our 2003 Saab that was a manual. Ive also had it in the shop twice already for windshield wiper problems.

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  Run From Saab - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Rotz - January 18 - 12:46 pm

  Here is my SaabStory... I bought his car because my sister had a 1985 900 for 10 years which was bullet proof. Against everyones suggestion, I bought this 9-3 because; 1. It is not BMW 2. Great styling 3. Good performance 4. Good value. Right, Right, Wrong, Wrong. So I am batting 50%. This car has been a nightmare. I bought it with 30K on it. Since then, it has cost me $200 per month in maintenance. Saab and their dealers have been responsive, but only with the phrase "No". Whats gone wrong? Air bag sensors, Electronic Discharge Unit (car doesnt run w/o it), head gasket and turbo and transmission is slipping. There have been a few others. This car looked to be in perfect condition.