when my wife went to the dealerships looking to finds a good deal on a car, i didn't expect her to come home with something this good. I am a very big fan of supporting our economy. So the fact that she brought home an American car definitely pleased me. Over the years i have had the urge to trade the vehicle in for the more higher end maker of American cars, Cadillac. But something has kept me attached to this little Saturn ion.

Style
When my wife brought home this Saturn ion she had mentioned to me before that she wanted a car that not a lot of other people had. So when she mentioned that she wanted to look at a Saturn dealership, i had an immediate burst of curiosity. I know that a lot of people didn't have a Saturn ion, But i knew why. The first image that came in my mind when i thought of the saturn company was their first models, which by the way was very ugly. This new body style that Saturn had adopted was headed in a very different direction in comparison with the old body style. A direction which would help them sell to a bigger audience. She brought home the car right of the showroom floor. The body kit on the car gives it a sense of aggressiveness with a history in racing, and since it was the showroom model it came with the optional upgrade spoiler and 17" alluminum alloy rims. The Curves of the body give it the elegance of an import italian car. Very desireable car that holds its value through more than just the outside.

Engine
The 2.2 liter 4 cylinder has shown us no problem in the last 4 years. With the estemated gas consumption at 24 MPG city, we save tons of money compared to the gas guzzling truck that i own. There was one recall on the vehicle which was related to the electric system. It had to with the light on the left side burning out very rapidly in comparison with the other side. We have stuck to the oil change system very religiously. Every 3,000 miles or earlier we would go to have the oil changed. The only thing that i can say from the motor aspect that has any wear is in the transmission. The shift from first to second gear has gotten a lot rougher, as though we have added an aftermarket stall converter. I dont think its seriose enough to have it looked at, but something that should be noted when looking to purchase the vehicle. Maybe i could add a little Lucas brand transmission fluid to help smooth things out.

Interior
Although my wife came home with the fully loaded interior and custom leather with the high end sound system, there were some aspects of the interior that i did not like. The fact of the matter is that Saturn is a GM company and like most of the GM company's interior is assembled primarily out of plastic. The main area is the center console and the floor quarter panels. The pieces fit to each other like a child had put together a set of legos. Definitely a big negative for me. But with that said the overall set up is very nice. The speedometer is moved from the traditional area right in front of the driver to the center of the dashboard. It is a revolutionary change in the automotive design. It also has proved to be a functional ally while driving. Eliminating the steering wheel from view of the gauges. Clear view of the gauges allows me to quickly glance down and refocus on the road.
Amount Paid (US$): 22k
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: automatic, fully loaded, showroom vehicle.