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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  Smooth Fun - 2003 Saturn ION
  By rexelent - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Great car so far. Fun to drive and very smooth transmission with the variable option compared to standard package test driven on the Sedan. Sharp styling. No need to move hands from top of steering wheel to check gauges. Great buy for the money!

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  New car - 2003 Saturn ION
  By leaura - June 22 - 10:00 am

  This is great car for a great price. I have owned a saturn before and had minimal problems with it. On top of all this the customer service is wonderful, its so nice to be dealt with in a proper manor.

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  Very happy with my Ion, but..... - 2003 Saturn ION
  By drivingmyion - June 22 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle for the money. Got a great deal with the financing and college grad incentives. Very peppy little car with more storage room than you would think just looking at it. However, it has been in the shop for repairs a lot more than I would think a new car should be. 3 times in two months for warranty service. And needs to go in again soon.

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  Mechanical nightmare - 2007 Saturn ION
  By otis23 - June 22 - 8:44 am

  After buying the car used 2007 in mid 2011, the head cracked 10 months later for no apparent reason, spewing oil everywhere to a tune of over $2K. Now the front end shakes and vibrates periodically like the car is falling apart, and sounds like a helicopter under the hood at other times. Time to dump it.

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  Have an 06 Quad coupe......... - 2006 Saturn ION
  By dartyvagrant - June 19 - 3:09 pm

  This has been a fairly good vehicle. The anti-theft system is always a cloud over our heads. Never know when its going to engage and have to be reset. Wife driving-39-41 MPG, my driving at 80-85 MPH down to 32 MPG. The rear suspension is a joke! The same beam axle as the Citation of years ago. NOT independant rear suspension, ride in cramped rear seat not good. Front seats A-OK. A Chevrolet Cobalt in drag, and more money. The local Chevrolet dealer has performed all the campaigns (ign switch, power steering motor).

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  Great Car - Even in MN winters!!! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Aweber - June 16 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car after looking at other comparable cars, and nothing compared for the price. Only concern was how well it would drive in snowy MN winters. This has been the snowiest winter in a long time, and I have not had a problem with driving. The anti-lock brakes and traction control have been a great investment as well. Great gas mileage too!!

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  Good Buy - 2007 Saturn ION
  By citystars136 - June 12 - 6:33 pm

  The car is a great car. Very quick from the factory. Comfortable, and easy to drive. I get looks all the time, and everyone cant believe how good it looks. They are suprised when I say its a Saturn.

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  I love my little machine - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Tawni - June 12 - 2:50 pm

  I purchased this car with 3 miles on it and am over 54,000 and still love it to pieces. I did have a small problem with the auto theft device turning on and preventing me from driving at first but I took it to the dealer and they reset the system and Ive never had a problem since. I travel a lot and this car has a lot of highway miles on it and Ive never been disappointed. I do wish however that the seats had a little more lumbar support for long distance drivers especially. I love the instrument panel in the middle. It took some getting use to but I like that there is no glare in my eyes at night. The selling feature for this car was the ability to pack and transport cargo. I love it!

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  Great car for price - 2007 Saturn ION
  By mcameron - June 11 - 9:35 pm

  I bought My Ion 3 2.4L Manual new and I really like it, my only complaint is all the dealers around me were sold out of the redline models so I couldnt get one of those.. This is a great car Ive had it for 4 years drive constantly and have not had a single problem. Great mileage on the highway even the way I drive which is usually around 140km/h.. I have not spent a dime on it other than oil changes, I even got free tires for life when I bought it.. Ive bought new 6 new vehicles since 2000 ranging from trucks, Suvs, and cars and this and my 2005 Vue are the only vehicle I,ve kept for more than 2 years.. Im going to miss Saturn. I love my Vue and Ion great reliability and fun to drive!!!

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  Really Happy! - 2006 Saturn ION
  By branman102 - May 27 - 6:04 am

  Might as well start with the problems. AC compressor went, but was under warranty, the alarm is activated in cold weather due to thick lubricant in the ignition cylendar (common problem) and the clutch that is auto adjusting is set too close to the floor for my liking. Now the good stuff. Good looking car. Better looking than the comperable Japanese models in my opinion. Good gas mileage. I upgraded my plugs, keep it well maintained, use Lucas products, adjusted my driving habits and get about 20% better mileage than the EPA rating. Comfortable with plenty of room in the back for my kids. Lots of trunk room. Lots of pep in the city and on the highway when you need it.