Used 2007 Saturn Ion

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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