I was looking into buying a Saab automobile. The logo of the Saab is that of the head of a lion-like creature and this image is attached to the car. Would that characterize as an idol image and make it non-permissible to drive that car until you remove the logo from the vehicle?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is permissible to drive the car which you mentioned in the question. However, the scholars differed in opinion about whether or not it is an obligation to remove the bust. Some of them are of the view that the head only is not included in forbidden portraits, as a head on its own cannot survive; as clarified in Fatwa 82806. Nonetheless, some other scholars are of the view that the head is considered among the forbidden portraits [or pictures] which must be destroyed; this is the preponderant opinion according to the Shaafi'i School. Their view is supported by the narration "The picture is the head." [Al-Bayhaqi and Ibn Maajah]

Therefore, it is more appropriate to remove the head of that animal from the car in order to be on the safe side, and this is easy to do, Allaah willing. Even if this bust is not removed, it is not forbidden to drive that car, in the same way, it is not forbidden to live in a house where there is an idol, but it is an obligation to destroy the idol.