2006 Saturn ION Consumer Reviews Page 2

No-brag gem for the practical driver

Written by: Greenwich CT on 10/25/2007

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 2 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)

Review

My cars: 80 Audi 5000, 82 Olds Ciera, 89 Bronco, 95 Explorer, 2000 Taurus SE, 2003 BMW 325xi, 2006 Saturn Ion 2. We have Mercedes and Toyota vehicles too. Most reliable: Ion. Cheapest: Ion. Best mileage: Ion. Best in all weather conditions: Ion, Taurus, 325. Best base stereo: Ion. Most practical storage features in a sedan: Ion. Cheapest interior: Ion. Least adjustable everything: Ion. Least curb appeal: Ion. Fastest depreciation: Ion. The Ion is a solid, simple, reliable, comfortable enough, safe, low cost American car if what you mostly need from a car is...a car. A friend has a Maserati. Cool. But worth nine of these? Pfff. Buy this and a Solstice and laugh all the way to the bank.

Favorite Features

Altogether practical. Zero chance of being stolen. Plastic sides are handy, the shopping cart idiots are foiled. Nothing is exceptional, but except for interior trim, nothing too bad.

Suggested Improvements

Interior trim, a few ergo things, and both power outlets should be 'always on' (one is ignition controlled).

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Not Bad

Written by: First Saturn on 10/16/2007

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 2 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)

Review

Bought to tow behind my motor home. Find I drive it around town when I am home for the high gas mileage. So far not one problem.

Favorite Features

Gas mileage. You can flat tow with auto trans

Suggested Improvements

Drivers seat not very comfortable and rear seat has almost no leg room.

1 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Crude Design

Written by: talismanPHL on 08/25/2007

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 2 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)

Review

Dark gray exterior looks great when it's clean - very sleek lines. However, the interior is awful. It's filled with cheap mismatched plastics. We never did get used to the centrally placed dashboard - why not go with a normal dashboard with larger gauges? Extremely cheap seat fabrics that stained very easily and small rear seat with very little legroom.

Favorite Features

Fold down seats and large trunk. Fuel mileage averages 28 mpg in mixed driving. Engine is adequate power, but the automatic transmission sometimes "hunts" between gears in hilly terrain.

Suggested Improvements

Replace cheap interior. GM saved money on this interior, but its already very worn and stained in everyday adult use as a commuter car. Car is very loud on the freeway, plastic body panels drum and vibrate. Super-flimsy plastic wheel covers will crack apart the first time you scrape a curb with them

6 out 7 people found this review helpful

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Great car, not many gripes

Written by: Damn straight!! on 05/23/2007

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 2 4dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I bought this car after much research, and I am not disappointed. I get 40 MPG HWY and 24 city with the AC on! The rear legroom needs work, but otherwise the car is above par for the class, you have to think, you're buying a compact. Overall it's a big little car, you can fit 2 bikes inside with the rear seats folded down. Some people complain about engine noise being too loud, but for a 5 speed, I'd like to hear the car every now and then. Somethings I wish I had are the options that come standard in the 3 with the performance package.

Favorite Features

Plenty of power for a 4 banger and lots of refinement to boot. Also, love the 5 speed and loads of room to haul stuff.

Suggested Improvements

Make ABS standard!! it's 2007 for pete's sake. Could use more rear room.

7 out 7 people found this review helpful

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I could have done much, much worse

Written by: Jack on 04/29/2007

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 2 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)

Review

My first car was a '96 Saturn SL, manual. If this had been my first car, I'd have no complaints at all. Unfortunately, it pales in comparison to the '96 SL. Sure, it's more comfortable, and looks more upscale, but -- and this is a big but -- it gets about 10mpg less than the SL, and isn't quite as fun to drive. The OnStar was either a big help or a terrible tragedy in the making, since it told me to change my oil once around 5000 miles and then not again until 13000 miles. I decided to let my subscription expire, but wow! Talk about saving me a bundle on maintenance.

Favorite Features

I like the location of instrument panel in the center instead of in front of the driver. Cruise works fine, although not so well as in the 96 SL, which the dealer installed for me. The styling is also nice, and the trunk is much larger than the SL. Access to the oil filter is also more convenient.

Suggested Improvements

Mileage. I'm getting 32mpg on the highway, 23 in the city. The SL reached 42/32 regularly. The American car companies refused to listen to consumers on this, and now they're paying the price dearly.

0 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Great Little Car

Written by: Henry on 04/27/2007

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 2 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I've had my 2006 Saturn ION-2 for a little over a year, and it has been great. I like the instrument panel, which is in the center of the dash and angled towards you. It's not hard to read at all. Also, OnStar is a great feature to have. While gas mileage is not the best out there, you do get decent power in return. I get almost 26 MPG in a mix of city/hwy driving. I hope to keep this one as long as I can and pay it off.

Favorite Features

OnStar, dent-resistant paneling, center instrument panel

Suggested Improvements

Needs ABS as standard feature

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Great Car For The Price

Written by: Mark in Columbus, OH on 01/13/2007

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 3 4dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)

Review

This is my second Saturn, replacing my '97 SL sedan. I am in love. The quality of the materials inside is head and shoulders above the SL. The power from my optional 2.4L engine is amazing. Fuel economy is acceptable, but worse than the SL, but at nearly double the horses its a fine trade off. I took advantage of the end of year and end of model year deals and got out the door $3500 below sticker, tax, title and tags included. I just hope I get as many years (9) and miles (190,000) out this new car that I got out of my beloved SL.

Favorite Features

Great power, great styling. High quality interior materials. The quad coupe can carry much larger items without a B pillar in the way.

Suggested Improvements

Shoulder strap needs to be a bit lower to keep it from chafing the necks of us shorter people. Armrest could come a bit further forward. Move the fog light switch so it can be seen by the driver, or make it a two position switch. it's hard to tell whether they are on or not sometimes.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Never get another one

Written by: dissappointed on 12/19/2006

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 2 4dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I bought this Saturn for the safety features. I wish I would have done some more research and bought a Toyota or a Honda. I am very dissappointed. Not only is the car just over a year old, but I've been to the dealership numerous times, twice for the brakes and they told me nothing was wrong with them. The carpet had a hole in the floorboard and had to be replaced, the gas mileage is horrible and now it just won't plain start even after they replaced the battery. Not to mention I live 62 miles from the nearest Saturn dealerships.

Favorite Features

The one year free OnStar.

Suggested Improvements

Everything

1 out 4 people found this review helpful

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2006 ION 2

Written by: michael k on 12/18/2006

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 2 4dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 4A)

Review

The first 4 months it had been back to the dealership multiple times for multiple problems. The drivers seat has been repaired 3 times and has to go back to be replaced again. This is our 6th Saturn, and our 2nd ION. We were assured that all the issues we had with our '03 ION had been rectified. We were lied to. After 6 Saturns we have decided not to purchase any more GM products. We are very dissapointed with our ION and hope that others think twice before making the same mistake we did. The first week we had the car, the driver's front window motor stopped working. The car was on its way back to the dealership for front end problems at the time. We tried to opt out of the car but GM said no

Favorite Features

None

Suggested Improvements

Drivers seat redesign. Overal reliability. Power window motor improvements. Quality control over all.

2 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Want lemonade? Buy a Saturn

Written by: My 1st Saturn on 12/10/2006

Vehicle

2006 Saturn ION 2 4dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I purchased my Saturn on 10/23/06. I was told that the ION 2 was the best fuel efficient vehicle on the market. I get only 24 MPG which most of my miles are highway. It also has slow take off. I am very disappointed in this vehicle. I have been given poor customer service and I keep getting the run around from the dealership. My next step is to contact the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's office. If you are looking to buy a new car, don't buy a Saturn ION 2 unless you plan on spending double in gas per week.

Favorite Features

Suggested Improvements

Better gas mileage

6 out 10 people found this review helpful

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