2005 Saturn ION

Rating from Nic

(4)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I've had my 2005 Saturn Ion for 4 years, bought it used with 36K miles. Haven't had too many problems. First problem was the anti-theft system right after I got it which wouldn't let me start the car for 10 minutes. This required a new ignition, under a $100 fix & hasn't acted up since. Had some issues with the windows coming off their track. Gets good gas mileage and gets me where I need to go. Current has just under 90K miles."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Bee

(3)
Comfort:		2 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		2 out of 5
Reliability:		2 out of 5

"Sure, the Ion 2 quad-coupe looks really cool. The 2.2l ecotec has some surprising muscle for this little car. Heck, I was even able to tow a utility trailer with it. I put about 40K on it in a few years, finally trying to trade it in now in 2012. Problems? Galore. - Ignition column has been broken for years, as I've not wanted to spend hundreds of dollars but I have to press a button inside the column to release the key. - The power steering is ELECTRIC, which probably sounded like a cool idea at first, until it shorts out on you during a tight turn. It nearly killed me. - Sunroof stopped going back. Now it's a moon-roof. Woot. - If you don't blow pressurized air (or water) through the drain vents, the sunroof clogs easily on you and floods the cabin. - It had a ghost in the electrical system that took over a thousand bucks for a certified dealer to diagnose and fix in two visits. - Don't expect anyone over the age of 7 to be able to comfortable sit in the back seat--I mean the L shaped pieces of foam. I am 5'11, so perhaps not the best for this car, but still. I had to roll the seat all the way forward to fit anyone. But it looks cool. What a ridiculously designed GM car. The more features and electrical pieces it has just makes it more of a pain to fix and maintain. An over-complicated design is the sign of an inferior engineer."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Young and Learning

(2)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		1 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		1 out of 5
Reliability:		1 out of 5

"I bought an '05 Saturn Ion seven months ago. I have already put over a grand into it. The ignition continues to break and fails to recognize the key. If you know whats good for you, do not buy this car."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Work

Rating from BigBrother

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"I've had a 2005 Ion Redline fr 3 years. I put an exorbitant amount of miles on it (70k in 3 years) and I beat it (avid autocrosser and occasional road course or drag strip days) and it's been great. Plenty of power (1/4 mile in 14.5 @ 98 mph at 2200 ft altitude with me driving, completely stock), handles well, roomy, big trunk, half doors are great, and it's been bulletproof reliable. My only gripe is an engineering oversight from GM - the transmission to wheel geometry is off, resulting in horrible wheel hop under hard acceleration. This breaks axles and car damage the tranny if left unfixed. A set of aftermarket motor/transmission mounts that rotate the engine up and forward about a 1/4" completely cures the problem and gives you a a fast, fun, reliable car."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Having fun

Rating from CrustyCanuck

(3)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		3 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		3 out of 5
Reliability:		2 out of 5

"Bought the 2005 Ion 2 new. Good price when compared to similar models. For city pep and motorway driving (interstate driving -top end pick up) it is excellant for its class and 2 speed trani. The interior is very average and sometimes cheap with consol panels falling off. Service is terrible. There are known failures (see net) with this vehicle that have not been recalled by GM. The ignition will leave you in the lurch, lock up any time when starting, or not start in winter and act like your batteries dead when its not. There are fixes on line, but not for the non mechanical. The steering column is faulty and ours had to be replaced (dealer had done this so many times he knew to recommend used st column). The trunk lock, including interior button is faulty. The car handles nice on dry road, the electronic steering is nice. On slippy or snow covered roads the back end tries to come around on you on swerves. SNOW TIRES ALL ROUND ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED, if in harsh winter areas. Had the rear deicer fixed four times and still does'nt work (2 lines only operating. (Dealer problem). THIS VEHICLE HAS GENUINE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON A RECALL. DO NOT RELY ON IT, IF YOU HAVE A SERIOUS TIMED APPOINTMENT LIKE A JOB INTERVIEW!! Instead of fixing the known problems GM just ditched the whole vehicle line."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Ion Man

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		3 out of 5

"I gave my Ion-2 an average reliability rating because if you average the terrible time I had while the car was in warranty (ignition, stereo, wheel bearings, window motor, replaced and a leaky sunroof) to having no problems from 36,000 to 62,000 miles -- I guess that would be "average" reliability. I do like the large up-front interior room, comfortable ride, and looks. So I'd recommend it (now)!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from 05ion2qcoupeSU

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		2 out of 5
Handling:		2 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		3 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"This car is a great highway vehicle due to its high gas mileage. Car is NOT a sports car by any means, and isn't meant to be driven that way! A car that isn't great for kids, but fine for a one person daily commute."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Sad Saturn Owner

(2)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		2 out of 5
Features:		2 out of 5
Value for the Money:		1 out of 5
Reliability:		1 out of 5

"I have a 2005 Saturn Ion. I bought it new and started having problems right away. First of all, my car doesn't always let me have my key out of the ignition. It sort of locks up and won't let me have my key back. Saturn claims it isn't a problem with the car, but rather with my key. So I tried the spare key I had, no luck. I had a new key made and no luck there. When I took the car in, the repairmen claimed it never happened to them. Other than that, my biggest complain is that my car completely broke down at about 48,000 miles. I've already spent about $2200 on it and Saturn still can't tell me what's wrong with my car. It lurches when driving and has trouble shifting gears. Obviously, I'm quite upset that a car with less than 50,000 miles is already breaking down on me and needing extremely expensive repairs. Other than those problems, I really do like the ion. It's comfortable to sit in, the ac/heater are awesome, and it gets great fuel milage. However, the interior is ugly and cheap. It's not a bad car to drive at all but it's just buggy....it seems like every month, I'd have some weird problem with it. Once I had my breaks just give out. I pulled over to the side of the road, used my emergency break, and stopped the car. I tried driving it again and my breaks worked just fine and never did it again. I also had the cd player have weird issues. Also, a few times when I was driving, I had the car just die. When I'd try to start it up again, it was fine. Weird car...."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Spud

(4)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		3 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Bought my Ion3 with 32k miles, mainly for the fuel economy. It averages 30 all-around. No mechanical problems at all, and no major complaints. The steering wheel is a reach and the seats are a little too firm and low, but typical for a car this size. Roominess and trunk size are better than expected, and the utility of the rear doors (I have the 4door coupe) is great!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Balla

(4)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"Bought it used with 30,000 miles. No problems what so ever. Rides smooth. Good gas mileage (26 city/35 hwy.) Would recommend this car to anyone."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting