2004 Saturn ION Review

The 2003 Saturn Ion coupe and sedan were the first totally redesigned Saturn car models since Saturn opened for business in 1990. That made the new models about six years overdue.

The longer, taller, wider, more powerful sedan replaced Saturn's S-series model and was a big improvement, as well it should have been after such a wait.

But Saturn had a lot more competition than when it started out, which is why its 2003 car sales didn't exactly soar. In fact, Saturn sales fell a bit, compared with 2002 results.

The Ion sedan soon was followed by the Ion Quad Coupe, which had small rear-hinged "half doors'' for easier entry. As with the sedan, the coupe was totally redesigned, with such things as a new platform, powertrain, shape and interior.

There are few changes for the 2004 sedan and coupe, beyond interior enhancements, two new sound systems and additional sound-deadening material for a quieter interior.

This writer tested the 2003 sedan for the Nov. 18, 2002 AutoTimes, but somehow never got into the Quad Coupe, which I recently drove.

The $14,285-$16,685 coupe comes in "Ion 2'' and "Ion 3'' trim levels, whereas the sedan comes in "Ion 1, 2 and 3'' form.

The Ion 2 Quad Coupe has such standard items as air conditioning, power door locks, AM/FM/CD player and 60-series tires on 15-inch wheels -- compared with skinny 70-series tires on 14-inch wheels for the Ion 1 sedan.

The Ion 3 adds a lot more items: power windows and mirrors, cruise control, MP3 player, remote keyless entry, sport suspension and wider 55-series tires on 16-inch wheels.

The Saturn coupe always looked sporter than the more practical sedan, but never really felt all that much sportier.

Curiously, the Quad Coupe feels less sporty than the sedan. Even the $15,785 Ion 3 Quad Coupe I tested with a manual gearbox had a generally soft feel that prevents it from being a genuine sports coupe such as the Toyota Celica.

The variable-ratio electric power steering is quick, but feels rather unnatural, compared with conventional steering. Handling is decent, but there's noticeable lean in curves. The ride is comfortable, but not firm enough for a sports coupe. The brake pedal is soft, but has a progressive action. Anti-lock brakes tied to a traction control system are a worthy $400 option.

Saturn decided to make its Quad Coupe a cruiser rather than a sharp-edge sports coupe. However, the Quad Coupe looks sportier than the Ion sedan, which has some oddly shaped body panels and looks sleek or quirky -- depending on one's viewpoint. The sedan's body panels are dent-resistant and rust-proof.

Some future Saturn models won't have such panels, but the Quad Coupe also has plastic doors, fenders and bumpers to help it fend off shopping cart assaults.

The Quad Coupe's rear doors are well concealed with their inside handles. They swing out about 90 degrees to make rear seat access much easier than with a conventional two-door coupe.

The rear doors don't open independently of the front doors, which must be opened first. And closing the Quad Coupe's rear doors calls for an uncomfortable reach after being seated.

The Ion sedan and Quad Coupe have a much better engine than the smaller, noisier less powerful engine in their predecessors. The new 2.2-liter four-cylinder produces 140 horsepower and decent acceleration.

Fuel economy is an estimated 26 mpg in the city and 35 on highways with the five-speed manual gearbox. The sedan has an extra-cost five-speed automatic that provides 23 and 32. But the Quad Coupe is offered with a more efficient continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), which has an infinite number of gear ratios; it helps deliver 25 city, 32 highway.

My test Quad Coupe had the manual gearbox, which shifted nicely and worked with a light but rather long-throw clutch. It has an unusual synchronized reverse gear that lets the car be shifted into reverse without grinding gears if a driver shifts before coming to a complete stop.

As with every Saturn ever built, the conventional automatic transmission doesn't adversely affect acceleration much -- and the same probably can be said for the CVT.

Head-protection curtain side airbags are $395 extra, but no side torso air bags are offered.

Popular options include a $725 power sunroof for Series 2 and 3 versions. But those getting the 2 version with the sunroof must order an $825 Power Package, which contains cruise control, power mirrors and windows, remote keyless entry and an alarm.

Leather upholstery is a $700 option for the Quad Coupe 3, and a rear spoiler costs $250 for the 2 and 3 versions of the coupe.

The 2,751-pound Quad Coupe is among the biggest subcompact cars with a 103.2-inch wheelbase, and its quiet interior thus is roomy enough to accommodate four tall adults -- although there's little room to spare in back.

Most controls are fairly large and work smoothly. Rearview mirrors are decently sized to partly compensate for rear roof pillars that mar a driver's over-the-shoulder visibility.

Placement of gauges in a center dashboard pod is supposed to let a driver set the steering wheel in the most comfortable position without need to adjust it to see instruments. But the center placement makes the gauges harder to read at a glance.

Front seats are flat and lack side support. They should be larger, even for slender occupants, as should the dual rear individual seats. Despite upgrades, interior surfaces and switches don't look upscale.

The cargo area is fairly large and has a low, wide opening. It can be made roomier by flipping the rear seatbacks forward -- an action that reveals a fairly large pass-through opening between the trunk and rear seat areas. The front passenger seatback also folds flat for even more cargo capacity.

For the most part, the Ion Quad Coupe matches similarly priced rivals in most areas, and rival coupes don't have its four-door design.

Moreover, General Motors is revitalizing its Saturn division with new models, including a 200-horsepower "Red Line'' Quad Coupe that will give the standard Quad Coupe a sexier image.

2004 SATURN ION QUAD COUPE

Prices
$14,285-$16,685

Likes
Decent performance. Comfortable. Cleverly hidden rear doors. Dent-resistant body panels.

Dislikes
Awkward center-mounted gauges. Too soft to be a sports coupe. Small front seats. Hard to close rear doors when seated.