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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  I love my car - 2004 Saturn ION
  By princessalica - November 24 - 10:16 am

  My car gets excellent mileage, which is a big advantage with the price of gas now. Its comfortable. I bought it used from a Honda dealership and the only probelm I have is the stereo. I dont know why, but sometimes I wont read a disk, actually more often than not. When it is working, it is a great mp3 player, and it sounds great. Its the only probelm I have.

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  Love my Ion 3 - 2004 Saturn ION
  By AJ - November 10 - 7:46 am

  For the money, this is a great car! I bought it for work travel and the gas mileage. Im not disappointed. I average 30 MPG and have gone as high as 39MPG on the highway. Contrary to the expert reviews, it is fun to drive, comfortable, and I especially like the center gauge placement. I have it serviced at the dealer and they are great. In two years when I am done with it, I will give it to my son. Looked at Honda, Toyota and Mazda 3. For the price, you cant beat all of the features.

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  ION Red Line is fast, fun - 2006 Saturn ION
  By ron - November 9 - 12:30 am

  Got a used 2006 ION Red Line about 6 months ago, it was a nice find since not too many around. Engine design and performance is great, supercharger responds perfectly to deliver big acceleration. Sweet shifting 5-spd. Suspension seems solid. Absolutely fun to drive. Very generous headroom and legroom for tall driver. Completely reliable, no problems at all so far. On the outside, the ION Red Line looks similar to the regular ION coupe, but mechanically they live on different planets.

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  Frustrated Saturn 2005 ION2 Owner - Cold Start Issue - 2005 Saturn ION
  By mam824 - November 8 - 9:10 am

  In 2008, I had to purchase a vehicle right after I started a new job. I went to SATURN dealer, out of loyalty, (my old SATURN lasted 12 yrs). There was a car just brought in with very low mileage (12,000+) for a 2005 model. I have had my share of issues, but the cold start issue has been a thorn on my side for over two years! First it was the engine light that kept turning on, that took almost a year and two instances of my car being out of commission for weeks at a time to be resolved. GM did away with the SATURN brand, but they have certainly left a bad taste in my mouth about their product.

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  The Deal of the Century - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Ken the Auto Tech - November 4 - 10:00 am

  The Ion 1 is the deal of the century for a $12000 car. It has a great suspension, a lot of pep, great gas mileage, an outstanding designed exterior especially in nickle silver, a good solid interior that isnt cheesy looking, great visiblity, the coldest a/c unit I have ever had the pleasure to use, the turning radius is unbelievably tight (almost pivots on the rear wheels), the manual transmission and clutch are a great team. This list could go on and on but I just ran out of room

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  My Saturn 2005 - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Antoinette - November 3 - 10:06 pm

  This vehicle is nice and easy to drive good on gas and smooth ride not to big and not to small just right

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  Mid-life crises on a budget - 2005 Saturn ION
  By engofct - October 25 - 8:43 am

  What a surprise to be able to find $20,000 car with more expensive sports car performance. The acceleration with the supercharger is incredible. You can feel the supercharger kick in and it throws you in the back of the Recaro seat. The handling is excellent, crisp and with minimal swaying. The 45ZR/17 tires are sticky. The styling is sporty, but not too flashy. The back seats are perfect for my two little girls. They call it a roller-coaster ride with daddy. Perfect car for 40 somethings without breaking the bank.

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  Good for Big, Old Boys - 2003 Saturn ION
  By crow1938 - October 21 - 2:00 am

  Im 62", over 200 lbs and 64 years old. I can get in and out of the ION easily and just completed a 2000-mile trip with one 9-hour-days journey. I was never uncomfortable or saddle- sore. The ION had all the power I needed on the turnpikes and on the hills with 32 mpg. I got my first speeding ticket in 20 years. Dang! My other cars a Miata.

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  Vehicle would not shut off, key stuck - 2006 Saturn ION
  By 2006 Ion 2.4,level 3 - October 18 - 10:56 pm

  Today I could not get the key out of the ignition with the vehicle running. I called Onstar, they connected me to a tow truck service. I called Saturn of Warren, Michigan. Mike at the Service Department did not seem surprised at all of the problem with the vehicle. He stated to me as the key is used in the ingintion, metal shavings come off the key and block up the ingintion center. I have owned the vehicle since 12 05, I also had the driver side window fall off the hinges on "the Freeway", I had to pull off at rush hour and push the window back in the door. Thankfully, I paid for the exented warrenty to 7 yrs or 75k miles, I wish now I paid for the 10, 100k warrenty.

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  Excelent basic transportation - 2003 Saturn ION
  By 2nd Saturn - October 17 - 10:13 am

  I purchased this car for my wife to commute back and forth to work. For this it has performed flawlessly. It averages 30 mpg overall. Have had only one problem - was able to pull the key out while driving. I would not take this car on a long trip with my three kids in the back, but that is what the minivan was made for.