2004 Saturn ION Ion2 review from North America

Almost nothing has gone wrong with this car or the previous one that I owned. This is my second Ion2. I bought it after someone rear ended my first one. For the most part I've just had to do regular maintenance stuff.

In general I think this car has decent features and performance comparable to most others in it's class as well as a few features that make it unique. The center mounted instrument cluster is great and it gives the cabin a nice open feel. The polymer body panels are dent resistant and will never rust. The air conditioning and heater controls are simple and easy to reach and operate on the road. The ride feels smooth for the most part but you can still feel the road and the seats are okay, definitely not a luxury car but it's comfortable enough. The cabin is also mostly quite but occasionally I hear a bit of a rattle from something in the roof (part of the sunroof mechanism).

Overall I like the way it feels on the road. With the manual transmission it has a bit of pep to it and it does a nice pull when I hit the gas as long as I keep it in the appropriate torque range. A good driver can get a lot out this modest little sedan.

With the factory 16" alloy wheels, deck spoiler, and dark gray paint job this car has a nice aggressive look as well.