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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2007 Saturn Ion

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Want to save money? Check out the 2006 Saturn Ion

Overview

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2007 Saturn Ion Review

By KBB.com Editors

As fuel costs show no sign of dropping, the small car is once again in vogue, making Saturn the darling of GM. With its Ion coupe and sedan, Saturn offers buyers a genuine alternative to the popular Japanese and Korean makes, and a customer service model that focuses on total satisfaction from purchase to trade-in. Though the Ion is not yet the equal of such vehicles as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, it is a worthy compact offering excellent fuel economy, an agreeable price tag and a number of innovative options, including the high-performance Red Line package.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you desire a fuel-efficient commuter car with a bit of an edge, the Ion's handsome new grille, trendy center-mounted instrument pod and innovative "four-door coupe" design may appeal to you.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If interior design is important to you, the Ion's interior, though improved, still feels somewhat Spartan when compared to its competition. Also, the Ion's resale value can't match the numbers set by the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

What's Significant About This Car?

The standard 2.2-liter ECOTEC engine gets a slight bump in horsepower to 145, while the optional 2.4-liter ups the ante to 175 horsepower.

Driving the Ion

Driving Impressions Considering its size, the ECOTEC 2.2-liter engine delivers outstanding performance in both acceleration and fuel consumption. Though we prefer the slick-shifting five-speed manual, the Ion's four-speed automatic transmission does a...

nice job changing gears. The 2.2-liter has terrific low-end torque, is quick off the line and always has an ample reserve of power for passing and climbing. The Ion coupe feels much more confident on the road than last year's car. This is due to Saturn's recent readjustment of the Ion's electric power steering, which was intended to give better on-center feel at high speeds. The all-season tires are not exactly performance oriented, so you'll still get a good deal of tire squeal under aggressive driving.

Favorite Features

Flat-Folding Front Seat
The Ion's clever flat-folding front seat can be used as a work table or to increase cargo space.

Quad Coupe's Rear Doors
The Quad Coupe's rear doors are quite large, providing the type of access previously available only to sedan owners.

2007 Saturn Ion Details

Interior

The Ion bucks the traditional instrument panel design by having the instrument cluster in the center top of the dash—some people may find this awkward. The Ion's seats are wide and flat, which may not be to the liking of those accustomed to well-bolstered sport seats. Improvements made to last year's interior carry over for 2007, including higher quality plastics, optional leather seating and an array of audio options, including CD/MP3 compatibility and a standard audio input jack for use with an external MP3 player.

Exterior

The Ion's geometric body sculpting stands out in the small car world, while its dent-resistant plastic body panels help it maintain its factory-fresh look. Sedan models are not as visually exciting as the coupes, but their fully-independent rear doors make it much easier to get in and out of the rear seat. The coupes feature a novel rear-half door that can be opened only after the front doors are opened and swung wide.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

As standard equipment, the Ion 2 has a 145-horsepower 2.2-liter engine, five-speed manual transmission, power locks, front cup holders, rear defroster, illuminated entry, dual manual remote control mirrors, AM/FM stereo with CD, split-folding rear seat, OnStar, tilt wheel and 15-inch tires with full wheel covers. The Ion 3 adds air conditioning, rear cup holders, CD/MP3 player, automatic headlamp control, cruise control, power mirrors, power windows, remote keyless entry and alloy wheels.

Optional Equipment

Options include the Enhanced Performance Package, and the Sun and Sound package that adds a sunroof and XM Satellite Radio. Stand-alone options include a four-speed automatic transmission, 175-horsepower 2.4-liter engine, leather seats, head-curtain airbags and a power sunroof. The Red Line package adds a 200-horsepower supercharged engine, sport suspension, sport seats and 17-inch wheels. Available as optional on the Ion 2 are cruise control, power windows, upgraded audio and power mirrors.

Under the Hood

The Ion's 2.2-liter in-line four is plenty peppy for most needs. The optional 2.4-liter should go a long way with the tuner crowd on a budget. For those who can afford a price tag above $20,000, the Ion Red Line Quad Coupe is the best performer in the bunch.

2.2-liter in-line 4
145 horsepower @ 5600 rpm
150 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 26/35 (manual), 24/32 (automatic)

2.4-liter in-line 4
175 horsepower @ 6200 rpm
164 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/34 (manual), 24/32 (automatic)

2.0-liter in-line 4 Supercharged
205 horsepower @ 5600 rpm
200 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/30

To compare current market prices, check out KBB.com's car classifieds to view the new and used Saturn Ion vehicles for sale near you.

Trading in or Selling? Know where you stand with the most up-to-date Kelley Blue Book Value at your fingertips. See your car's value

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2007 Saturn Ion Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

7.6

Out of 10

Based on 827 Ratings for the 2003 - 2007 models.

Review this car

Value

8.2/10

Quality

7.8/10
Reliability

8.3/10

Performance

8.0/10
Comfort

7.8/10

Styling

8.1/10

Great reliable and quality car.

By SF Native (CA) on Saturday, April 27, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 37,028

10 7.0

overall rating 7 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 7/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 5/10
Comfort: 4/10

Pros: "Looks great and dependable."

Cons: "Instrument panel is hard to get used to."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"My experience is the Saturn Ion is a simple dependable car to drive in and around the city. My longest trip driving the car was 1,200 miles and the car performed great in terms of gas mileage and its aerodynamics. During my long drive the driver seat was very uncomfortable. Overall, I enjoy my car and like it very much."

7 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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Funnest car I've owned

By Redline Fan (MI) on Monday, April 08, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 63,500

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 8/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 7/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Fun to drive and no door dents!"

Cons: "Seating position is too high"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"This is the funnest car I have ever owned. It is suprisingly practical with the quad doors. Thew trunk is large and the mileage is decent. Would buy this car again!"

3 people out of 4 found this review helpful

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runs good

By koko (FL) on Thursday, March 28, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 139,000

10 8.0

overall rating 8 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 8/10
Value: 7/10
Reliability: 8/10
Quality: 8/10
Performance: 6/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "good looking, save gas, not expencive"

Cons: "my insurance is too high i need to sell it asap."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"the car is in good condition it just have a couple of details it runs good. and does not cosume a lot of gas. bad thing about it is sounds like a little bell in the front but i dont think it is something serius cuz its working perfectly. soon it is gonna need a battery change and the tires too, even though i just change all 4 tires, i bought used ones so i hope they las a little bit more... it is a good looking car and works good, it only need a little bit of work but even if you dont take care of them it is still gonna drive you here and there... ;) -saturn ion level 2.... -year 2006, -139thousand miles. -Gear Stick -power windows -A/C and heater work perfectly -sunroof -alarm..."

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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Wouldn't drive anything else! Best car ever.

By BuyAmericanGirl (FL) on Thursday, March 28, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 28,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Safety, Economical, Dependable, Roomy Interior"

Cons: "Can't think of any"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I bought my first Saturn in 2002, wanted an American made car which was very hard if not impossible to find. Also during their early years Saturn ran those great commercials showing the cars being built in the US factories.. My first one was a small compact that I drove for two years before upgrading to my first Ion-3, in 2004. That car ran and ran...my ex used it as his "work car", putting over 150 miles a day on it. Not one single problem, ever. He let his son drive it and the kid totalled it in 2011. Every cop on the scene, and emt's said if it wasn't for the way the car was built he would have been killed. He walked away without a scratch. So, off to buy my next Saturn. I was specific in what I wanted and it took 5- months before I could find one. These cars if well maintained do not lose their value. I found mine, a 2006, Saturn Ion3 coupe (4-door with the back doors opening to the back so it actualy looks like a 2-door car from a distance), All leather, automatic, serius/xm, 5-cd changer, 5- speakers, onstar, 2-charging outlets, shiny red, new tires, 26,000 miles, automatic moon roof, not a mark on it, carpets like new, full spare tire. It looks, drives, handles better than any of the new cars I test drove. (in my price range). . The "plastic" doors are great! I have often heard jokes about the Saturn being a plastic car, but let me say after seeing my original Ion ripped right down to it's bones after the accident there is nothing "plastic" about it. The doors never get dinged or dented and maintain a brand new look. I get over 30mpg highway, maybe more... just haven't taken the time to actually gauge it. All I know is I can fill it without breaking the bank. The back seats fold down flat so it has enormous space from the trunk to the backs of the front seats.... True, it is not a sports car in the sense that it goes 0-60 in 4 seconds, but really? The pick up is just fine, no problems merging into fast dangerous Fl. highways. I can't say enough good things about this car. Very sad they are not made any more. As far as servicing, though I haven't ever had a problem, parts are available. I spent $11,500.00 out the door for a car that with all of the options in it, compared to a new car today similar in size would be at the very least double in price. (the leather especially adds...and was what was hard to find).... Also my car insurance is inexpensive. This car is a definate for anyone who takes safety into consideration, value, and cost to drive."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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250,000 miles in just under 8 years

By Mikey (MI) on Saturday, March 23, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 250,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Fun to drive, great gas mileage"

Cons: "Not a family car, not much leg room in back seat"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"As the title says, my Ion3 just went over 250,000 and is running just like the day I bought it 8 years ago. it's a 5 speed manual and I still get 30 mpg on a daily basis. I drive it (actually, low altitude fly it) very hard. I put about 31,000 miles a year on it and it only ever had one major engine issue; a valve lifter failed just after it went out of warranty. If it wasn't for the fact that I want to move up to an SUV, I'd keep driving it until it didn't run anymore. There are no oil leaks although I do add a quart of oil between oil changes. Probably could use a valve job, but why tempt fate. I wish Saturn was still around, I'd buy an Outlook or a Vue"

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