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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  2004 SAAB 9-3 ARC Convertible for the Masses - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By blacksaabeth2 - March 24 - 8:09 pm

  I truly believe that GM got it right when they retooled the 9-3 convertible for 2004. The older 9-3 convertibles had way too much flex in the chassis. Going over bumps made it feel like it was playing a game of Twister. 2004 convertible utilized GMs epsilon platform from Europe which firmed up the chassis 300%. Okay, maybe thats an exaggeration but it really is firm. Acceleration is more than adequate considering that the engine is a GM inspired 2-liter Ecotec engine with a turbo charger. Same basic engine as found in the old Chevy Cobalt

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  fun but problems/not like the old saabs - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By ron w - March 7 - 10:00 am

  2 hands on wheel when accelerating as car pulls-dlr says it the size of tires on these models; right pax seat not reclining since new-have taken to dealer 4 times already;battery dead at 26k;4 tires needed replacing at 8k and another one at 15k;no power door lock button inside-have to manually push lock down/cupholder right where the stereo is-what if your drink leaks,etc;owned a 1991 when built by saab-not gm-as they are now;disappointed w/car for price-i wouldnt buy another;lmtd dealers in area-only 1-have to drive miles for service-requires 93 octane fuel;main svc prices start at $500-$600 for the 30-50-60K svcs;

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  Shake, Rattle, & Knocks - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By rsherman - March 5 - 10:00 am

  While I thoroughly enjoy the ride and performance, I am sorely disappointed in the interior fit and finish. From delivery, we have had seriously annoying interior clunks, rattles and the like. This car has made more noise than a 10 year old Rambler American I owned in the early 70s. Not what I expected when I paid $27k for a supposed quality vehicle.

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  Linear is a good bang for the buck - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By tci - March 1 - 10:00 am

  Very nice everyday driver. With a $ 4000.00 GM rebate + dealer dicount my $ 28,500.00 Linear came to under $ 23,000.00 which is an outstanding value. The Aero is nice, but at $30K+, theres better choices.

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  I enjoy my driving - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By r34 - February 24 - 10:00 am

  My 01 9-3 was hit by a big truck on a highway. My wife was driving it and walked out ok. We decided to trade a little bit of reliability (not buying a Japanese car) with driving pleasure (buying an European car). We decided to get a certified Saab (you need it). The dealer didnt do the certification very well and we had to get them fix certain minor things. Overall the car is more responsive than my 9-3 and the interior is much better. It is more like a luxury sedan than the 9-3. We want to be there all the time, even sitting in the car doing nothing Now we cannot "escape" from Saab.

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  Follow up from my last review... - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By COGuy2 - February 24 - 10:00 am

  OK... about a month after my last review (which noted only small problems), its in for service where they found coolant in one of the cylinders. Long story short, two weeks later theyre completely replacing the engine (which has 2500 miles on it). Brand new car, and on 3 occasions already Ive had to drive a loaner (which right now is a Subaru... SaabUSA was giving the dealership grief about giving me a Saab loaner? Huh???!). Luckily (?) Im approaching the criteria to invoke the Lemon Law in Colorado, which is the vehicle being out of service for 30 days in the first year... pretty sad.

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  Gambled on a Swedish hottie... - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By bca1995 - February 4 - 10:00 am

  Disappointing dealer experience, but satisfied with the car. Enjoy the quirky styling; very different. Like the turbo and 4 dr utility. Awesome brakes, supermodel looks. Disappointed in the quaility of plastics, both inside and out (outside door handles already fading, cheap plastic trim inside). Wish it had more power off the line, but it has surprising mid-range acceleration when merging on the interstate. Rock solid at 100 mph. I describe it to my friends as my "upscale economy car", which is exactly what I was looking for.

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  saab 9-5 - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By john sise - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Good handling, great ride, comfortable seating, adequate luggage space - would be better if they still offered a hatch. Power seems slightly better than my 2000 9-3 SE, which isnt bad, but it should have more to make it superior to others in its class. Also should come with sportier tires and wheels to improve the handling even more.

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  Love this Dependable Smart Convertable - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By Scott Stiens - January 22 - 2:00 am

  I have had many cars, and still do: a DeLorean DMC-12, a Honda Accord, a Honda Civic, a Nissan Maxima, a convertable 77 Buick Skylark convertable muscle car, and in the end - - I love the Saab best -- it has all the best of the others, even the sex appeal of the DeLorean with the Saab curves and hidden retractable rag top! They are an especially good buy one year old, and the warrenty lasts five!

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  A Good Start - 2001 Saab 9-3
  By wineman - January 21 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I looked at every class of convertible from the corvette to lexus to sebring and found that the saab had the best to offer. We wanted a convertible with enough storage to go away for a weekend with golf clubs (two sets!) And we like the automatic retractable top with a glass window that has a built in boot to cover the cloth top for a nice clean look (unlike a jag). Lots of nice speed and front- wheel drive is nice too. Sticker was higher than a BMW325, but the dealer lowered the saab price about 7K and BMW wouldnt budge.