Faults:

Driver's side window went off track around 2 years, repaired under warranty no questions asked.

General Comments:

I got the ION as my first car and as a 3 year lease to keep the payments low while I was in school. It has been a very good, simple car to get started with. Sure it wasn't luxury and there were many other more desirable cars on the market at the time, but given the chance to decide again, I'd still get the ION.

While others have criticized its appearance and comfort, you have to remember it is a lower end car. The seats weren't uncomfortable, but more comfortable ones would have been nicer on long trips, of which I did many. The center dash was touted as a safety feature, but it was really more annoying than anything. Everyone commented about it being in the center and there really was no need for it to be there. I took good care of the car since it was a lease, so it didn't get beat up as much as someone else might and therefore can't really comment on how sturdy parts were.

My biggest complaint was always that it didn't feel solid. The plastic doors always made a creaking sound when I turned corners. There were also a few annoying rattles that I've never figured out what they were.

I think the ION was an unexpected flop for Saturn, which worked nicely for my lease. My buyout price was $11,000, which was retail price in Kelley Blue Book, but dealer trade and private party were both 2-3k less than that. If you're keeping it for just a short time, it may not hold its value. If you'll drive it into the ground, it may work out.

Faults:

New car, zero miles, cracked transmission.

Trim gaskets keep popping out. Dealer can't resolve the issue.

Bad fuel injection relays.

Bad relays in the security system, car won't start.

Dash lights dim at various intervals without reason.

General Comments:

We like our ION. All cars have problems. But the dealership and Saturn do a lousy job of taking care of the customer. Service closes at 4:30. They didn't finsih our car twice and just closed and went home. Didn't call us to arrange a rental, nothing. Had to take the car back three times two days after we picked it up. Less than 50 miles on the car, for a transmission leak. Dealer couldn't find it. Told us we were seeing things. Finally they put ultraviolet dye in the trans fluid and found a hairline crack. Took Saturn a month to get us a new trans. Call the dealership for Service and we always get voice-mail. Many times they never call back. Had our ION back four times for tirm gaskets that pop out. Finally the Dealer ordered new ones. Took six weeks to get them. Dealer never called us to let us know the parts arrived. Then they were too busy to install them. Had to wait two weeks for an appointment. We've indicated our problems on our Saturn surveys and have never been contacted, nor has anything changed at the dealership. Saturn works very hard to keep customer complaints quiet and to present a image of customer contentment. Beware!

Faults:

Bought this car June 05.

This car has been pretty dependable, in fact I'm impressed with it's dependability and hope it stays that way.

The things that have gone wrong are:

1) Ignition sensor was replaced January 2007.

Woke up one morning and car would not start, put key in and turned, got nothing repeatedly. The temp the night before was 9 degrees and the car is left out every day, with last winter being very cold. Later that day the car turned on just fine, took it to the dealer and they said that the ignition sensor malfunctioned, so they replaced it as a precaution(under warranty). It's never happened again, except that one time.

2) Driver's side seat cushion had to be replaced, the cushioning spontaneously moved for some reason.

3) All sorts of rattles. This is the biggest problem IMO with the Ion - expect lots of rattles. I try to complain about them when I get my oil changed but I can never duplicate the problem with them, very annoying but not the biggest deal.

4) Weatherstripping was letting a little air in, was replaced on driver's side. The trim on the inside of the Quad Coupe doors pops out, you have to push it in every couple rides or it rattles...not a big deal. It's obvious that there was some cost cutting in this car, but if you don't mind that then the car is very reliable.

5) The stick shift knob came loose and was replaced.

General Comments:

Overall great car. Really love it. Looks good, and the interior, while not amazing is reasonably appealing and not ugly like some other GM cars (Pontiac Grand Prix for instance). It's not a premium car, don't mistake it for that, but it's good for the money.

The exterior of the Ion Coupe is appealing, but can't say the same for the sedan, which makes me glad I have the coupe.

The 2.2L Ecotec-4 140 hp engine is very fuel efficient at EPA 26/35. It's a 4 banger, but has reasonable power for such a light car. I average about 30 mpg in 60/40 city driving.

The polymer doors have prevented dents on a couple of occasions, although I'd prefer regular metal doors.

Good overall car, I think it's a good pick in it's class, and I'm sad to see Saturn is replacing it with the Astra for 08.

Drives well in general, the maneuverability is a great plus, as it has a very sharp turning radius.

The suspension is a little rough, but won't cause back pain.

All in all, a nice ride and a good value.