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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  MPG? No! GPM= Grins per Mile!!! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Catshreds - December 24 - 8:00 pm

  Park where you want, no shopping cart dings in these polymer doors. Move throgh traffic or on the open road with plenty of power to spare. Huge 4 wheel brakes will stop you NOW. Ive never owned a Saturn before, but one drive in the Redline, and I was sold. Looked at Scion Tc, WRX Sti, and Srt4. This car is the pefect marriage of performance and everday practicality; insurance was way cheaper than the others too!

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  I love my 06 ION 3 - 2006 Saturn ION
  By 06ion3 - December 21 - 8:40 pm

  I went from a 95 Ford Taurus to the 06 saturn ION 3 coupe. Theres such a big difference, a good difference though. Only thing I dont like about my new car is the seats. Theyre uncomfortable. Other than that I love it.

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  I love this car! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By miss_tarabull - December 8 - 7:43 pm

  This is the 2nd car Ive had, Im 17 and its totally perfect for me! Its so cute and fits me. The performance is great, I havent found any problems with it at all; even my mom likes to drive it. Its super fun to drive, and Im pretty protective of it. My last car (Ford Contour) was a dud but this car is awesome!

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  GREAT CAR!! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By daisy111 - December 3 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE MY CAR!

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  Saturn is a solid car - 2004 Saturn ION
  By joew44 - December 3 - 10:00 am

  This is my first manual transmission in a while. I like having the control over the engine so I can take it easy for great gas mileage or power when needed. The 2.2 has a flat torque curve with plenty of power in the low RPMs for easy shifting. Car very smooth on road. Special features like the electric steering and center mounted speedometer get more natural and easier to use as I drive the car. Definitely if youre thinking of a Saturn take advantage of the 24 hour test drive.

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  Has been a reliable car - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Karen - November 30 - 8:20 am

  I bought by car used and have driven it everyday for work and on trips and have never had any mechanical problems. I had some leakage in the sun roof but removed the wind deflector & problem gone. The security alarm sensor is malfunctioning & will cost $100 to fix but I just dont turn on the alarm and it doesnt go off randomly. Sometimes the engine sounds like it is struggling when accelerating. Everything else is good. I have the extended warranty up to 75K and now I have 70K, so I will probably trade in for a diff. brand b/c Saturn is now out of business. I need a reliable car for my job & this one has been a good one for the last 3 yrs.

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  My Fun Lil Redline - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Justin Dodson - November 28 - 4:46 pm

  I bought another Saturn because I couldnt kill my last one, even by drowning it. I love their sales people. They are still car salesmen, but at a Saturn dealership you can pretend they are real people.

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  Excellant first car! - 2007 Saturn ION
  By shannabanana1 - November 25 - 12:06 am

  My dad bought this car for me in 2007. It was brand new when I bought it, and Ive driven it rough, to say the least, for the past 5 years. I have never had any serious problems with this car, and have rarely had to do any repairs except for general maintenance. The only real headache Ive had with it is that it has ignition problems. The key is sometimes hard to turn and one time the key actually got stuck in the ignition. I had to drive it to a repair shop and let it run out of gas because I could not get the key out. But all in all it cost about $100 to fix and I havent had problems since. Its built like crap but thats why it made such a good first car.

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  Great Improvement - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Southion - November 24 - 2:00 am

  Ion 1 is a fantastic improvement over SL, especially with peppy 2.2L DOHC engine, finally 5A option, and fun CD player. Love electric power steering, and A/C doesnt drag cars performance down like old SL. Nothing but rave reviews from everyone so far.

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  Some, but not enough - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Jynxie - November 16 - 2:33 pm

  I bought an ION after owning a 92 Saturn SC and being so pleased with it. I was VERY disappointed with the ION. It rattled, parts came off all the time, brakes werent that good. I definitely got my moneys worth out of that warranty. Good for a first car, but after having had high quality, I cant go back to Saturn.