I have a 2003 Saturn Ion Quad Coupe.


Quad Coupe = 4 Door Coupe? (Isn't that an oxymoron?)
The design is innovative with doors that open out on both sides (Hence the name quad coupe) and the functionality that provides. You can open up both front and back doors and fit large objects (TV's, kayaks, etc..) through without the typical problems that a door frame would cause. The front passenger seat lets down and the back seat lets down into the trunk as well. This provides enough length from front to back that you really could carry lumber or a kayak inside the quad coupe.


Center-Mounted Instrument Cluster
Another innovation is the center mounted instrument cluster. It provides a somewhat futuristic look by aligning the instruments with the CD player, A/C, gearshift, etc. Basically everything electrical up front is in one place between the driver and the passenger. You get used to it pretty quickly and it is actually somewhat convenient that everything you have to check while driving (rear view mirror, speedometer, etc..) are now aligned in one vertical column instead of all over the place. The other benefit is that you don't have to have a huge steering wheel or set your tilt wheel to see between the airbag and the wheel. The steering wheel is made much smaller as a result and this makes it much easier to get in and out of the vehicle. I say way to go Saturn for this novel design.


Continuously Variable Transmission
This thing is AMAZING. It is a simple design and is very small compared to a conventional automatic transmission. Before reading on, if you have not ridden in or driven a CVTi Transmission equipped Ion Quad Coupe, go test drive one and come back when you're done! Rather than a handful of gear ratios, this transmission provides an infinite number of ratios within a high to low range. The ratio is selected based on how much acceleration you are demanding and other important factors. You get to choose your torque and can really accelerate much more quickly than you would expect with its 140 hp 2.2L ecotec engine. It is really neat to see and hear the RPMS stay constant as the vehicle continues to accelerate and the gear ratios change. Whether you are heavily accelerating or just adding a few miles per hour, this transmission eliminates all the issues of gear hunting and gives you the most torque for your hp when you ask for it. Simply put, it's AMAZING!


Finally, the CONS
What credibility would I have if I didn't throw some cons in here? The Service department as a whole is very friendly in most cases. You drive right in and don't walk around dark dingy hallways looking for a bench to sit on and a vending machine. The Saturn I frequent gives out free soda and has a sitting area adjacent to the service area. For simple repairs and standard maintenance, they do a great job. However, for out of the ordinary repairs, no matter how trivial, they seem guaranteed to screw it up. Here's the scenario. The headliner on this thing peeled away in the back after about a month. They repaired it for free. However, as I was leaving I noticed that they broke the dome lamp and it was hanging down!! They didn't bother to fix it and expected me just to not notice! I went back in and it turned out they were out of that part. They called me later that night to let me know that they had a dome lamp in and I could bring it in right away. When I got there it turned out that the dome lamp was for the sedan and there is another type (out of stock) for the Quad Coupe. Of course, they were apologetic and gave me a free oil change certificate. This was useless on the Quad Coupe since I have the service plan with Saturn anyhow on the vehicle. Luckily I have another vehicle I could use it on. They also said that they would drive to wherever we are and do the repair for the dome lamp in the parking lot. Once the right part finally got in, they told me that I had to go there to get it repaired and that they wouldn't drive to where I am. So angrily I went to Saturn for a third time. They repaired the dome lamp and then left my car out front for 30 minutes with the window down and keys in the ignition while I sat and waited without telling me it was done. Maybe this is typical service and maybe it's not, but it was pretty lousy for a simple headliner replacement gone awry. Another minor CON - The factory CD player stinks. It skips all the time. Not hard to replace though, so it's not a big deal.

I guess this story explains the cons I've listed above. You will have minor repairs when the cheap things break on this vehicle and it might be a hassle when it comes about. However, the revolutionary nature of the vehicle as a whole and everything it has to offer for the price makes it well worth the money!
Amount Paid (US$): 15500
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: Quad Coupe, Variable Transmission, Level 2 package, CD Player