The Saturn Ion is a compact car built from 2003 to 2007. Most were assembled in the United States — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Ion is
The Saturn Ion is a compact car that Saturn built from 2003 to 2007 — 5 model years. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Saturn range: Astra, SL.
Where the Ion is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 3,480 Ions on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1G8, 1GH, 1GB | 2003-2008 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Saturn VIN decide which of these 1 lines your Ion belongs to. What every character in a Ion VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Saturn Ion adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Saturn Ion tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Ion owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Saturn Ion have? Power & range
The Saturn Ion is offered with 1 powertrain — 2.2L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Saturn Ion, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 2.2L · 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Ion by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Saturn Ion. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Ion | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 35 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 4,349 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $1,534/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 150 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Saturn Ion?
The Ion is a compact car, built from 2003 to 2007. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Saturn Ion made?
Across 3,480 cars in our records the split is: the United States (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Saturn Ion warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Ion reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Ion?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Saturn
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturn Astra | 2008–2009 | 4 | 27 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Saturn Aura | 2007–2010 | 16 | 29 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Saturn L200 | 2001–2003 | 4 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Saturn L300 | 2001–2005 | 2 | 25 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Saturn LS | 2000–2000 | 6 | 24 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Saturn LW | 2000–2005 | — | 25 mpg | 4.5/5 |
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