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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  Stay away - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By JD - November 3 - 11:53 am

  My recommendation would be to stay away from saab. I have had it in the shop for major repairs of about $5,000 twice already. Thank god for my extended warranty. Multiple electrical issues with stability control failures, and steering wheel lock malfunctions. Also the plastic inside and emblems outside crack and fall apart. The car is fun to drive but could be better if it were AWD. Dont get me wrong BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have their share of problems and cost a lot to fix but at least they arent going under, and dealerships can still be found. My car is currently at the shop being fixed again, and once repaired will be going to a dealership to trade on a reliable vehicle

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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.

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  Love the new 9-3 - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By danb74 - November 1 - 10:00 am

  This is the first car I have owned that I feel I just might actually love. Fun to drive, gets around curves with little effort, good turbo punch with very little lag, lots of room up front, great driver interior layout - and so on and so on.

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  almost perfect - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By erich - October 25 - 6:36 pm

  Saab really did a good job with this car. The V6 makes all the difference. Thank god those 4 cylinders are gone. The car has incredible passing power. Acceleration is smooth through the entire power band. I also found it to be a MUCH better value than a comperably equipped Audi or BMW. I feel like I saved thousands. The base Aero has almost everything youd want on it so you dont get dinged for options that should be standard.

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  Not bought yet? Run! Bought? SELL!!!! - 2001 Saab 9-3
  By SaabNeverAgain! - October 19 - 9:26 am

  Okay, positives first: This is by far the most fun car I have ever driven - except to the shop. And I know what I am talking about - I have had to do that a lot and that aint cheap! Bought it 3 years ago, had been leased for 3 years. Should have gotten the hint with all the things I had done on it while under the warranty still. I have had to pay $600-$1200 repairs on it several times a year for the past 3 years and I finally gave up and dumped this piece of workmanjunk at a pretty big loss! If you havent bought one, but consider it, seriously reconsider. If you have one and are seeing problems mount, just get rid of it ASAP - too expensive to fix everything, all the time!

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  best there is - 2005 Saab 9-5
  By steve - October 15 - 7:23 pm

  The AERO is a wonderful car.It handles great, acclerates remarkably, and is beautiful in and out. The seats are the most comfortable I have eve sat in, and it gets 28 miles to the gallon.

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  My Saab 9-3 - 2001 Saab 9-3
  By Jazz - October 14 - 2:00 am

  Great car, excellant performance, fun to drive. Too small with two growing children.

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  disappointed in build quality & service - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By notsofast - October 13 - 12:20 pm

  Took delivery 11/29/04 - after having the car for 26 days it had to spend 11 days at the dealer for repairs (steering wheel lock). The acceleration is very slow for surface street driving and hesitates badly. Service also a disappointment. Car has been in three times to get reprogramming offered by Saab completed.

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  2000 Aero - nice ride - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By sjprevia - October 13 - 10:00 am

  The 9-5 is a significant improvement over the previous 9000 in most every way. The Aero model is a great combination of practicality and performance. Roomy, safe, good gas mileage, run to drive and great performance. The ride is surprisingly comfortable given the capabilities of the suspension to hold the road.

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  Arc de triomphe - 2005 Saab 9-5
  By carl lieberman - October 12 - 9:43 am

  This is both a safe and fun driving machine. There is a sport mode that raises the shift point rpms which really gives it some punch. The outside design is understated and pedestrian, but the driving experience is exceptional. It has all of the most advanced computer driving system enhancements. Saab is in trouble economically, so these can be had with a large discount from the sticker price. This car is a very good value.