Used 2004 Saturn ION Coupe Consumer Reviews
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236K and still going strong!
Why did they quit making this car! I am soooo lucky to have had 12 years in my comfortable, reliable little Saturn. I love my car and I finally have replaced my original spark plugs (at 236K) and had my 1st transmission service!!! The service tech was totally amazed. Regular oil changes and brakes and only one battery replacement in 12 years!!! I will drive this car another 100K I'm sure!
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12-YRS BEHIND THE WHEEL now upgraded to a RedLine
My ION ran great. I put 140,000 miles on it and replaced the clutch and a couple wheel bearings. Tires and brakes as usual. My old Ion Coupe Never gave me a lick of trouble. Put a cold-air intake on it and got better gas mileage (31m/g commuting). I babied it and it got full mileage of out tires. Cornered just fine; its not a sport car... it's a sport coupe. Very smooth ride. Interior arrangement was very logical and easy to use while driving. Let's put it this way ... mine was totalled (not my fault) and i'm going to probably buy another one used and get a couple more years with it. INSURANCE MONEY PAID FOR A REDLINE Edmunds asked me if I weas interested in updating my review. I used the Insurance money from my totalled Ion Coupe and found an 05 Redline. IT'S FAST IT'S NIMBLE IT'S LIKE DRIVING ON RAILS I'm looking at buying a used Aura... they're even faster than the Redline. Evidently, I like Saturn.
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Best car I have ever had
I bought my 2004 Saturn Ion Coupe in October of 2003. It is now late January of 2022. I am in my 19th year of owning this car. 240,000 miles and counting. It is a manual transmission, and I have had to replace the clutch once (most expensive thing ever done to it), and 2.5 years ago, the gas tank. Beyond that, regular oil changes, tires, brakes , and a couple of other minor things. I don't know how much longer I will be lucky enough to have her, (body is definitely showing its age a bit), but I always said, I would love to make it to 300,000 miles and/or 20 years (whatever comes first). Dumbest thing ever done, was not making Saturns anymore.
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I Love It!
Very satisfied with it so far. Haven't had it long but it's perfect for me. My husband got it for me. It's used but not badly. Just really been broken in good. We got the warranty on it too, just in case. It's got awesome pickup and looks fantastic. It's really an eye catcher. I love the leather and the stereo sounds awesome. The 6 disk cd changer is great, too. The brakes are really good and it purrs like a kitten when you really open it up on the interstate. I got a great feeling about this car and am sure we made a fantastic choice!
If I only could do it over again....
Many people wonder why others purchase foreign compact cars. Enter the Saturn Ion. This is my third brand new car; my first, and last Saturn. While I have received numerous compliments on the exterior of the vehicle (Electric Lime with tinted glass and Car Bra), the praise from others can not dismiss the problems with regard to fit, finish, RATTLES and shoddy engineering. After 10 trips to the dealership (recalls, rattles, loose suspension parts, cruise control problems, horn problems, brake pedal linkage issues...etc), I have decided 14 months and 12,000 miles later it's time for this car to belong to someone who appreciates a noisy 4 cylinder and enjoys spending time at the dealership.
Saturn ION3 Quad Coupe- fun and useable
I like smaller Japanese vehicles such as Toyota, Honda, and Daihatsu (A Toyota subsidiary as is Scion). As an older single male, I concidered a Corvette or a new Mustang, but I like durability and features that give an owner more than the first impression might make. My quad coupe replaced a very nicely loaded and durable Honda Civic EX 4-dr sedan. The ION3 quad coupe has the sporty appearance of a 2-dr coupe, but gives me the advantages of a four door sedan. The rear access door on each side, without a door column, allows amazing room to carry items and install child seats. I keep vehicles a long time. My Toyota truck had 534,000 mi. before its end. Have fun in your ION 3 quad coupe!
Worst Car Ever
This car is the major reasons GM should go out of business. Within a month of driving the car off the lot I began having problems. I had to take the car back to the dealership every month that I owned the car for the first year. Every month was a different problem, and since it was not the same problem twice I was unable to file lemon law on the car. Problems include but are not limited to the electric steering failing, central computer glitches, anti-theft device would lock car ignition upon inserting key in ignition during cold weather and so on. Not only were there endless problems with this car but the dealers were even worse to deal with.
AWESOME
AN awesome car for a young person buying their first car! Its awesome, Very relaiable, yet looks very sporty!
Great Value
Coming from a line of luxury German Brands, a Saturn was purely and economic move that I honestly resented. I bought it for looks and price, but love it for the way it treats me. In the nearly 75k miles in nearly three years, it has not needed service at all other than normal maintainance and a persistent squeak from the rear seat, despite the heavy footed daily commute I put it through. The dent resistant panels have keep looking virtually brand new despite spending most of its time in a cramped busy garage. There are more comfortable, faster, and maybe better looking cars out there, but not at this price and reliability.
Love my ION
I am shocked that I do not see the Saturn ION on more "best lists". It is wonderful to drive, inexpensive, reliable, and my quad coupe ALWAYS receives comments on the streets for its design and looks.
Sleek look, poor transmission!
I bought this car after driving my 1997 SC-1 for 3 years. Definitely against my better judgment because I had to have the engine replaced and major transmission work done. But the Ion QC was a sharp-looking car, and I could explain away the problems I had with my SC-1 (don't know what the previous owner did to it, and the reverse slam tranny problem was a common one). The VTi transmission failed on me not onces, not twice, but three times. We're finally getting Saturn to buy it back. We bought a Toyota Camry! If you're going to buy a 2004 QC, at least get a manual.
Great car.
This is my first car and I absolutely love it. It's great for a teenager because it has awesome styling with good gas mileage and a peppy engine. I feel very sporty in mine which may be because it's manual and red but either way the car is still fun to drive. I pride myself over my gas mileage which is nearly identical to my girlfriends '07 civic which is rated for much better mpg.
Fun Car to Drive
This is my first brand new car. Also my first 5-spd. I love the power that it has and that it's fun to drive. I feel very comfortable in it. I like all the features it came with: sunroof, cruise control, 6-disc CD changer w/ MP3. The only thing that we had to replace were the speakers...they were horrible! The CD player also seems to have some weird thing where it detects when the music is too loud and automaticaly turns it down. That can be very annoying. Other than that it's a decent car for someone who wants something sporty, yet easier to get in and out of than a normal coupe. Also, had a leak under the door when it would rain that had to be fixed.
A big headache
I really like the look and price of this vehicle. However, I have been to the dealership at least a dozen times with serious problems. The car has less than 40,000 miles and I'm on my 3rd transmission, 2nd drive-line, 4th stereo, 2nd steering column, and have had my check engine light come on a couple of times. The Saturn service department has been unpleasant and unprofessional to deal with. This is my first and last Saturn. I am getting rid of this car ASAP.
EXCELLENT CAR
I love this car, first BRAND NEW CAR I ever owned. Could not be more happy with my choice...Test drove every car in its class and fell in love with this one. Can't believe its not on more "best lists"
Good to us...watch the CVT
We bought this car brand new and overall it was a good vehicle for us. Here are the issues we had over 8 years and 140k miles. The remote start from the dealer never did work right. It engaged the PassLock system which left you waiting 10 minutes while the fuel system reset. We had the common issue with the ignition switch replacing it a few times before it was fixed for good. The biggest problem was the CVTs in these cars. They failed more often than they should and couldn't be rebuilt, only replaced. GM fixed a lot of them but ours never died. However at 140k miles it started act up a little which is why we decided to move on.
more like sad-urn
Everything started out great until the day of my wedding. My 92 year old mother and I went to brunch on what was supposed to be the greatest day of my life. I had scheduled the day out to a tee including my beautiful vows that I left safely in my glove compartment. Shortly after the briskets and jam came out the hostess made the announcement a golden Saturn Ion was smoking profusely in the parking lot. My mother and I dashed to the ION and quickly popped the hood. After the smoke cleared we decided to drive the vehicle to the nearest authorized dealership. The car decided to cut off in the far left left lane of US I 85. Mother and I had just gotten the walker out of the trunk but didn't have time to grab the three spare oxygen tanks. We made it to the shoulder as mother screamed "Holy Mother of pearl!" and a semi trunk rear ended the Ion right in the bosom. We don't remember much after that but the State trooper told us the oxygen tanks basically created a hydrogen bomb that propelled the ion 300 feet across the incoming lane. The tow truck driver told us that if it wasn't for the dry rotted frame and the irresponsibly placed gas tank (Saturn faulty designing for you) that the accident wouldn't have been half as bad. Needless to say I didn't make it to the wedding and the vows were destroyed. The marriage ended three years later due to a tax invasion scandal involving a dunkin doughnuts franchise. Moral of the story, don't buy a saturn they ruin lives and families.
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Worst car ever
This was the worst car Ii have ever had. I got it in February and the same day I got it it stalled out on a major and the transmission fluid cost $10 a bottle. I spent $40+ in transmission fluid in a day and a half. Once we got it running it kept stalling out all the way home. I had to use this car to get back and forth to work and school and I couldn't even drive it for the first month I had it. After Ii got it legal it broke down 4 times in a matter or 2 hours. It's not a reliable vehicle at all & I do not recommend it for anyone. I went to get it looked at the transmission place and they wanted over $1,700 for the transmission, NOT INCLUDING LABOR. It is not a safe or reliable car. Too many issues. It was an automatic acting like a manual vehicle which that should not happen. I had it for a total of 2 months. I only drove it for about 2 weeks and had to get rid of it due to all the transmission and engine codes it was pulling up with my code reader.
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bad paint job
my paint job is not to good has some scratches on it saturn says due to ice storm insurance adjuster said bad paint job
ION 3, 2003 4 door sedan.
Fine as a tow vehicle behind my motorhome. MPG city= 28, MPG highway at 70mph= 33.
Saturn Ion 2
Fun to drive. Great highway gas mileage (34).Great leg room for 6'2" driver. My face must be at least 20-24" from the airbag.
WE LOVE OUR ION!!!
WE LOVE OUR ION! IT HANDLES GREAT WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING AND WE LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT INCLUDING THE BEAUTIFUL INTERIOR AND THE UNIQUE AND NEW AND COMPETITIVE BODY STYLE!
Not a bad little car
GM/Saturn did a pretty good job with this car. About 60/40 driving conditions (city/highway), I get between 28-30 mpg. It's not a very fast car (despite the way Saturn designed the exterior) but it will get you to where you need to go while sipping on fuel. I do not like the interior. The rear seating of the 2 door quad coupe is unbearable and not comfortable for anyone over about 5'7" ish. Good size trunk space. The instrument cluster (speedometer and such) is in the center of the dash...kind of unnecessary. If you you're a commuter and aren't looking for an over luxerious vehicle, this is for you.
The Green Machine
I knew I'd need a car that would do well traveling the interstate and not cost me a fortune in gas. I've gotten that. I've had problems with the key getting stuck in the ignition as well, & some electrical problems that seem to fix themselves. My mechanic can't ever find anything wrong with it, but as soon as we leave, it'll misbehave again, but just as quick as it started it will stop. The door sensor was triggering the door being open, which made my alarm go off at random & my dome light go on and off which would kill my battery, so for about a week I had to unplug my battery when I parked. Then it just started working again. It has 85k miles & is still running great under the hood though.
3rd Saturn
Despite the harsh reviews so called "experts" have given this car, I really enjoy this car. I also look at long term reliability when comparing it to it to its competitors. My husbands '96 SL2 has had no problems with almost 100,000 miles on it, while my grandmothers Ford Focus which is a 2000 with about 10,000 has already had 2 major repairs. I really like this car. I have always had a positive experience with Saturn, the cars and the people, and I see no reason to spend the same (or more) on a foreign car with shady, slimy dealers. Or substandard domestic cars like Ford, which you can't trust to work.
Great Car
This vehicle is absolutely fantastic, the features for the price are incredible. The comfort is far above what one would expect and the performance is surprising. The vehicle is very fun to drive as well. Another appealing aspect is the many different areas in which you can tell the engineers were thinking. The half doors on the back, placing the battery in the trunk but still allowing one to jump from the front, and the list goes on. A fantastic car that i would take over a Civic any day of the year.
saturn ion
bought it for my daughter, has a a four speed standard trans thats really easy to drive(and fun! )great on gas, handles real well, rear drs swing out opposite front drs,fairly roomy for a small car, and it has an upgraded stereo system. 0% financing for 5 yrs made it a real sweet deal.
Good Car for the Money.
I just bought my Saturn Quad 3 Coupe yesterday and thus far I am very impressed. First off, the car buying process from a saturn dealership is far better than any other dealership that you could imagine. That right there is almost enough to just make you want to buy the car. No pressure, just good cars and good people. Now for the car itself, I am very pleased with. Now not as fancy as some of it's competitors, it does give you a lot for the money and saturn has a great incentive combo going right now. I got 2250 in rebates and 1.9% financing. If you just started driving or if your just looking for a fun A to B car, then I highly suggest the 04 Ion.
I love this car!
This is the 2nd car I've had, I'm 17 and it's totally perfect for me! It's so cute and fits me. The performance is great, I haven't found any problems with it at all; even my mom likes to drive it. It's super fun to drive, and I'm pretty protective of it. My last car (Ford Contour) was a dud but this car is awesome!
Best Coupe in its Class
Exterior styling is excellent. Interior seating postion is great. By moving the gauges to the center and reducing the diameter of the steering wheel there is more room for tall drivers. Center armrest is larger than normal for this class of vehicle and slides forward. Engine is strong and CVT transmission is smooth and efficent. Very large trunk. Easy access to the rear seats.
Quad Coupe
Bought a 2003 Ion Quad Coupe 3 in July of 03 and have grown to love it. Came out of a Toyota Pickup and hope the Ion can match the reliabilty of the truck. So far it has been great. Fast enough for me, 30 miles to the gallon in the city, and the burnt orange color gets a lot of looks. Have never owned an automatic and this stick is smooth and easy to get used to.
my saturn
i have been a loyal saturn owner,my current saturn is my second and i love it as much as my first. i would recommend one to anyone.
Ion 3 Coupe
My saturn ion is a great vehicle. I have a problem with feeling safe driving certain cars and I do like driving this one. It is reliable and everyone that sees the inside tells me it looks very futuristic and that it seems that Saturn is finally stepping up to the plate.
Quad Coupe
I just purchased a 2004 ion quad coupe and love it! its a smooth comfortable ride...
ion does it for us
I'm very pleased with the ION. Perfect first car for my daughter at a great price-competitive with used. Fun to drive for my wife and me as well. Someone should get a life when they critique the flat seats.
Well My Ion2 is...
I Love my ion2 it's sleek, reliable, a speed demon when i want it to and it, and it makes me look so totally cool
Ion Quad
I have recently purchased a fully loaded saturn ion leval 3 quad coupe. This vehicle is fun to drive and practical with great crash ratings and good gas millage. The saturn buying experiance is like no other... just drop by a saturn dealer youll see what i mean. And it is made by GM so you cant go wrong.
2004 Saturn Ion 2
This is my second Saturn, and it gets the job done. It is a reliable vehicle, I was fortunate in finding a very clean used car. One thing that has happened in both of my Ions is that the outlets cease to work at somepoint. I am assuming it's something simple, I just have not had it checked out yet. But either way, it has happened in both cars. I know I'm not the only one who has had issues with the key getting stuck in the ignition. Again, this happened on both cars. Overall, it really isn't a bad vehicle especially for someone who commutes. Its a little glitchy, but it gets me from A to B.
The New Mustang
I don't know what the editor's problem with the vehicle is, I find it perfectly fine and people are always asking what kind of car it is. With the rear spoiler she almost looks like an improved mustang. For those afraid of getting lemons, look for a warranty on top of the one that already comes with it, that offers a 30 day/1500 mile free replacement warranty. Where if anything goes wrong with the car that is the manufacturers fault within that time frame, the car will automatically be replace, that's what I was offered at my dealership, not all may do it though.
First American Car In 18 Years
My first impression, I like it. The car feels sturdier than the little Japanese econoboxes I was used to driving (Ford Festiva's, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla). I am wary of the CVT but that's why I have a 6 year 100,000 mile warranty. The acceleration is OK, not as good as my Nissan Sentra (5 sp) or Corolla (5 sp), but is sure is nice having an automatic in bumper to bumper traffic. Reviewers knocked the seats but I don't mind them. I drive 2.5 to 3 hours a day commuting to and from work and have no complaints. Still not used to electric power steering but it seems to work OK.
At 2 1/2 Saturn ION Still Fun to Drive
After 2 1/2 years of ownership and 51,000 miles, I still get a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction from driving my Saturn ION 3 Quad Coupe. Its body is still shiny, sleek, and beautiful, it still has great pick up, and it still gets around 30 mpg for me overall. I've had no mechanical problems, and only regular maintenance such as oil and filter changes, wiper blades, and two new tires so far. I really like that it tells me when to change its oil.
Awesome
I love my ion quad coupe! It's been the best car I've ever driven. I had three or four problems with the car but they were fixed free of charge and the car has been perfect since those problems.
Love my Saturn!
My husband bought me my Saturn ION Sport with all leather trim, sunroof, 6 cd changer & everything for my birthday and I absolutely adore it! It's the funnest car I have ever driven. It's reliable, sporty, beautiful, and low maitenance. The only things about it I would change are I would like it if it got a bit better gas mileage and the back seat is kinda cramped. I highly recommend one for those whom have no children or only a small child. We have driven this car to GA & Tennessee multiple times and it has always proven reliable. I get compliments on it all the time. People really like it, though not as much as I do! It is a 6 cylinder, too so it has great pick-up and speed.
fun to drive
I feel that the car is 'cool' to drive around in. Alot of people have stopped to ask me what it is... how the doors work(in quad coupe) and to generally comment on how much they like it.
Happy Satun Owner
I recomend this car. Got the coupe in silver and love the style and design of the out side with the rear spoiler. The quad coupe was a great idea. Gives you the sporty look of a coupe with the practicality of a four door. Like the simplicity of the design inside. The dealers low presure aproach to sales and good customer service is great. Fun car to drive.
great car for the money!!
quick and responsive throttle, comfortable seating, a tuners dream with the ecotec power plant! great car for the money!
power in VTI
Just want to make upgrades.
Excellence in Design
After purchasing this vehicle I have to say that this vehicle has all the things I could ask for out of a car. Now the center mounted gauges are something to get use to, but in all I have been really happy with the service from saturn, and think this is a well built car.
ION 3
I am hoping to get as good of reliability with this Saturn as the previous ones. My last Saturn had 260,000 miles before I sold it. The automatic transmission takes getting used to. The RPMs decline when the speedometer is increasing. I think this means I am utilizing the best gas mileage possible.There is no lack of zoom with this phenomemon.
2nd Saturn I've Owned!! They're Awesome
Saturns are always reliable and economical. I am only 21 and have chosen to buy from Saturn twice. My 1996 SL1 never broke down on me and when it was time for a new one, I couldn't resist the ION Quad Coupe! Thanks Saturn!