Overview & Reviews

The Saturn Ion was the brand's entry-level car from 2003-'07. Aimed at younger buyers, the Ion got what Saturn considered unique styling and design features, and a strong 2.2-liter engine. We never thought very highly of it, however, and took issue with its poor interior quality, unimpressive driving dynamics and bizarre styling inside and out. The Ion gave way to the vastly superior Astra hatchback.

Most Recent Saturn Ion

The Ion launched in 2003 as a replacement for the now-defunct S-Series. Throughout its lifespan, Saturn was vigilant about making minor improvements (particularly for 2005) to the quality of the ride, interior and overall refinement, so we suggest more recent model years if you've really got your heart set on a used Ion (although we hope you don't).

The front-wheel-drive Saturn Ion always came in two body styles: a four-door sedan and the "Quad Coupe." The Quad Coupe was styled like a two-door coupe but actually had two rearward-opening doors similar in style to an extended-cab pickup. For each body style, there were three primary trim levels: a base 1 (dropped for '06), 2 and 3.

All trims came standard with a 145-horsepower 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine. For '06 and later, the Ion 3 sedan gained an optional 2.4-liter four-cylinder with variable valve timing, which was good for 175 hp. It was part of an Enhanced Performance Package -- only available with the Ion 3 -- that also included antilock brakes, traction control and a sport-tuned suspension. A five-speed manual transmission came standard on these main trims, but most used Ions you'll come across will come with the optional four-speed automatic or an earlier continuously variable automatic transmission.

There was an additional performance trim for the Quad Coupe called the Saturn Ion Red Line. It was powered by a supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which bumped power up to 205 hp. The Ion Red Line came exclusively with a close-ratio five-speed manual transmission, 17-inch wheels, upgraded disc brakes and a track-tuned suspension package.

One of the Ion's few strong points was its amount of cargo room in all trims. The front passenger seat folded flat, and trunk space was among the largest in the segment. The base Ions came pretty bare-bones, without standard air-conditioning or power mirrors and windows. You had to step up to the Ion 3 for these features, as well as 16-inch wheels and tires, cruise control and an upgraded CD/MP3 audio system. Given the Ion's significant depreciation, we suggest keeping your search to the Ion 3.

In road tests and comparison tests, our reviewers found the Saturn Ion to be among the lower performers in the entry-level sedan and coupe classes. Despite the strong engine, the Ion lacked liveliness, and overall performance was conservative at best. The steering was overly heavy. Even with the continuous interior improvements made throughout its lifespan, the seats were uncomfortable and offered little support. Overall, we suggest looking elsewhere for an economy car.

User Reviews:

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  Love my ION - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Windy Miller - November 7 - 2:40 pm

  My ION is the most agile vehicle Ive ever owned. It can really get in and out of tight places.

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  I Love my First Saturn - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Chrissy56 - November 3 - 10:00 am

  my last car was a Buick, much larger than the Saturn. I needed something smaller. High gas prices and a longer commute, made a smaller car necessary. I shopped at all of the dealerships in my area. The thing that made Saturn different was there was no pressure from the salesman. There were other dealerships where the salesman was literaly chasing me as I was leaving ... offering me lower prices. I looked at the Saturn & fell in love with the Ion 3. It has a lot of standard features, I didnt need to add much to make my car perfect for me. Now, that Ive had my car for a few weeks ... I know for sure it was the right decision. Im very, very happy.

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  You get what you pay for... - 2003 Saturn ION
  By car shopping - November 3 - 10:00 am

  I test drove this car for 24 hours. The editors review of this car is very accurate.

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  Performance and gas mileage! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By evan - October 22 - 12:06 pm

  This care has been great to drive. Its rare to find a six second car with grocery-getter gas mileage. Unsure about annual gas mileage...sorry.

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  The Saturn Ion is a Greeat Car! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By LJD - October 21 - 2:00 am

  The Saturn Ion is a great car that I would highly recommend to those looking to buy one, I just recently did and I absolutely love it! It is a great car and I am very happy with it!

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  Awsome Car - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Andrew Flood - October 21 - 2:00 am

  This Car is a great car. its fast, fun and looks good. I havent had any problems with it, exept for the recall, but every car/truck has recalls. All the poeple who buy one love it, but the editors don,t. shows how much they know.

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  Saturn ION - A Better Small Car - 2005 Saturn ION
  By James C. - October 17 - 12:40 pm

  Recent purchase of the 2005 ION 2 has been most satifying. The last Saturn SL2 1997 model has proved to be trouble-free in over 175,000 miles, and I hope for the same with the ION. Fit and finish are several levels higher than the venerable SL2. it has avery quiet engine, and road and other exterior noise at highway speed is minimal. Like the SL2 this car is well-designed and very roomy, and very easy to maintain for the shade tree mechanic. Interior material looks Japanese/European in character. I really like the on-center instrument cluster and the white background guages. No need to expand the trade deficit, this is one domestic runner that will go the distance.

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  What Else Can Go Wrong?? - 2003 Saturn ION
  By gretchen1982 - October 15 - 5:16 pm

  Absolutely hate this car. During the warranty years I had most of the undercarriage replaced. Rear suspension was originally put in wrong. Then in the winter it started "not turning over." But yesterday when it had been parked in a garage (and it was a good 50 degrees out) it did it again. The seats stain easily from even water.

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  Terrible car - 2007 Saturn ION
  By spiderrig - October 14 - 7:23 am

  Nothing but bad things with this car. I have 39,000 miles and already have had to replace the power steering, the fuel pump, the sensor on the accelerator (TWICE!), the wiring in the driver door, the back glass (defroster wasnt working). Some wiring in the console was found corroded due to poor connection. The gas mileage has been OK at around 28-29 MPG, but I expected better for such a little car. Also, the rubber seals around the windows are buckled and look terrible. I also had to replace the tires at 27,000 miles for dry rot. The worst car I have ever owned and Im 40 and have had a more than a few old beat up cars. They all ran better than this one did. I like GM, but hate Saturn.

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  Saturn - 2007 Saturn ION
  By Justin Swift - October 5 - 5:46 pm

  This makes my 3rd Saturn and I love it. Smooth ride and low interior noise. Not a whole lot of shift shock from the auto transmission and it also has very good acceleration. The power steering is excellent, and it seems to really hug the corners. The suspension is very nice also, you dont even really notice going over RR tracks. Also very roomy for a smaller car. Excellent head room. The sunroof leaked early on, and Saturn gave me a loaner car and fixed it right away. So great service on their part. Also the low pressure approach of their sales team made the buying experience great.