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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  A Great Car for a Decent Price - 2011 Saab 9-5
  By curt51 - October 7 - 3:27 am

  First, I must admit that Im a Saabophile who is now on his eighth Saab. Ive owned a Saab since 1988. By far this is the best Saab since my 1984 900 Turbo. The car is very quiet and comfortable. Plus, the amenities abound and make this a good bargain for the price. I love the exterior looks of the vehicle and Ive gotten a number of compliments from complete strangers.

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  I love my Saab - 2000 Saab 9-3
  By cosmodoodle - October 4 - 2:00 am

  Bougt mine certified with 38,000 miles for only $21,00. at this price, there is no other choice for a convert. Turbo is awsome and the car handels very well at high speeds (95+ mph) Put some 15 inch NOKIAN tires on for the winter and 17 inch low profile Potenzas for the summer

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  2002 Saab SE Convertible - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By mudbug - October 4 - 2:00 am

  Very comfortable. I traded in a 99 Mustang GT convert. The Saab feels more responsive and is way more comfortable and refined. Torque steer is my only complaint.

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  Oh my!!! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Gobsmacked - October 3 - 3:46 pm

  Fine apart from: £5000.00 New Auto Gearbox £0090.00 New Front Coil Springs £0130.00 Diesel Fuel Pump £0200.00 Alternator £0500.00 Tyers, 3 developed punctures (1 two days after we bought the car) £0100.00+ on Bulbs (all changed, Brake Lights changed monthly) £1000.00 For Service. The final straw came, when the car would not accelerate past 50 mph, later traced to the Particulate Filter. This would have cost us another £2000. At this point it was goodbye to SAAB... at least they cleaned the car each time it went in to be fixed, yes... you guessed it... the cleanest car in history!

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  Buy something else - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Jim - October 3 - 8:23 am

  I was looking so forward to having a new car and not having to bring it to the shop every other month. The engine light kept coming on they told me I wasnt putting the gas cap on correctly. Being a nurse I can start IVs and change caps on invasive lines, but cant put on a gas cap,OK? The power steering pump leaked was replaced. Finally had new front brakes replaced it would just squeal. The dash rattles, the shocks thud and pop. When its cold the stereo freezes up. The tires suck in the snow, I constantly feel like the back end slipping out. It doesnt go thru snow. You would think this car would be great in cold & snow far from it. Even got a GM discount under dealer invoice.

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  Pasion, Fun and Delivery - 2002 Saab 9-3
  By Big Joe - October 2 - 10:00 am

  One simple statement : Its the BEST. No comparison to other EU cars.

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  I love my SAAB - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By baysetter - September 30 - 10:00 am

  The SAAB convertible is an excellent car to drive. The turbo acceleration makes it a dream on the highways. The top is extremely easy to take down. The SAABs interior is purposely design to resemble a cockpit interior. This means the controls are all within easy reach of the driver.

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  Approaching to 80,000 miles - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Reiley - September 29 - 8:06 pm

  Mechanically to date, I dumped close to $1,800 to replace the coil pack(s) that went out. And thats it. No other mechanical problems. And with Saab labor at $110/hour, thank God. Have maintained the car in accordance with the manual and it runs great and still smells new. Steering is a bit stiff in the morning on cold days, but once it warms up, is fine. Car is depreciating in value a little quicker than I thought. Every Saab mechanic swears about the cars long-term reliability, so Im hoping to get at least 200,000 miles on my 99 9-3SE although I hope GM doesnt mess with the company to the point that Saab doesnt maintain its independent identity.

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  Beware of the 9-2xs out there. - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By FrankFromCT - September 29 - 12:53 pm

  I bought a new 9-2x with GMs employee discount, thinking it would be a steal, but my experience has been unpleasant and Ive only had the car for 3 weeks. Since a lot of these cars have been sitting on the lots for a year, my car had flat spots in the tires and scratches all over it from just sitting. My selling dealer has left me out in the cold, completely blowing me off and leaving me with a vehicle thats in poor condition. During the time of my purchase, I wasnt able to inspect or drive the exact vehicle and instead offered a demo to evaluate. I never thought my new vehicle would be in such bad condition although brand new. Buyers beware of the condition, inspect before you purchase.

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  Saabs Quirks are irksome, repairs=$$ - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By EGP - September 28 - 12:06 pm

  The employee discount for all promotion in 2005 made our 2005 Arc w/drivers package affordable. However, we should have stayed away. Within the warranty period, the car was into the dealer 3 or 4 times, one all of the radio and interior electronics freaked out and they had to replace the radio and command module. Luckily this was under warranty. However, 3 years, 55,000 miles, and just out of warranty, the car quits on the highway during rush hour forcing my wife to make some risky emergency moves. Car Would not start again! Turns out tat the the engine computer failed, and it cost us $900. Now 5k miles later, the stability system is giving critical errors.. could be $1000 to fix this time.