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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  Saab Reality - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By 8AA2YM - August 15 - 10:23 am

  This was my second Saab. It was great to drive, and my dealership treated me like a king. Things started going wrong with the V-6 in this car, though. I began to notice a degradation in engine performance at about 42K miles. I had it in the shop at 48K when I decided to trade it in. In any case, My 3 Saabs have required little unscheduled maintenance other than many fog light lens replacements.

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  Fast & safe - 2005 Saab 9-5
  By Khalid - August 7 - 8:23 am

  This is the best vehicle I have ever owned. It handels well, especially in corners. impresive braking & all the Alphabits in it (ESP & ABS....) do work!The quality of the car is impresive so far. But the only problim I faced is replacing the battery four times in two and half years!

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  Poor mans BMW? - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By pcguy74 - August 5 - 1:30 am

  Bought this one used, my first Saab. Warranty fixed the turbo and gasket (blue smoke is your indicator). Heater blower just went at 95K. I love this car, though the interior design still needs more thought. Id buy another one, luxury without the pricetag, fun without the fuel bill. Ive averaged 26mpg overall w/70 percent highway driving... pretty good for 70K+ miles, I have made 31-32 at times but I cant stay at the speed limit with this fun car! It even saved my life once in winter weather, avoided a head on because of ESP feature, fun AND safe? you bet!

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  Check Engine Light etc... - 2000 Saab 9-3
  By Aspen10s - July 30 - 10:00 am

  This car has been nothing but problems! Constant check engine light going on and no answers...needed a new alternator at 30k miles and the interior parts are cheaply made (and are constantly breaking). Very disappointing! Im going back to my Pathfinder!

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  Fun to drive no fun on your wallet - 2000 Saab 9-3
  By Kabir - July 26 - 7:36 am

  Owning my Viggen was like being addicted to a drug. You know its bad but you cant get rid of it. It was the most fun to drive car I ever owned. Ive had an older Porsche and many BMWs but the Saab blew them away when it came to fun. I had to replace the engine at 120,000km ($8000repair bill) then a piston went 5 months later. My dad had a 9-5 at the same time and had nothing but trouble also. Stay away from these cars GM ruined them. If you want a Saab look for a pre 1991 model thats when they were reliable. On a positive my Viggen got AMAZING fuel economy for a turbo car. I once got 1012 km on one tank of gas on a road trip.

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  Great car... BUT - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By MJM - July 24 - 12:03 am

  Have had this car about 4 months and have been mostly pleased. Great mileage... about 35 hwy. Good power, nimble handling and comfortable ride/seating. Controls required me reading the book for an hour to fully figure them out. Easy access for the 2 car seats and ample cargo area. We are struck though by minor complaints re:cup holders. 2 separate and peculiar locations, when it appears only some small engineering changes could ve made these much more user friendly. Limited console storage area as well. Overall a great car w/a few minor convenience issues.

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  From Car to SUV - 2008 Saab 9-7X
  By M. Fanelli - July 9 - 6:06 pm

  This is my first SUV. I was driving an 05 Saab 9-3 and we wanted more space when we travel so we went to the 9-7x. So its not a purebred Saab but it sure turns heads. Very comfortable compared to its GM cousins. Dont always believe the expert reviews. You need to drive a car to appreciate it.

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  Precision Piece of Machinery - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Edan - June 26 - 10:53 am

  This is my second Saab, but my first GM built one. I have had it for roughly 10k miles now. In that time Ive been plagued by problems. Including a front end shake at high speeds that I havent been able to pinpoint or solve at the cost of thousands of dollars. Otherwise, its got a lot of go and decent gas mileage. The newer Saab hatchback doesnt compare though to the older ones. Also the ride quality is fairly poor, my moms base model Camry from 1995 is much smoother and quieter on the road. If you like to do your own maintenance, then this is a good car for you. If not, it will just bum you out.

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  Love Hate Relationship - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By Saab Story - June 23 - 1:16 pm

  I bought a used Saab 9-5 SE with 98000 miles on it. It was the car of my dreams. Ive never liked a car so much. Until it started leaking oil. Then the oil gasket blew. And the ABS module blew. And the serpentine belt blew. And 2 months later the entire belt tensioner blew, causing the serpentine belt to snap, causing a melt down. The list goes on. In the course of a year, I spent $3000 in repairs. The shameful thing is that I love driving this car so much, I actually considered getting another one. Had to slap myself out of it, because it really is better as a second car you only take for long highway rides. Guess Im gonna have to find a 12-step program for Saab drivers.

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  Enjoyable car, but some sticky points - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By porterjs - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Some quirks and some warranty-covered reliability issues have not hindered the enjoyment of this car. The car rides very nicely and has enough power for both around town and some speedier highway driving. The interior layout and ergonomics are superb, and generally build quality is good. Two new turbos (one likely not installed perfectly) and a tendency to go through a lot of light bulbs and a couple of batteries have tried our patience at times - as has the lack of dealer parts inventory once or twice. The cargo room is quite good.