Faults:

Had to get both lower control arms replaced at 19,000 miles. There had been a rattle coming from the right front side when driving over bumps. I thought just the right side was affected, but the dealership replaced both of them.

Wipers don't work properly in cold snowy weather. The cold air makes them warp into a curved shape, which makes it impossible for them to maintain contact with the windshield. The snow hits the windshield, and they can't remove it properly, making for dangerous driving during snowstorms due to very bad visibility through the snow and ice encrusted windshield.

Hood latch rusted out, making it difficult to close the hood properly. I've had it oiled from time to time with some WD-40, but of course the problem keeps recurring.

Trunk keyhole rusted out. Why didn't they use stainless steel like anybody with a brain would do? I guess using a non-stainless steel was cheaper, and not detectable by the consumer at the time of purchase = MORE PROFITS!!!

Faults:

Front bushings started squeaking after the first year. Replaced under warranty.

General Comments:

Very inexpensive vehicle to operate as it has excellent city fuel economy and low maintenance costs.

Plastic body, so it doesn't dent even though the car has been carelessly hit by other car doors many times. Paint is exceptionally good and still shines like new.

Performs very well on snow and ice. Features anti-lock brakes and traction control that can be turned off if desired.

Other useful basic features includes jack for mp3 player, 60/40 fold down seats, oil change calculator and outdoor temperature/direction indicator.

Only negatives are average performance and handling, outdoor noise is noticeable, plastic interior elements are cheaply made and the back seats are uncomfortable.

Faults:

- Changed the brakes at 30000Km's.

- Oil change every 7000Km's.

- The week we got it, the rpm tach stopped working, and the first dealer wouldn't help us, so we went to a different GM dealer and they fixed it. Took them about 15-20 minutes to fix it. The wire came unplugged, so they just took it apart and fixed it for free.

- It grinds in R when you're moving, and the dealer doesn't know why it does it, because every other ION doesn't grind in R.

- My wife burned a hole in the driver's seat with a smoke, but it's only small so it's okay. I don't smoke.

- The clutch makes weird sounds when you drive it on a hot day, but it still feels like brand new, so we don't even bother with it.

General Comments:

Overall it's a nice car in some ways. I do like that the dash is in the middle, so I can have my hand anywhere in the wheel, and it doesn't block anything. The stereo sounds really good for a stock system.

I don't really like the seats that much, cos it's hard to get a comfy spot. Even the back seat, there's no leg room and not that much head room. The seats are as hard as rock.

The trunk isn't bad. There's just enough space in there for a long camping trip.

It was 145 horse power, so it does get up and go when you need it. The 5-speed is a lot better than the Auto ION, because you can get a lot more out of your engine with it.

We only paid $13,000, so it's not that bad of a car. The Ion Redline is NICE.

I wouldn't buy another ION, but it's a nice car. My wife loves it, but I don't know why LOL.

Faults:

Nothing yet to go wrong.

General Comments:

This car is great to drive. It has good power, handles well, and is very economical. I get 37 mpg on the highway (driving 70 mph). Around the city I get about 33 mpg - the manual tranny lets me get it into 5th gear at 35 mph for great fuel economy.

A few things in the interior are showing wear, but nothing major after more than 3 years of ownership.

The plastic body panels are GREAT!! No dings or dents. The paint is superb - when I wash the car it looks like new!

My only complaint about the car is the cruise control... it doesn't engage smoothly. ie when you have the cruise set and you "coast" to a slower speed then release, there is a slight jolt as the cruise re-engages. It's barely noticeable on level pavement, but when you're going uphill it's bad.