Overview & Reviews

Saturn has upgraded the Ion with new fabrics, improved plastics and a new radio with MP3 and satellite radio capability. The electric steering has been revised for improved feel at highway speeds, while the sedan's five-speed automatic and the coupe's CVT have been recalibrated for improved gear selection and response. Finally, Saturn has installed additional sound-deadening material to reduce cabin noise. A Special Edition version of the sedan provides black exterior paint, distinctive 16-inch wheels and a two-tone interior.

User Reviews:

Showing 151 through 160 of 288.00

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  Good Car, Some Caveats - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Matt_A - October 24 - 3:36 am

  Ion 2 purchased new at end of season, with a power package. An econocar, with great exterior styling (seemed to be copied in the 2004 Nissan Maxima). The engine has plenty of power and pep than the older Saturn S Series. Long drives were extremely comfortable, suspension was comfy, seats are firm yet comfortable enough for 6 hour drives. The soft donut hole head rests (reminiscent of the Audi) are great for the passenger looking for a sleep and for seeing through. The innovative center console is cool/easy to read. Flexible body panels are excellent, a BMW bumped into the rear in a parking lot and no harm to the Ion but it crumpled up the BMW side panel. The huge trunk is a bonus.

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  Lots of plastic - 2004 Saturn ION
  By ElectricBlue - October 7 - 9:26 am

  This is our third Saturn, and weve loved all of them. The ION QC3 is Electric Blue, and the exterior definately has a much more thought-out exterior than the sedan. I also love the interior design; its so nice to see something different, even if its molded in rock-hard plastic. The main reason for this is because the polymer panels are so expensive, they have to cut back somewhere. This car is very fun to drive, and the rear access doors have been known to cause a crowd to gather. The CVT provides a quick boost of power when needed, btu it starts to whine at higher RPMs. Quite literally. The seats dont offer much lateral support under hard cornering, but are comfortable otherwise.

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  first saturn - 2004 Saturn ION
  By d day - October 7 - 2:00 am

  i was originally ready to buy a used 2001 saturn sl1. but with the rebates and financing for a few dollares more a month i could get a new ion. i was looking for a car in this subcompact class anyway. i need a car with trunk space and for the price i cant beat it.

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  Great Car for the Price! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Sarah - October 5 - 7:10 am

  I recently bought my first Saturn, an ION 1. Overall, I am very pleased with the car. It has nice pickup and the turning radius is amazing! The body style is very nice and looks much more expensive than many other economy cars (though it is very inexpensive). I love the alloy wheels (it was a special order) and nice roomy interior. The headlights are not very bright. Overall, a great car for the money!

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  No complaints here! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Rebecca - September 26 - 7:00 pm

  Ive had this car for just over 2 years and have loved every minute of it. Keep in mind that the car is not dent-PROOF, only dent-RESISTANT, so dont go kicking it or anything, but to this day I dont have a single ding on my car. (The top of the car is not dent-resistant, but that very seldomly poses a problem.) Equally happy with all other features of the vehicle. Great ride, comfortable, decent gas mileage.

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  A great reliable car - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Adam - August 24 - 11:33 am

  I just traded in my Dodge Ram 1500 that had a 5.2 v8 in it. Great truck but this car puts it to shame except in comfort and build quality. This Saturn scoots like no ones buisness. I can get it to squeal the tires in every gear. The car just loves to go fast. I love this car. At the time of purchase the dealer i went to had a rebate of $4500 which knocked the price from $12, 325 to $7,825. I glad I didnt pass up the deal, its been a great car.

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  3rd Saturn - 2004 Saturn ION
  By brina_nightowl - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Despite the harsh reviews so called "experts" have given this car, I really enjoy this car. I also look at long term reliability when comparing it to it to its competitors. My husbands 96 SL2 has had no problems with almost 100,000 miles on it, while my grandmothers Ford Focus which is a 2000 with about 10,000 has already had 2 major repairs. I really like this car. I have always had a positive experience with Saturn, the cars and the people, and I see no reason to spend the same (or more) on a foreign car with shady, slimy dealers. Or substandard domestic cars like Ford, which you cant trust to work.

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  An Abysmal Car Nothing But Problems - 2004 Saturn ION
  By johnnysmith1 - August 14 - 10:00 am

  At 530 miles, my right window malfunctioned, at 580 miles, a sound started coming from the dashboard. The locks would suddenly open and then lock, all by themselves. At 1305 miles, more rattles from the rear left window and door panel. As soon as the lease is over, this car is fired.

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  Sneaky Speed - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Gomer1775 - August 14 - 10:00 am

  People who dont know, dont realize what it is until they are way back in the rearview mirror. The Ion redline is a mighty might that has what I like to refer to as sneaky speed. It is somewhat unassuming if you dont know what is under the hood, but then when the skinny pedal on the right hits the floor, people try to catch up just to find out what it is that hit them.

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  Good car for the money - 2004 Saturn ION
  By JW - July 24 - 6:23 pm

  Overall I have been satisfied with this car. Its fun to drive, looks good, and I got it for a very good price. Storage space is a big plus. The trunk is spacious, and you can fold the front passenger seat flat to accomodate something as long as 10 feet. Although this car only got average reviews, I bought it mainly because I liked the looks and wanted to drive something slightly unique. The interior quality doesnt bother me, nor do the seats. My only major beef is with the steering, as it seems a little touchy at times. But I like the power, am satisfied with the gas mileage, and have had only one mechanical problem and that was with a short circuit in my headlamp switch.