We drive cars a lot, I say drive a fun car. This car is particularly fast at higher speeds. Passing people at 80, 85 is a breeze. Its super fun to drive.
Sure the interior sucks. But like cars with better interiors at the end of the day you get used to them and they will only impress your passengers, while the engine continues to impress you.
Another drawback is the lack of a middle armrest.

Other then that I think this car is sweet. It combines speed and performance with Saturn reliablity. Its unique and I’m totally satisfied. With another 1K I can get a stage 2 upgrade and another 40hp.

I’m happy.

I have 50K on it, only problems I had was front rotors replaced, frnt sway bar bushings.

Car runs like a champ, not exactly caddy smooth, but runs less raspy than the old standard SLs.

I think it looks like every other import out there, just place it side by side with a new Nissan sentra, or even the ultima, or honda and they all look like they have been stealing each others playbooks.

either way, I think the Ion I have is a nice car, does what I want it to do, with more stile than the old models, its pretty peppy. I would have loved to have gotten a red line. Was not available when I bought mine. But it does have tons of potential mods so.

haters

It’s an ‘04 and still looks brand-new inside and out. The interior panels are doing just fine thank you, despite having an adolescent son who likes to test their integrity. I happen to love the center-placed gauges and now wish all vehicles came so equipped. Glancing diagonally to the right instead of down to visualize the panel takes no more “adjusting” of the eyes (seems like common sense to me)and it seems to me that forward visibility is better than anything I’ve driven yet. The black interior is still flawless and the Recaro seats are not only visually appealing but very supportive and comfortable. And there’s a fair amount of room for the rear-seat passengers. The interior certainly doesn’t seem any “cheaper” or less durable than anything else I’ve seen in a comparable car. I like it. My clutch is firm and consistent and the shifter has never been a problem either. I haven’t heard a rattle yet even on our bumpy roads here in Idaho. It’s a solid, quiet, air-tight ride so far.

My Redline is black with tinted windows and I think it is rather attractive and not deserving of some of the snobbish styling comments I’ve read here. I must say I’m not overly fond of the car’s long profile but from every other angle it looks great and I’ve had many compliments on it. Aside from 2 tiny scratches on the driver’s door, the finish looks as good as new (beautiful!)-maybe it’s the Simonize treatment I had applied. Body panel gaps are a non-issue for me. At least they’re accurately aligned.

Peformance-wise, it’s a fun car. Mine has no modifications. I like the torquiness of the motor (reminds me of a less powerful version of my ‘66 GTO). However, I wish it pulled just a little longer before the rev-limiter kicked in and I wish it had limited-slip. Is it a race car? NO. (Am I a typical “tuner” driver with illusions that I have compulsory driving skills? NO.) What it is is a very fun, satisfying car to drive. What I like best about it is I can drive it for weeks and not see another one on the road (sadly the same is true of my GTO now).
I hope you find this useful. Don’t let anybody tell you what to like and what not to like. Test for yourself. Form your own opinion. You may agree or disagree with me according to your experience, but at least it’s YOUR experience! As for a comment I read about more people buying them if the Redline was actually a good car…
I like microbrews…the masses like BUD.
I like cerebral movies and subtitles…the masses like “White Chicks”
Why be like the masses?

The panel gap and center IP issues are not hugely important in the broad scheme of things, but they do exemplify why I don’t place too much trust in the mainstream automotive press. These are the guys, remember, who write glowingly about Volkswagen products without ever mentioning that VW has consistently ranked near the bottom in reliability surveys for the last ten years. As in anything, do your research, but think for yourself.

As a driver of reliable VWs over the past 23 years, I don’t place too much trust in those so-called reliability surveys. I prefer to go on my personal experience, do my own research and think for myself, thank you.

Regarding the ION’s gappy exterior finish and central gauge pod: if consumers thought these were desirable features, they’d buy more IONs.

Remember, the purpose of a car review is to help consumers find a pleasing product. As such, it’s only logical to hold that car to the preferences expressed by the majority of enthusiasts. Most enthusiasts don’t like big panel gaps or control layouts that require an unusual amount of acclimation. If you’re of a different mind, great; you’re in the unique position of getting to snap up a genuinely pleasing product at fire-sale discounts. But recognize that you’re in the minority.

First, Saturn’s panel gaps. Sometime in the past, the automotive press decided, as it often does, by sniffing the wind and looking around to see what everybody else in the business is thinking, that tight gaps were somehow a measure of quality. We now have Honda seizing upon this and advertising that its Ridgeline truck doesn’t have the traditional gap between the cab and the box that other, lesser pickups have. Well, this panel gap group-think may yet pervade the pickup market, and truck enthusiasts may yet come to realize that for decades they’d been deluded and their favorite trucks were actually junk.

As previously explained by other posters, Saturn’s polymer panels need bigger gaps. It’s the price paid for dent and rust resistance, and a body that still usually looks near-new fifteen years later.

Panel alignment, on the other hand, is a separate issue, and is more relevant to build quality, but that’s not what the group-think journalists bash Saturn for.

The second area I’ll mention is the center instrument panel. As suggested by previous posters above, a thorough review of reports on other cars with center IPs (Yaris, Mini, Scion, etc.) shows that these don’t get nearly as rough a ride from the press as the ION. It’s not even close. User reviews (by private citizens, not the press) for all these cars show that many people strongly prefer this layout, especially when driving at night.

All too often a child will look at a new dish of food served to him and “know” he doesn’t like it — and automotive journalists sometimes do the same. Well, if a person has given something a fair trial instead of starting with a preformed conclusion and then working backward, then fair enough. If someone genuinely prefers jazz to bluegrass, then that’s inarguable. But when Consumer Reports in its MSN snapshot of the ION sedan writes “The gauges are in the center of the dash, requiring drivers to take their eyes off the road frequently” — then this demands some hard analysis.

A person’s cone of central vision (as opposed to his peripheral vision) is very narrow, only about three degrees. This is why it’s necessary to visually search while driving to take in all the details of the traffic picture, because peripheral vision will pick up some details and miss others. (”Officer, I didn’t see him!”) Contrary to what Consumer Reports is implying, it is necessary to shift one’s focus to read the gauges regardless of where they’re placed, although posters at saturnfans.com claim that once they’re used to the layout, which doesn’t take long, they can read the instruments with peripheral vision while looking slightly to the right, because the instruments are higher than when in front of the driver. (I can’t vouch for this myself, not being an ION owner, but in the limited time I’ve driven one, this seems believable.)

Now I’ll get to the hard question I’d ask the Consumer Reports writer. Stating that the gauges “require drivers to take their eyes off the road frequently” implies that this compromises safety. Yet the shift of focus to the ION’s center IP is measurably less than to the conventional location in many cars. (An obvious exception would be the digital speedometer readout on the current Civic.) But the key point is that the shift of focus is much greater to check the mirrors, and of course a skilled driver will check the mirrors far more often than the gauges. It is, sadly, all too common for people to think that if they’re keeping their eyes glued on the car ahead, that they’re “driving,” so let’s hope this doesn’t apply to that writer. But what I’m left with is a sense that he was trying to back up a preformed opinion.

The panel gap and center IP issues are not hugely important in the broad scheme of things, but they do exemplify why I don’t place too much trust in the mainstream automotive press. These are the guys, remember, who write glowingly about Volkswagen products without ever mentioning that VW has consistently ranked near the bottom in reliability surveys for the last ten years. As in anything, do your research, but think for yourself.

If you don’t like it that’s fine. I don’t know that it’s necessary to lambaste everything about the car and company and then gloat about how superior every make you prefer is to the car in reference. I mean this as a generality more than a response to any certain segment.

Instead of pointing out flaws, reviewers have taken to executing the (usually domestic) company, eviscerating the corpse and rolling around in the blood and guts in a bizarre victory celebration.

The perception that I’m somehow “wrong” for liking and yes, preferring domestic vehicles really gripes my cookies. It’s an opinion, it can’t be wrong. I did appreciate the humor in the allusions of the review though.

What makes some, as demonstrated by a few on these pages, feel the overwhelming need to be snotty about it? If you are really that offended by the interior of a car, maybe you need to try decaf.

Is the car perfect? Not even close. I agree about the dead pedal and the armrest. 1st gear is about useless. The 1st/2nd shift transition sucks. Once you get it into second though, there are very few street cars that can stay close.

I can tell you lots of things I didn’t like about my Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Mazda too. Mostly that they didn’t have near the character this car does and that’s why they weren’t keepers.

It has qualities that make a few of us rigid with joyous anticipation every time we drive it. It probably qualifies as a cult car.

I appreciate the opportunity to express and defend my opinion, thank you.

Actually my Redline is race prepped for racing. My 6pt cage should be done fairly soon since I’ll be entering the class I’ll need it for. This car is a fun, cheap, car to play with although I’d prefer to have some of the cars I’ve had in the past back.

I typically buy GM cars for their drive trains. I personally believe they make very good engines and transmissions and I’m willing to put up with a few squeaks and rattles to get them.

The car is no uglier than any of the other bar-of-soap or doorstop cars out there, and that’s most of them. It’s subjective and fair to say I don’t care if you like it, you’re not paying for it.

I’ve gotten hundreds of thousands of miles out of GM v-8’s and v-6’s and I see no reason this car won’t go many years without much fuss. It’s overbuilt to a fault. You don’t even need to worry girdling the bottom end until you get over 500 hp and that’s unlikely I’ll see that. It takes 7 quarts of Mobil One, stock. It’s got a friggin cam chain. A real chain…

I’m 43 and I’m not going to buy a vette and my 1996 VTEC Honda was the biggest crap fest I’ve EVER had. All that refinement didn’t do anything for me looking at a dead “dealer-serviced” motor at 70K. They weren’t interested in honoring their service or warranty, they can kiss my butt.

The car is very fast, fairly smooth and stops like nothing else I’ve driven including BMW’s. It reminds me of a modern version of a muscle car. No, it’s not refined and it’s not popular and that makes me like it even more.

Everybody feels compelled to go after GM like a pit bull on a Pekinese. I’ve had no trouble like I’ve had with Honda, the car or the company. I’ll stick with what works for me – Consumer Reports and public opinion be damned.

I bought Asian cars and believed in them when they weren’t nearly as ubiquitous as they are now. They’re as boring now as the Celebrity was then. If I want an appliance, I’ll buy a Kenmore. I need something a bit more visceral.

I’ve got no regrets other than the fact that so many that don’t agree seem to be getting so pompous about not buying domestic.

It’s really not something to get pretentious and arrogant about. A Toyota does not make you a better person. It seems to make some people an ass.

Firstly, I have to say that the Recaro seat in the Ion RL I sat in wasn’t nearly as comfortable as the Viper-style SRT-4 seat in the SRT4 I drove. Secondly, I have to disagree with that MOPAR page. It’s either wrong, or local Dodge dealers are choosing to warranty SRT packages themselves. I know two or three folks with Stage 2 and 3 packages who all hold warranties from their respective dealers. Who knows, maybe dealers cover the warranty irregardless of what the factory says in order to sell more Stage kits.

Also, you will have to forgive me, but when comparing parts upgrade packages, things like 50 state emissions legality or cost don’t matter to me. If I wanted a fast FWD car (admittedly, I never would) I’d go with the SRT4 because there are so many 350-400 whp SRT4’s running around. For the record, I own a decently modded bolt-on ‘05 GTO and I still won’t rev on SRT4’s unless they rev on me first. You never know when you’re going to run into a mid 10 second SRT4.

However, every single Ion RL (and Cobalt SS for that matter) I’ve run into, I’ve flat out smoked.

That said, about the only thing going for the Ion (in my opinion only) is that there are far fewer of them than there are SRT4’s. It seems like everyone and their brother has one around here.

In any case, I know that GM Ecotec is a strong motor. High boost applications have been seen in some cars making ridiculous power.

I just wish it was RWD.

Perhaps we could talk about the engine, its gratifying torque curve, how well it puts down power, or that the engine, chassis, and brakes, will run all day long at your favorite track day (as it did on the Nurburgring) without any complaints. There’s a reason that it won Ward’s 10 Best Engines for 2006 and others like the headache-machine SRT and countless others did not. I’m not even a Saturn fan, but the Redline answers the call for what the market has asked for.

Everything considered, it’s a good car, which is also my second. But I will never buy a GM econobox again. Even though the astra looks damn nice.

That wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the “Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!” warning voice that comes on in an overboost situation.

http://www.ronpatrickstuff.com/

Well, there are some visible body-panel gaps, but this is just a concept…

First, no disrespect. But there are lots more going for the RL then Engine and drivetrain. How about the Recaros for starters.

About Warranty: not according to mopar:
http://mopar.com/street/tech1002.htm
http://www.srtforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184672&page=2

By the numbers, with an SRT-4 straight Stage 2, no toys or hi-octane, It would be close. The SRT-4 is very fast and straight-away it MAY beat it. Cornering, no way.

Stage 2 SRT-4 with toys, yeah no problem.

But you are also paying a lot more for those upgrades, that according to mopar, are NOT warrantied, compared to GM stage upgrades. (My Stage 1 and 2 installed for less than $800.00 by GMPP dealer, 50 state legal) (Mopar stage 2 with toys – parts only for $1599.00 and are not emission certified – not legal in all states)
http://www.mopar.com/srt_stage_2.htm

GM stage upgrades are whp, Mopar on the SRT-4 numbers are crank hp.

GM official stage 2 is 241 whp
Mopar official stage 2 is 265 crank hp (but higher torque)
figure 10-15% loss in drivetrain GM comes in about 264-277 crank hp

Also, SRT-4 ratings require upgrading the exhaust to get that performance. GM Stage kits do not.

I can add the toys and the exhaust to get similar numbers to the SRT-4. Including a Stage 3 GM kit with nitrous and high octane settings, etc. But it’s back to the Dodge vs Chevy, Ford vs Chevy, etc.

Both are fast cars, I’ve nothing against the SRT-4’s personally. Everyone has their favorites. I just hate seeing the Redline dissed when most people have no experience with them.

I have to say, I’m looking forward to selling it in 6 years and 90000 miles for 10k :)

The coupes sightlines are not good; it’s one of the things I truly overlooked during my test drive. I realized that I couldn’t see the hood; that didn’t bother me. But the A pillar is ginormous and you sit low and angled…not low and straight forward like a miata. I’ve heard the Sedan is dramatically better, haven’t driven it yet. I understand your comment on peaky powerbands….took me awhile to get used to it, coming from a Saab 9-2x Aero (WRX).

I’m looking forward to seeing what Advanced VTEC (A-VTEC) does for Honda’s N/A engines. I’m hoping for a 15-20% increase in torque across the powerband in similar displacements. I.e. The SI’s 139 lb/ft would become ~160 lb/ft.

But that’s pure conjecture.

Joe O.