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:

• 

  Excellent Sport Sedan - - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By mmeytin - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in December more or less by accident. I was looking for a small, fun to drive sedan, and test drove Audi A4 (not bad, but felt crammed and small inside, plus ergonomics of the dash left something to be desired), BMW325 (nice ride, but overpriced with even simple things optional plus bad MPG) and Lexus IS300 (not at all impressed). Stopped by at Saab dealership basically on a whim, and after test driving a new 9-3 I was very impressed. GMs incentives helped with the purchase - the car was eligible for 0-0-0 deal. The car is fun to drive, but at the same time very stable on the road.

• 

  a road less traveled - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By scotty b - June 21 - 2:00 am

  WHAT A GREAT CAR ! Quick, agile, fun. IF you want a sporty feel the 17 inch wheel sport package is a must. I just like the fact that its the only one in the parking lot amongst 20 Bmws and 10 A4s. A lot of standard features for the price. ALso, what an amazing improvement with the turbo chager itself. Very little lag.

• 

  What a terrific car! - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By kwelch01 - June 16 - 10:00 am

  If you can be open minded enough to embrace the uniqueness and character of this car you will truly be astounded at what a wonderful automobile it is. I have always been a fan of Saab yet until now was never fond enough of the product to purchase one for myself. I have never been so happy with a car. With enough time spent, the car just makes sense. Everything is in the correct place. Everything is well though out. The attention to detail, while simple is astounding. The lines are clean and uncluttered. I can honestly say that I have never driven a car that gets so much attention and inquiries.

• 

  Best Car Ive Owned So Far! - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By luxman - June 14 - 11:26 am

  I have wanted a Saab 9-3 for a long time so I looked at one last year, but I figured they were going to restyle them soon, so I waited. Im glad I did, because the new one looks AWESOME! I got a silver one with all the options. Tan leather, wood trim, heated seats, 6 cd player, fog lights, and power seats. I like the headlights a lot too. they look cool driving at night. Standard satellite radio and onstar is nice too. This thing handles like a dream too. I have the automatic with tiptronic, and it is fun to drive it in tiptronic mode. If you want a high quality, sporty car for under $45,000, you MUST get this car!

• 

  Best Car Ive Owned! - 2001 Saab 9-5
  By salmal - June 12 - 11:26 am

  Ive owned my Aero since day 1 and mile 0. Picked it up in Trollhatten, Sweden and never looked back. Great acceleration at any speed, superb handling, and amazing comfort! Ive been up to 154 mph (German Autobahn) in this machine - what a rush! Only one bad stretch during my ownership - right after the warranty expired (4/50,000), I put about $3k into repairs (both CV joints/boots and front main oil leak), but otherwise its been the model of reliability. Expensive to maintain and hard to find someone to work on it, I wouldnt buy another one here in the U.S., but I hope to drive this one forever.

• 

  Lots for the Money - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By newsaabdriver - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Leased the ARC model after looking at the Acura TSX and others. Saab is a ton of car for the money. Acura was too bland. The Saab blows the Acura and BMW away in driver information and features. Saabs 210 hp and 221 lb/ft torque make the car feel more like 250hp b/c turbo acceleration. Lag is noticable but present only under 2000rpm, above 2K rpm it is strong. Ours is a week old and Onstar registration of the car is the only issue. Buy an Arc rather than a loaded Linear (cheaper that way). Dealer experience was good and I expect more of the same in the future - all service covered is a plus (not so with Acura).

• 

  Sleeper SUV - 2008 Saab 9-7X
  By Sleeper SUV - June 10 - 8:26 am

  This is a beast in a tux, punch the right pedal and hold on. We needed a larger vehicle and the wanted something that looked good but, we demand performance. This vehicle corners, accelerates and stops better than most sedans, a great addition to our 9-2X. If you want good fuel economy this is not the SUV for you. Cannot wait until we get another Michigan winter and can see how well it does in the snow.

• 

  Excellent car - 1999 Saab 9-3
  By Steve - June 4 - 8:16 pm

  I love this car. Nothing but minor maintenance. Getting ready to do timing chain, but only as preventive maintenance.

• 

  Love my Saab - 2008 Saab 9-3
  By skm95t - May 29 - 10:53 am

  Ive had this a week and our family loves our Saab. My 4 yr old always ask "Can we ride in the red car with the top down". The car gets pretty good gas mileage, its quick and agile around town and on the highway. The 2.0T is more than enough power. The back seat is big enough to put our car seat in backwards, and our 4 yr old has plenty of room for many years. Adults can easily sit back there. The power roof works great. The stereo, A/C, and all the other instruments are easy to use.

• 

  Very Happy - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By luvmysaab - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Bought a 9-3 two months ago on a semi- whim (I was originally going for an SUV) and am so glad I did. Went to the dealer for fun and was blown away by the looks (both interior and exterior) of the Saab - was so much more attracted to it than the A4, 3-series, TSX, etc. Test drove both linear and arc, the latter had noticably better power. Pretty much just feel in love with it.