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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  My New Ion - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Meglette - January 14 - 2:00 am

  Fresh off the lot, and so far so good. Had a Saab before, so its a little hard to downgrade on the features, but its a good little car so far... the instrument panel is a change, but not bad. Keepin my fingers crossed!

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  it can happen - 2003 Saturn ION
  By rodknee - January 13 - 8:56 am

  ready for this,, 285000 miles on mine saturn. yes,,now here;s the deal. problems,, interior,, well cheap,my power windows worked when they want to ,, fixed that, just move the wire in the door heading into compartment engine power locks stink.. pain sometimes, horn not so good., have a couples .brakes pads rotors, doesnt like the cold weather either,, have to warm up before the car will turn over, but in general this car been pretty good,,simple wear and tear. inside looks kinda crappy outside still looks good.

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  Great bang for the buck - 2004 Saturn ION
  By chris parks - January 13 - 7:40 am

  Ive owned my ION for over a year now and I have 0 complaints. It still runs great and Ive had no problems whatsoever. I actually like the grille of my car better than the 05 model. The interior fit and finish could be a little better, but other than that its great. I especially like the 25 mpg around town! A++

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  Get me out of this thing - 2004 Saturn ION
  By nathan - January 13 - 3:43 am

  I loved it at first. It drove great, it turned heads and I thought it would last me forever. It problems started when it got cold,, The car will not start. The engine will turn once then the security light will come on and the car is useless until about 20 min later. When the problem first happend I thought it may have been the battery, I was going to get a friend to jump me off. When we went to the battery (in the trunk) Water was standing in the trunk well 4 inches deep. After repeat repairs the leak was fixed in the trunk but the car still wont start. There is a constant leak in the passengers side that leaves water 3 inches of water in the floor, there is a ever present smell of mildew.

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  My First Car - 2006 Saturn ION
  By hot4coldplay18 - January 11 - 11:00 pm

  My Saturn ION 2006 was bought for me, so I didnt have a say. Although it is only my first car, I love it! It is fun to drive, has a great stereo system with tons of presets, and is a gorgeous color (laser blue) which was taken out of the lineup after my saturn was purchased. After reading other reviews, I have had no problems with my Saturns engine. That being said, my two complaints are regarding the fuel efficiency and the dent resistant plastic body. I do not get the 30 mpg that were promised, and after backing into a parked car, the other car looked untouched while the back bumper of mine was not only dented, it was literally cracked. Overall, this is a great, cheap car for anyone.

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  Avoid at all cost! - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Morgan Reid - January 8 - 2:47 am

  When it works, its an easy ride. It only works about 10% of the time. Its in and out of the shop for various reasons. The car is aging of course, but the miles are still low in comparison to the year it was built. The recalls have fixed some of the issues, but new ones seem to arise out of the blue. At one point, my gas tank began pouring gas all over the roadway. When I realized, I had it towed to the mechanic who found that nothing had penetrated the tank, but the seal had worn. Its truly a lemon.

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  GREAT CAR - 2004 Saturn ION
  By RMUHCKY22 - January 3 - 10:00 am

  GREAT CHOICE. GREAT SERVICE. EVEN BETTER CAR. MY ION 3 SPECIAL EDITION IS SPORTY YET CLASSY AT THE SAME TIME PERFECT FOR THE QUALITY YET ECONOMICALLY MINDED. THIS CAR HAS IT ALL FOR A GREAT PRICE!

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  Unreliable. Dont do it. - 2005 Saturn ION
  By pinktoes - January 2 - 5:03 pm

  Poorly made? Perhaps bad parts? I have had my horn replaced, the BCM replaced, and now the cruise control and gas gauge are not functioning properly. I cannot wait to trade this car in. I told myself I would keep it a year. One headache-filled year. I would not recommend Saturn or the ION. Not to mention the poor quality of the car, the salesmen and service department have been very disappointing.

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  2004 Saturn Ion 4 door sedan - 2004 Saturn ION
  By loufalce - January 2 - 2:46 pm

  Bought it late in 2004 after my `93 Lumina died at 110,000 miles {needed transmission} Excellent dealer and service. Generally well built car overall, never gave me any trouble until winter of 2008 when engine failed to start. After spending 125.00 at an "authorized GM repair shop"-the dealer was out of business- I was told it needed a new starter, ignition switch, and fuel injection module. Bottom line-1400.00. Since the car had slightly over 35,000 miles on it, I was -hit out of luck. It starts OK when its nice outside, but as soon as it gets cold, it takes forever. Bottom line. I`m going to lease a Honda Civic this time. I`ll never touch another GM car again.

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  Fun and Quirky Redline - 2004 Saturn ION
  By danhaab - December 22 - 10:00 am

  While helping my parents shop for a new SUV at Saturn, I decided to test the Redline on a whim; I had no plans to purchase the vehicle. After a test drive and a $3750 reduction in price, I decided that this was the car to purchase. The cars quirks are pleasantly surprising. I was not sure I would like the center mounted gauges; however I found them surprisingly easy read and unobtrusive. The quad style coupe is also an interesting feature. The suicide style doors open wide and allow easy entry to the rear seats. While straight-line performance doesn’t match up to the Neon SRT 4, the car acquits itself well among the rest of its competitors in the sport compact car scene.