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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  High Performance Tank - 2003 Saab 9-5
  By Kuzzy - April 19 - 2:00 am

  The Saab 95 Linear we have has an automatic transmission and just begs to be driven. We have had very good luck with the car during the first 9 months. The only real problems have been with the On-Star system which was not important in our buying decision. The automatic adjusting rear view mirror with the compass did not work properly at first but was immidiately replaced and that was our only problem to date. I would highly recommend this car to anyone looking for a combination of luxury, performance, safety and price.

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  Saab is Different, Different is Good! - 2004 Saab 9-3
  By italiancousin - April 19 - 2:00 am

  Love the car... Im told its not quite as nimble or sharp as, say, a BMW, but I would never know. (And unless you drive the autobahn, neither will you!) Whats best? Its not an A4 or 3- series. In a month of owning the car, Ive only seen three others on the road.

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  Cant wait to get another one Great car! - 2005 Saab 9-2X
  By yoitsthegoose - April 18 - 2:33 pm

  Im a visiting nurse that travels a lot. My 92x is a great car. Ive been all over the place with it and it havent had any problems at all. The car has 100,000 miles on it. The only thing is I wish they never stop making car. It was only in production for two years.

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  BEST CAR EVER!!!!!!! - 2005 Saab 9-3
  By SaabDriver - April 5 - 9:06 am

  This is the best car Ive ever had! My color is Flame Red Metallic. It changes from orange to red in the light. The interior is a creme color with black inserts in the comfortable sport seats. The ReAxs suspension is very tight andoffers great steering and ride. Thecars appearance is very low to the ground and sporty. Its not a car that you would say "Whoa, thats the 5th carlike that Ive seen today" about.

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  Saabs Best - 2004 Saab 9-5
  By Chagrin - April 2 - 10:00 am

  This is second to none in its class. More roomy cabin than the others and makes bmw look lazy and Audi look cheap. Dash designed like an airplane, drives like one too. We purchased the manual transmission for the wagon and got sports, function and fuel economy just before the gas $ went up. We went to the auto show in NYC looking for a bmw or Audi and came out sure that the Saab 95 Aero was the right vehicle. This is the only car that felt right to my wife when she sat in it. Saab has done a great job marketing this car to women as we can now testify. We also look at used car reliability ratings and this is the only one in its class with a positive rating.

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  Love it - 1996 Saab 900
  By Beachlover - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought a 96 Saab 900 SE 6 cylinder off-lease and could not have asked for a better running, more fun car. Not only does it handle well, but its fun to drive and still gets compliments and comments from other drivers. Love the heated seats in the winter and also that the car, even though it is a convertible in not very noisy. Would do it all over again.

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  Saab 900s basic - 1996 Saab 900
  By Alex - March 29 - 3:40 am

  Ive owned many Saabs. I picked up a basic 900s (no leather, no moon roof, non-turbo 4 cylinder) for a good price and its very reliable and economical. The huge cargo capacity beats any compact car.

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  Almost 2 years now and love it - 2003 Saab 9-3
  By Jayson - March 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had my 9-3 SS almost 2 years and still absolutely love the car. It is a real head turner, fun to drive, and still gets great mileage.

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  Hard to do better - 2006 Saab 9-3
  By SShukovsky - March 26 - 3:30 am

  Bought the car since three neighbors had them (as old as 900 series from 10 years ago). All relatively reliable. Mine has been great on gas mileage (26 city, 34 highway), has good acceleration, and appears well built. After 6000 miles and 7 months no problems yet as a few have reported. Car rides well and like the sport suspension. Would not choose differently.

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  Great car - 2006 Saab 9-5
  By tbruce - March 22 - 11:16 pm

  Ive had my 2006 for about two weeks now. I traded in my 2003 Aero. My 2003 was great (just wanted a new one). I love the 9-5. Has all the comforts and amenities I need in a car. Great price also when compare to the Euro competetion. My Saab went to the dealer maybe twice a year for very minor things. Torque steer is was not noticeable untill you really pushed the car.