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! - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By chris - November 26 - 3:20 pm

  This is my first Saab but I am hooked. I bought it on Dec 30 2007 and have not had any issues. You cannot beat the price for the amount of car. I live in northern KY in an area that is saturated with Chevy Impalas, Toyota Camrys, and Honda Accords. I love the uniqueness of the Saab. Great performance and decent fuel mileage along with excellent build quality are my favorite aspects. My only complaint is the pixelated LED display which should be a recall since it is apparently so common. I would recommend this car to anyone in need of a 4door sedan.

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  Great Car! - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By TheRas900 - November 26 - 2:23 pm

  I researched and drove many vehicles in this class, including the Acura TL, BMW 328i, Lexus IS250 and Subaru 2.5GT. After having it for a month, I am very glad I stayed with the Saab. The handling/ride balance is nice and I am getting 26.4 mpg in city driving on regular!

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  2004 Arc 2.3T 220 HP 4 cyl. CPO w/ 14K - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By rickzull - November 26 - 4:43 am

  Bought with CPO (certified pre-owned) mainly for future issues, but have driven this awesome car for 5 months and have no issues with it. Have owned 5 prev saabs and this GM/Saab is Great. I do wish the seats were more "aero" with more lateral side bolsters, and that it had the upgraded stereo. Torque steer can be quite noticeable though...

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  The Best In The Business - 2002 Saab 9-5
  By Chris The Saab Lover - November 26 - 2:00 am

  When My 15 year old son was about to turn 16 we decided to go out and do a little car shopping. I Used to have a 92 900 16 valve 5-speed and it could blow any car out of the water. Well while we were out shopping my son reminded me about my old Saab and so we decided to go and check one out. When she showed up to the lot we both fell in love with an 02 silver 9-5 Aero. Ever since I got that car for him I never see him anymore because he is always out driving he loves how the car handles. I have an 01 Jaguar S-type and whenever I can, I try and steal the 9-5 from my son because it is so much fun to drive.

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  Great wagon affordable - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By Wow - November 26 - 2:00 am

  The car will scream from 70 to 120mph on the highway when you need to pass someone. However it is hard to clean the wheels. Took 5 people on a dive trip and carried all gear including tanks and BCs in the car without being cramped.

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  Sporty, gorgeous, and luxurious for less - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By Denis - November 25 - 2:06 pm

  While this 9-3 is not built to the same standard the original 900 was, this 9-3 still got the Saab character (read: a blast to drive!), and its a high-quality car overall with mostly European-made parts. We got some $5,000 off sticker with the GM incentives and dealer discounts, and that blows away ANY other car in this price range. The styling is super gorgeous (we got a white Combi with 17-inch wheels), the interior both looks luxurious and is insanely comfortable, and engine pick-up is excellent even with the 4-cyl engine! There are copious amounts of space, both for cargo and large people. Some plastics in the interior could be improved, but at the price we paid - no complaints.

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  2005 Aero Saab Convertible - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By Karen Gustin - November 23 - 11:23 pm

  So much better than the 2002! Quieter, sturdier, faster, solid. Overall, I love this years model and may not ever get another!

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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).