2006 Saturn Ion 2: Buying, Driving, and Servicing. Your questions answered.

Disclosure: In the interest of full disclosure, I must point out why I picked the Saturn Ion for my mode of transportation. My old car gave up. The brakes and struts went out a few weeks after I had the transmission replaced. It was time for a change, and I wanted something new, dependable, economical, and affordable. I did little research on the Saturn Ion itself, but I did research financing options and decided that Saturn's leasing options were right for me in my present circumstance. So, in all honesty, I drive a Saturn Ion today because of the finance options.

My Saturn Ion

I drive a 2006 Saturn Ion 2, leased brand new. It is a 4-door sedan with manual transmission and a sunroof, and is comparable to a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla. It currently has about 18,000 miles on it, and I use it both in the city and on the highway. Before it even had 500 miles on it, I embarked on a 2,400 mile road trip. It has also been on another 2,000 mile trip since then. And I drive it to and from work through stops and starts and lights and braking for stray dogs and all of that fun stuff. It works, it gets me from point A to point B, and it's affordable. Instead of discussing technicalities such as the amount of air pressure you should keep in your tires or the exact amount of pressure you should press your clutch. Instead, I will answer all of the questions I should have asked before I leased the Saturn Ion.

The Buying Process

How was the service when you went to look at the Saturn dealership?

Saturn prides itself on "no pressure" and "no haggle" sales. I don't really know what the "no pressure" part means, but it was one of the first things I was told when I got out of my car and the salesman met me in the lot. I also went to a Saturn dealership with a friend once, and they said the same thing. I didn't ask what they meant and didn't particular care, either.

The "no haggle" part was worthwhile, though. Basically the "no haggle" philosophy of Saturn means that you pay the price on the tag. (http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/19/autos/debating_no-haggle/index.htm) There isn't some high price on the tag that you have to negotiate down for; so what you see is what you get. This is not the case at other dealerships that start with some random list price then go down depending on eighty million factors and entire books of negotiation techniques. When I buy groceries, I don't feel like haggling for a price, and I don't want to do it when I buy a car either. Apparently dealers like the no-haggle pricing as well, as Saturn is the top-rated "mainstream" car company for dealer satisfaction (http://www.cbc.ca/cp/business/061115/b111571A.html).

So when I arrived at the dealership, I knew that all I really needed to do was to find a car that I liked and that was in my price range. I explained to the salesman that I wanted a 4-door Sedan that was comparable to a Civic or a Corolla, and he pointed to the Ion immediately. Based on the price, I knew I was interested in the Saturn Ion-2 sedan, with its 145 HP, 4-cylinder engine. I took the car for a quick test-drive, felt comfortable with it, and the rest of my time at the dealership involved considering finance options and discussing options. They never tried to "upsell" with extra options, and in actuality the Ion I looked at came with a free package (promotion) including larger wheels, a sunroof, and a spoiler Although I'm not a big fan of random chunks of metal attached to trunks, I prefer the larger wheels and the sunroof.

One cool thing about Saturn is that they will bring the car to you if you want to test-drive it. Just go to http://www.saturn.com and click "at home test-drive" on the bottom right-hand corner of the page. After you enter your zip, you will receive various options to set up a test-drive. Depending on your location, you can potentially set up an appointment with a Saturn rep who will drive to your house or to your office and let you drive the car of your choice.

Perhaps part of the "no pressure" sales means laid back atmosphere and friendly service because that's what I experienced when I shopped at Saturn. Overall, my initial impression of Saturn car company, the dealership, and the salespeople was very positive. Of all of the dealers and dealerships I've ever visited, I certainly feel like the Saturn staff didn't seem like the stereotypical used-car salesmen that I've dealt with elsewhere.

What are the vehicle options with a Saturn Ion?

Saturn Ions come with a variety of options, such as power sunroof and 16-inch alloy wheels. The Saturn Ion also comes with OnStar, but I've never actually used it. You can also add options such as an "advanced" audio system and XM radio, but it probably is cheaper to just buy those things yourself. Saturn also has a variety of packages with several features for a specific price. As I mentioned, the package I picked was free, but some packages include features such as keyless entry, power mirrors, etc. for a fixed price. Note that you also have to pay extra for a locking gas cap--anyone has access to the gas tank because there is no latched cover; strange indeed.

Saturn Ions come in a variety of colors with several ugly fabrics. I am far from impressed with the interior fabrics in Saturns, but as long as I can sit and drive, I don't really care. I do find the fabric to be no so stain resistant. Not cool when you are leasing. For more options, to see the colors, or to price different Saturn Ions, try the "build your own" car on Saturn's website (http://www.saturn.com/byo/byoSelectStyle.sa?year=2006&make=Saturn&model=ION Sedan&modelId=067&subModel=&subModelId=219). (Note: The previous link goes to the 2006 Saturn Ion "build your own," but I'm not sure how much longer that will be available. If it no longer works, just go to Saturn.com and follow the Ion links to "build your own").

What were your financing options?

Saturn, a General Motors company, does all of its financing through GMAC Financial Company. Basically I said to the salesman, "I want to pay X amount per month without having an outrageously long term." We considered the leasing options versus the buying options, and we discussed the pros and cons. GMAC has a variety of options to choose from, and the choices will depend on your credit score, ability to pay, down payment, and a variety of other factors. Luckily, Saturn has a very handy financing calculator on its website (http://www.saturn.com/saturn/purchasing/estimatepayments/index.jsp?year=&model=&style=&msrp=). After you provide crucial information, GMAC lists a variety of payment possibilities for purchases and leases with a variety of term lengths (up to 72 months). Note that the tool is simply an estimate; things may change depending on your credit. I prefer Saturn's payment estimator calculator to Honda's because Saturn provides all of the possible interest rates and payment options in a table format, while Honda asks you for the specific information (e.g., term and interest rate) before calculating payments. What Saturn's calculator does in one step, Honda's takes five or more.

How are the warranties and insurance premiums?

Newer model (2007) Saturn Ions come with 100,000 mile/5 year powertrain warranties and 36,000 mile/3 year bumper-to-bumper warranties. Additionally, you also get 100,000 miles/5 years of 24/7 roadside assistance from Saturn standard with your purchase. I honestly cannot remember if this was optional or standard when I purchased my Ion, but my main concern was a maintenance plan. I added the Saturn CarCare plan to my lease when I purchased the car. This plan covers oil changes, filter replacement, tire rotation, etc. It also covers rental car, if necessary, and mechanical service beyond the 36,000 mile/3 years that the car is covered under the bumper-to-bumper warranty. The plan added about $18 a month to my lease, which probably is slightly more than the usual maintenance would cost me, but it's much cheaper than dealing with any surprise costs. Plus, I know each month how much I am going to spend regardless of whether my car needs maintenance. For more on Saturn's warranties and service plans, go to http://www.saturn.com, click "purchasing" (toward the top) then "vehicle coverage" (just below the search box on the far right).

My insurance premiums are very affordable, but insurance always changes depending on location and other factors. I doubt things have changed much from the 2005 models to the current models, but in 2005 the Saturn Ion was the third cheapest new car to insure (http://info.insure.com/auto/leastexpensive2004.html). More recent top 10 lists that I located did not include the Saturn Ion in the top ten, but I can't find any information demonstrating that the insurance rates on Ions have suddenly sky-rocketed, either. I know, however, that I pay very little for insurance. My girlfriend pays a lot more on her Honda Civic, but she uses another insurance company, too.

How was the buying experience and how long did it take?

On the day that I went to purchase the car, the paperwork process was smooth and not overly time-consuming. I filled out financing information earlier, and while certain documents were generated, I was introduced to the service department supervisor. Everyone was very friendly. The paperwork wasn't fun, but paperwork is a fact of car-buying life. I probably spent a good hour getting stuff together there, not including previous paperwork. The paperwork is out of Saturn's hands for the most part, I would imagine.

After finishing all of the paperwork, I was ready to leave the lot. Before I left, however, I experienced a "tutorial" of the car. The person showing me the car began by telling me that Saturn would call to survey me later and would ask if I was completely satisfied. I felt as though the Saturn company punishes these poor people if someone doesn't give a 5/5 for every question because he pointed it out the "completely satisfied" thing several times and wanted me to be "completely satisfied" before I left. This part was a bit annoying, but not necessarily at the salesperson as much as their "policy."

The tutorial was painstaking. I was ready to leave and suddenly I listen to a CD about the Saturn Ion, and someone "teaches" me how to turn on the radio, the wipers, and the lights. Maybe Saturn sells cars to amoebas or something, but I am pretty sure most people can figure out how to turn on the lights, although he did say that a previous customer drove an hour so someone could teach him how to set his clock. The salesperson even showed me how to open the sunroof by pressing the button next to the sunroof with the picture of the sunroof opening--THANKS! If I needed help for that, then I probably shouldn't be driving. If he showed me anything useful, it would have been where the hood latch was, but that didn't happen (and I found it myself pretty quickly). I appreciated the time spent demonstrating the car, but it was almost insulting. I would estimate that this part of the deal took almost thirty minutes.

The Driving Process

So, how does it drive?

Explaining how well a car drives is like explaining how it feels to jump out of a moving train and onto a bed of fire ants--no one will understand until they experience the thrill themselves. The Saturn Ion drives like a normal sedan. I know I can fit into a parking space easier than someone in an H2, and I experience fewer jolts than someone driving a U-Haul truck, if that helps. I did take a while adjusting to the electrical steering, but my last car didn't even have power steering so that may have been the issue. At first I found the steering to be overly sensitive; now I absolutely love it. One of my complaints, though minor, concerns one of the dash lights. There is a light in the car that tells the driver when to switch gears. Who needs that? It is entertaining, though, because it seems to suggest gear changes almost randomly. I thought the light would be helpful for a manual transmission driver in training, but I would go crazy if someone shifted gears in my car per the lights' suggestions. If you need a light to tell you when to switch gears, then just shell out the money for an automatic. If I were to teach someone to drive a standard in my car, I would actually put tape over the light.

Generally speaking, I don't drive in the Saturn Ion and think, "This is the most magical experience of my life," but I also don't think, "This is more miserable than a Carson Daly monologue," either. The Ion is what it is--a compact sedan that drives just like a compact sedan.

What's the acceleration like? Can I race the guy next to me at the light?

I previously owned a crotch-rocket type motorcycle, and my last car was a Toyota Camry with a V6 engine (and no struts or brakes or transmission or power steering). Driving the Saturn Ion did take some getting used to, especially when I was timing my turns through intersections. I once read a blog someone wrote about an exploding car in a movie that clearly had no engine in it (you could see it when it blew into the air). Their rant included the phrase, "What kind of car was it? A Saturn?" Look under the hood of a Saturn Ion. I'm not a mechanic...at all...but it just looks totally different than other cars. I have no idea if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but I wonder if it has anything to do with the acceleration. Passing people on the Interstate can sometimes be a trying process (i.e., accelerating while already at 60-70 MPH doesn't work so well). Even downshifting, I'm not a huge fan of passing people on highways in the Ion.

However, my opinion might be flawed because of my previous car experiences. According to ConsumerGuide Automotive, the 2006 Saturn Ion 2 (automatic transmission) has an acceleration rating of 4 out 10 (average acceleration rating in its class is 4.4). The Ion takes about 9.5 seconds to go from 0 to 60 MPH. The 2006 Honda Civic has an acceleration rating of 5, and the Toyota Corolla has an acceleration rating of a 4, as well. So within its class, the Saturn Ion doesn't appear to be much below average, and I'm just whining.

If you plan on racing someone at the light, then in addition to people laughing at you for being that person who races at lights, you also will probably lose unless they are driving a bicycle. Even then, think twice if you are in the Saturn Ion.

Do you feel safe when you drive it?

Could the Saturn Ion withstand a head on collision from an 18-wheeler? I doubt it. Is it safer than the average SUV? I don't really care; it's better on my gas budget. My Ion came equipped with driver's side and passenger's side airbags, and the back seat has three shoulder belts. One of the Ion's selling points does make me a bit nervous, though. The side of the Saturn Ion is dent resistant--the body feels like plastic. When you go to the Saturn dealership, have them demonstrate the dent resistant side. The way the salesperson at my local dealership demonstrated it to me was by putting his knee on the side of the car and pushing a nice "dent" into the body, which popped out as soon as he moved his hand. While not a safety issue, these dent resistant doors are also rust-proof.

I am no expert, but the way the body of the car is so easily "dented" with a knee makes me wonder what would happen if I got into an accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the Saturn Ion a 5 Star Crash Rating for front impact, but only a 3 Star Crash Rating for side-impact (in the front seat) (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/NCAP/Index2.cfm) For comparison, the 2006 Honda Civic has a 5 Star frontal star rating and a 4 Star side star rating; the 2006 Nissan Sentra (4 door) has ratings of 4 (frontal) and 2 (side) stars; the Toyota Corolla 5 (frontal) and 4 (side). So, if you are driving a Saturn Ion instead of a Honda Civic, just try to avoid being hit at intersections. If you are hit, be happy you weren't driving the Nissan Sentra. Then again, MSNBC says of the Saturn Ion "A General Motors spokesman told us we needed to look at more than just crash-test scores and injury claims in determining the least-safe American car, which we found was the Saturn Ion" (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13939015/).

Overall, though, I feel quite secure in the Saturn Ion despite what Keith Olbermann thinks.

Does it get good gas mileage?

"Good" gas mileage is a relative phrase. Compared to an SUV or a large Cadillac, sure, the Saturn Ion gets wonderful gas mileage. Compared to a Toyota Prius, the mileage is horrible. So I will move away from relative judgments and provide my input. I honestly do not know exactly what my gas mileage is, but the last few times I estimated it I made approximately 24 or so miles per gallon in the city. I carry too much weight around with me, aside from my stomach, so I probably don't let the Ion show me its true potential. My mileage on the highway is wonderful, though. I took a road trip and drove approximately 950 miles starting with a full tank and filling up once in the middle of the trip. And part of this drive was through hills. I assume I have a 14 gallon tank based on how many gallons it takes to fill it when I drive it on fumes. So that would be between 34 and 35 miles to the gallon on the highway. I was impressed.

One of the Saturn Ion's competitors, the Honda Civic, has an estimated miles per gallon of 30 MPG (city)/40 MPG (highway) (http://www.carprices.com/research/make/honda/2006_honda_civic_sedan.html). The Saturn Ion's estimates are lower at 26 MPG (city)/35 MPG (highway). And that estimate compares the manual transmission Saturn Ion with an automatic transmission Honda Civic. The difference in gas mileage could add up with current gas prices, but it would really depend on one's driving habits. Drive 150 miles a week in the city, and you are looking at a savings of about $40 a year with the Civic (assuming $3.00/gal. gas). And it would take a lot of driving to justify the difference in price tag between the Saturn Ion and the Honda Civic if your only concern were gas mileage. Regardless of comparisons, I would call the gas mileage I obtain "economical," and I am pleased with the Saturn Ion on this factor.

What's it like on road trips? (Space and Comfort)

You know, I honestly cannot say that I have ever been a passenger in my own car. Speaking from a driver's perspective, the seats are adequately comfortable. Would I rather sit in my recliner? Of course, but that probably would not be all that safe. Anyway, I never have any complaints. When I travel on road trips I do my best to only stop when I need gas. This means sometimes driving for seven or so hours straight. I never felt like I needed to stop because I was completely uncomfortable. The driver's seat is roomy for me, but I'm not a tall guy so I do not take up much space. On those trips, I have had passengers (my girlfriend and her dog). The dog never complained, and the passenger seat apparently is a good place for naps.

I have also had passengers in the front and back seat at the same time, and no one complained about being cramped. The material on the seats is a bit rough to the touch, but it really is not something worth complaining about. I am not sure how well the Saturn Ion works with kids, but I had a carseat in the back of it before and it was easy to reach. The backseat has shoulder belts, even for the middle seat, and the back doors provide spacious access. The trunk also appears really large for a compact car. It is a deep trunk, but the look of it is deceptive. The trunk has two "bars" (they are hinges) that raise when the drunk is open, but if anything is under them when trying to close the trunk, they won't give. I sometimes have to rearrange when everything seems to fit nicely, only for me to notice that I forgot to allow a foot or so for the hinges on one of the sides of the drunk.

So how much can fit in the car? I took a trip and was able to fit a dog carrier, a girlfriend, a tent, two suitcases (I have no idea what my girflriend packs), two "overnight" bags, an air mattress, a hiking backpack, and food in the car. Most of it was in the trunk, but I let my girlfriend and dog ride up front. There certainly was some manipulation to fit all of the stuff in the car, and I would imagine that an SUV or something would have been easier, but it is unlikely that the Saturn Ion will fail a two or three person family. The Ion has enough room to breathe and "stretch," and enough room to store items safely, just watch for those stupid hinges.

How is the sound system and radio, glove compartment, and cup holders? Does it have a pretty dash?

See, these are the types of questions that you can't always find in Car & Driver. The sound system is as you would expect from a factory sound system. It serves its purpose, but if you want to feel like you are at a Nickelback concert, then you should stick your head in a toilet. But I digress; if you want to feel like you are at good concert then the Saturn Ion's system certainly should be replaced. No one really expects anything more from a factory stereo, though. Mine came with a CD player (I'd imagine that is standard), and on some of the channels the radio tells me what song is playing. I generally use Sirius now, anyway, so I am glad that the radio also comes with an input.

There are two cup holders and a small center console that can hold about five CDs or whatever other stuff that gets tossed into the console and forgotten. The glove compartment is nothing remarkable. No cold storage unit or surprise cupholder. And space in the glove compartment is pretty limited. The dash did take a few days to get used to. The gauges are in the center of the console instead of directly behind the steering wheel. Now I prefer it this way, though. The steering wheel is never in the way of the gauges, and the dash is configured in a way that makes mounting a satelite radio really easy.

How does it handle [INSERT WEATHER CONDITION HERE]?

The Saturn Ion drives just fine in bad weather, although I do find that the windshield wipers are not as fast as I would like them to be in really stormy weather. As far driving in the rain, that is really my only complaint. Brakes work just fine in the rain, and I never felt uncomfortable driving it during a storm. Also, for a "compact" car, the Saturn Ion handles the wind quite well. When driving the Honda Civic on a really windy day, you can easily feel the wind pushing against the car. I never really notice that in the Ion, but I never drove it through a tornado or anything.

I also have not had problems driving in snow or on ice that I wouldn't have with another compact car. The worst "problem" I had was coming to a standstill on an icy incline (and I use both "icy" and "incline" very lightly), but I think that had more to do with the nature of a manual transmission than the car. Plus, I'm from the south, so there may have been some driver error there. However, professional road testers also complain about the car slipping on take-off (http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/2006-saturn-ion-1.htm). One of the main things I appreciate about the Ion in winter is the defrost. An older car I had (1999 Toyota Camry) had horrific defrosting abilities. Waiting until spring was more efficient than using the defrost; on the Saturn Ion the defrost works fairly quickly. The heat and air conditioner work fine, as one would expect with any new car.

Was that you who cut me off the other day?

Probably. You shouldn't have been speeding.

The Trying Process (of dealing with problems)

How is the service after the sale?

This is the part of the review that I list all of the problems I have had with my Ion. First, I have to commend Saturn (or at least my local dealership) on their friendly service. They communicate, work quickly, and let me know exactly what they are doing. Cost is never a factor for me because I have free service, so I cannot attest to the affordability of Saturn service. However, I would not be surprised if a dealership who knew I was "stuck" with them for service would make my car less of a priority during service. Maybe they would make me wait longer than their cash-paying customers, for instance. My experience with Saturn service has been nothing of the sort. From the second I enter the service department until my car is ready, they treat me like any other valued customer. Overall, I am really impressed with Saturn's service and probably would use it even if I had not purchased the maintenance package. Plus, they always have doughnuts there. Yum!

Have you had any problems, and if so how did they take care of them?

Ok, so despite the service, I have had a few problems with my Ion. Note, none of these problems were major, but for a brand new car they just aren't problems I would expect. After driving the Saturn Ion for a few months, I began to notice a slight "hesitation" with the stick going into gear. The clutch was pressed firmly, and it always went into gear, but something didn't seem right. Around the same time, the car would have this weird screeching sound in first or second gear, especially when it was damp outside. I told the service department, but they found no problems. Strangely, the problem went away on its own, so I really have no idea what caused it.

Now for the petty, but annoying stuff. My driver's side power window stopped working after several months of ownership. At first it would roll down very slowly, but then it just stopped rolling down at all. Thankfully, it was stuck up and not stuck down, so I didn't have to deal with a car full of snow. Not long after, I noticed some water in my car. The sunroof stopped closing all of the way; there was a small gap in it. When I brought the car in for an oil change and service, they fixed the window quickly. Unfortunately, they had to take out the entire sun roof and put on a new frame. The service manager told me I was the second person who had this problem.

For a few weeks after service, I could drive to a bank and not have to open my door to make a transaction (i.e., the window worked). Then, out of nowhere, it stopped working again. Sure, a window that opens isn't necessary for driving, but it would be nice. Around the same time, the power lock button the driver's side stopped working. All of these are minor problems, but the car is too new to have any problems, and I'm not a huge fan of having to use the keyless entry remote to unlock my passenger door for hitchhikers.

If you could go back, what you would have done differently concerning this car?

Some of my friends have asked me if I regret leasing the Ion, and if I would have been better off purchasing it. Particularly with Saturn, I am very happy I leased the Ion. I know my payoff amount, and based on historic depreciation, I will owe a lot less than the car is worth if I decide to buy it later. In the meantime, I have extremely low car notes, I am building my credit, and I can get rid of the car if it keeps giving me problems. While I am still sure of my leasing decision, I am not positive that the warranty and maintenance package was worth it. That small monthly fee builds up, and at the rate of my maintenance I am not sure it will pay for itself. Then again, I never have a surprise maintenance bill. At this point in my life, a predictable budget is more of a priority than potentially saving a few bucks over the life of the car. Finally, I sometimes wonder if the Civic wouldn't have been a better choice for me. Really, the decision was completely financial. I wanted a new car with a certain note and Saturn gave me that. With the Civic, my notes would be nearly 25% higher each month. I have a dependable, comparable car for a much lower price. That said, when I purchase a car for the long haul I probably would rather own the Civic.

Would you buy another Saturn Ion? Another Saturn besides an Ion?

Unless I were in a money crunch, I probably would not buy another Saturn Ion, although the 2007 models apparently have new engines. My decision not to buy another Ion is based on a few factors. First, my Ion has had enough problems that I just am not comfortable with it, but I could easily overlook those problems if I needed to. Second (and third), I have a short attention span and would want something new, and I think that I want a hybrid car next. At the end of my lease, I will consider purchasing the Ion, but it is doubtful. I will give the sales staff a chance to convince me to try Saturn again, but I probably would go with another model. The great thing about Saturn is that their cars are similar to others on the market, but Saturns tend to be more affordable. Nothing about my experience has made me swear off Saturn cars. The service is great; the sales staff are accommodating; the prices are right. On the other hand, nothing about my experience has made me think, "Wow, Saturns are awesome cars! I'm a buyer for life," either. I know people who start wth Honda Civics or Toyota Corollas and stick with those makers for life; I never met anyone with the same adoration for Saturn cars.

What I really want to know is [INSERT YOUR QUESTION HERE]

Use the comments link below if you have other questions besides these. I'm obviously not a mechanic, but my Saturn Ion has gone from Point A to Point B plenty of times, and I can answer questions as a Saturn owner and driver.

Concluding Remarks

Once again, let me know if you have any questions. The Saturn Ion 2 certainly serves its purpose, despite MSNBC calling it one of the worst American cars of 2006 (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13939015/.) Give me my low notes, my reliable car, and my good gas mileage, and I'll be happy. Specifically since I was leasing, I could never justify spending the extra money on the Honda Civic that I am spending on my Saturn Ion. If I had been buying, however, I may have done a bit more research. For instance, the Honda Civic has an excellent five-year resale value (~49%). Between the Saturn and the Corolla, however, and the Saturn would have been my first choice even if they cost the same--it just looks "cooler." Happy driving, and enjoy the "no pressure, no haggle" shopping!