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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  Cheaper is definitely not better! - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By Sad Saab Owner - May 23 - 10:00 am

  So you want a luxury vehicle and a 9-3 is appealing because it is cheaper right. Dont make the same mistake we have all made. I am writing this review to save you time and money. Spend the extra money and get a car worthy to be called a luxury vehcile. Saabs are different but when it comes to reliability and build quality the 9-3 is a definite NO,NO,NO... I wanted to love this car, I paid cash for it. It is a DEFINITE THAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. These problems range from rattles to weird problems with the transmission, brake noise, to things just not working. PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF THE HEADACHE. DO NOT BUT A 9-3.

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  Saab 9-5 Combi - 2006 Saab 9-5
  By SaabGuy - May 19 - 10:23 pm

  I love this car. It is unique in all respects. The fit and finish equals or exceeds other premium German or Japanese cars. Its safe, economical and contemporary.

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  Fun to drive. Great feul economy - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By ND - May 16 - 7:43 pm

  The car is extremely responsive, agile, and powerful. It has a great fuel economy (> 33 mpg on highway). The interior looks cheap and feel cheap (but not as bad as GM or Ford). The dealer has been very responsible. I had an A/C problem 3 weeks after the warrantee expired. The dealer picked up the bill. It has 4-year, 50000 mile warranty.

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  SAAB Rocks!!! - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By Yippee - May 16 - 6:10 pm

  I recently purchased an 05 9-3..Im in Love. I traded in a much loved SUV and couldnt happier that I am getting 33 MPG now vs. the 16 I was getting in the SUV. This car is a blast to drive, I fell in love with it as soon as I pulled out for the test drive. Contrary to what some reviews have said, I get no turbo lag at all - the turbo is best over 80, but also very responsive at lower speeds in 3rd and 4th gear (perhaps they at sissy automatic people). The seats are a dream. This car screams refinement. Ive owned BMWs and they are a dine a dozen on the road.. why look like everyone else - if you are like me this car fits your unique personality and sense of style.

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  2007 9-3 sedan, 6 speed manual, awesome! - 2007 Saab 9-3
  By Donatas - May 15 - 8:00 pm

  I was hunting for this car for about 2 years because I wanted it with all the options. 60th Anniv Edition came out in 07 and I decided to go for it as it had almost everything I needed. 2.0T has more than enough power and torque, and gets better gas mileage than Aero (I am not stating that Aero is not better). I get about 25 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway, and my 9-3 did not even break in yet. Not sure why people complain about cup holder in the dash, I think its absolutely fine. Bose audio system is better than last year Pioneer, but not quite up to 9-5s Harman Kardon level. Clutch is perfect! No issues so far with the car, except little rattling noise in plastics around sunroof.

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  BG SAABer "mainichka" - 1999 Saab 9-5
  By Uri Papouktchiev - May 14 - 10:00 am

  To all who hesitate whether to get SAAB or other European premium car: I bought the car on 58000milles. An year later I am at 95000milles. On the highway am getting easily 33- 35milles/gal. Changed the air filter with K&N and increased the basic pressure from 4psi to 12psi. Now I am having 210+ hp and the car is simply amazing. I was involved in single car accident once and survived with minor damages. The car very reliable and very stable on the road. In US these car are easy to find below TMV. Do not hesitate to get one when is 2-3year old.

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  2000 Saab - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By Saab Lover - May 14 - 10:00 am

  MY wife has fallen in love with this car. It seems to be the perfect balance between size, mileage and luxury.

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  Value to the extreme - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By ValueSports - May 14 - 10:00 am

  First of all, I paid manufacturers invoice on a new Linear with drivers package, 16" wheels, heated seats, and sunroof. I highly recommend the infotainment version of the stereo, otherwise the dash looks too bare (and somewhat cheap) with the standard Linear radio. With the rebate at the time, the car was under $25,000 and no one in there right mind can compare anything at that price point to this 9- 3. Not BMW, not Volvo (Ive owned both recently), not Audi, and not Mercedes. To put it mildly, this car is the best value available if you know how to negotiate with a dealer. If you are looking for something better, be prepared to spend well over $30k.

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  Best Saab Yet - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By captempjack - May 14 - 10:00 am

  This car is a winner. I dont know too much about GM and platforms and GrandAms, but this car is no boring, ordinary car. It is incredibly peppy and very comfortable. It also looks great in the dark colors. I drove it on a 300 mile trip and made record time, never going under 85-90 the whole way. It was a bit noisier than other cars I have had, but quieter than other Saabs. For the money, its the best in its class, I know I did the research. Get the bigger wheels, the radio is OK.

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  Super Car - 2000 Saab 9-5
  By George Swatman - May 9 - 10:00 am

  There has not been one repair,even a small one, required on this car. The manual transmission is extremely smooth. Plenty of power is always there at any speed. This is lots of space in the interior, much more than in competition, eg BMW 500 or Audi A6. The large Saab has been probably the safest real world car over the years.