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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  ion is geat - 2003 Saturn ION
  By berrz - July 6 - 2:00 am

  my new ion is a great car. its fun to drive, quiet, and pretty good mileage.

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  Try it youll like it - 2003 Saturn ION
  By oleytwo - July 6 - 2:00 am

  Drive a lot 40-50K a year. So far best value out there. Its not a Lexus, but for the money its hard to beat. 2500 miles avg. 30MPG, fair amount of room, 0%, good power, rides good, beat it.

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  Will drive it until it dies! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By RatPack25 - July 4 - 4:00 pm

  Picked up my Ion new in 03. Car was well priced for what I got (sunroof, auto trans, etc.) Is good gas mileage car, and has enough pep to keep up in city traffic. 3 problems Ive had: hood release cable snapped twice, sunroof cover got jammed (was replaced), and drivers side window has trouble going up and down when its cold (have to hit the door a couple times to make it work). Otherwise, this car has given me no mechanical problems, and has been a very reliable daily driver. I plan on driving it until it dies, or becomes too costly to repair.

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  My lover! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Jeffroberge09 - July 4 - 8:43 am

  Really great car! Easy to get a part of the car if its broken. Really easy to maintain! I made many modification on it and Im really happy of my first car! Of course I have to do some repair on the car but it was an use one, but the part wasnt expensive

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  Ion-1 - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Jason - June 26 - 6:16 am

  Bought this car new in May 2005 and had one problem with the transmission but havent had any other problems since. Im up to 47,000 miles now. A decent car overall. I average 32mpg driving conservatively and about 27mpg with no regard to fuel efficiency driving. The car has some zip if you need it. Nice thing about the plastic panels is that the car looks the same as I bought it new and I rarely go to the car wash. And replacing the panels is cheap if I have to.

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  My Third Saturn - 2003 Saturn ION
  By cjf - June 25 - 10:00 am

  I have had 3 Saturns in 8 years. My experience with these cars have been excellent. The milage has been very good and I have never had any kind of problem mechanical or otherwise with them. My experience buying them has been a pleasure no hassle of any kind no pressure salesmanship. I love my new ION 3 it is roomy, has all the bells and whistles and my in city gas mileage is 26 miles to the gallon on the road it is 38-39. It is also the only car that can be called American.

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  NooNoos review - 2005 Saturn ION
  By NooNoo - June 17 - 3:03 pm

  This vehicle is reliable, affordable, and good looking. I met my newly married wife 2 months ago driving this car. Its one of the best things that ever happened to me. Thanks for making a car that got my wife.

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  Great car, even in accidents - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Courtney - June 14 - 8:20 pm

  I was in an accident with mine and there was damage, but the dent resistent stuff really helped. There was not much body damage for a 35-40 mph impact. Both airbags went off, and no engine damage in our case. Great car to drive and now I feel even safer in it, at least from a head-on colission

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  Bye Bye Si - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Black_RL - June 11 - 8:30 pm

  I recently bought a RL and have been very pleased. It is rated at 205 bhp and unlike most cars that is what you will be getting at the wheels not the crank. In a straight line it will blow away a 06 Civic Si everytime. Also there are rumors that GM is releasing "Performance Upgrade" kits to boost the performance to 252 bhp and 240 lb/ft of torque.

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  2005 ION 3 Great Car - 2005 Saturn ION
  By James L - June 6 - 6:13 am

  My ION has been trouble free after 6000 miles and rides great. Very quiet at idle/cruising and handles very well. The seats are quite comfortable. I have the 160 watt stereo with XM radio and it is worth every penny. I waited for the 2005 because I had heard of all the technical improvments being made. The effort Saturns engineers put into making this car quiet is very apparent. I would definitely buy this car again.