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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  They must have built it for me!!! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Marcella - September 8 - 10:00 am

  I love my new ION, they must have built it for me, because it is exactly what I wanted. I had a 2002 SC2 and this is such an improvment. More power,more room and way more fun!!!

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  You get what ya paid for - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Caligirl - September 4 - 6:36 pm

  I purchased this car with 50K for $7K. I really got my moneys worth which wasnt much. The right headlight refuses to work, it runs hard, the engine cant take going 70 mph, and the whole car seems to be made of cheap, cheap plastic. To top it off, my engine light turns on then after a few hours to a day it turns off by itself. And no one can figure out why it does that! Buy this car if you want a cheap compact gas saver.

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  Lemon of all vehicles - 2005 Saturn ION
  By sandi - August 30 - 8:56 pm

  I purchased my 2005 Saturn in Mid 2005. I had a 1996 for almost 10 years and loved it. This 2005 ION is a piece of junk. I have almost been killed three times driving this car, once was on I-95. You can start the car, but dont leave the house because after a mile or so the car stops dead, leaving you without power or brakes. You have to wait from 10 to 20 minutes to get it started again, and then pray it does not stall again. Apparently the computer in the car is defective. However, it takes them several tries to determine this defect. Had they determined it back in 2006, I would have sent this car packing back to the manufacturer under the lemon law here in Florida. Dont buy one!

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  Ion - 2007 Saturn ION
  By g g - August 30 - 6:10 am

  Great little auto

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  happy with saturns - 2004 Saturn ION
  By chandsant - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had 3 saturns now. I like the sc2 3 door design much better than the new saturn coupe. it is not as sporty. i am happy with the extra room though. go figure. over all, i am a saturn buyer for life.

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  Fast and fun - 2005 Saturn ION
  By tim - August 25 - 10:16 am

  I love this car. It is not only fun to drive, but it is a pratical car. The gas mileage isnt the best, but it is also not the worst. I would definitly buy this car again in the future.

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  A great starter car - 2007 Saturn ION
  By MJF - August 24 - 10:06 am

  I bought the stripped down version of this car (manuel transmission and windows) for 12500 brand new and so far its been worth every penny. 30000 miles later it still runs great and gives me no problems. At 20000 the change oil light went on and stayed on thru 2 oil changes but it evenually went off. The interior is a tall persons dream as the front seats go back extremly far, making it very comfortable (im 65) The milage is constantly around 30mpg. The only downside is the lack of acceleration in the car. Even is a standard you cant beat a SUV of the line. If you want a simple no frills car that is reliable, go with this car.

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  Thought it would be better - 2004 Saturn ION
  By psyculman - August 22 - 9:00 am

  I bought my Saturn based on friends who owned older ones. But, my Ion reflected GMs usual utter disregard for customer loyalty. The front suspension rattled @20,000 miles, the ignition switch froze in 20 deg. weather, the wiper gear case broke off, front wheel bearings began to make noise at 60,000 mi. After 4 yr my $2,000 warranty, 5 year warranty, "applied from the "day" the car was "assembled", so did NOTHING! The morning the check engine light came on, and I could not discover why on my own, I went directly to Toyota, and, bought a Corolla. End of story. See other reviews listed here on this site, if you can get a used Ion, cheap, its probably going give you good service, but beware.

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  1 - 2003 Saturn ION
  By lovettsteve - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Super vehicle. Great gauges. Very smooth quiet and poweful engine. The vehicle feels extremely solid and I love the looks!

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  My first FWD car. - 2005 Saturn ION
  By PCPhil - August 18 - 11:53 am

  Love the punch it has when you get on it. Love the suicide doors. Better to get in and out than a Cobolt. Nice to see the GM Performance Division logo in the engine comparment because I am from a Chevy family. Impressive turning with minimal body roll. Will need to upgrade tires once I rip the rest of the tread of the factory Dunlops. Nice placement of the battery in the trunk for when I add upgraded stereo components. Nice rear wing, not the bigger gaudy one like the rest of the imports. Enjoy going for a drive and not worry about burning so much gas like my 5.7L Silverado.