The Saturn Ion has 15 cu ft of cargo space. In practice that is 2 checked suitcases, or 7 carry-ons, or about 12 supermarket bags. A folded pushchair fits. Against 260 cars with a similar-sized cabin it sits below the average of 15.3 cu ft.
What actually fits in a Ion
Cubic feet are an abstraction — 15 cu ft means nothing until you load it. Here is the same number in things people actually load, 2 checked cases or 7 carry-ons for the Saturn Ion, with a packing allowance — a boot is not a cube, and corners go to waste.
| What you are loading | How many fit | Each item |
|---|---|---|
| Checked suitcases | 2 | 27 × 21 × 14″ — 4.6 cu ft |
| Carry-on cases | 7 | 22 × 14 × 9″ — 1.6 cu ft |
| Supermarket bags | 12 | about 1 cu ft each |
| Golf bags | 2 | full set, about 5 cu ft |
| Folded pushchair | Fits | about 6 cu ft |
Counts assume 80% usable volume: luggage does not tessellate, and a wheel arch eats the rest.
Cabin or boot — where the space went
Every car is a fixed envelope, and designers decide how to split it between people and things — the Saturn Ion gives 14% of its 107 cu ft to luggage. The share below is the honest way to compare an estate with a coupé of the same footprint, and among 260 cars with a cabin within eight cubic feet of the Saturn Ion the boot averages 15.3 cu ft.
| Space | Volume | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger cabin | 92 cu ft | |
| Cargo area | 15 cu ft | |
| Total interior | 107 cu ft |
Under 15% to luggage — the space went to passengers, not their bags.
Against cars with a similar cabin
Compared with 260 models whose passenger space is within eight cubic feet — a fairer group than marketing classes, which put an estate and a coupé in the same bracket.
| Measure | This car | Similar cars | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo volume | 15 cu ft | 15.3 cu ft | -0.3 cu ft |
| In checked suitcases | 2 | 2 | +0 |
Cars with the same room
Closest matches by trunk volume — useful when the boot is the deciding factor and the badge is not. The Saturn Ion sits at 15 cu ft, so these are the cars that carry the same load.
| Car | Trunk volume | vs Saturn Ion | Checked suitcases | Measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suzuki Aerio | 0 cu ft | 2 | 2007 | |
| Cadillac Eldorado | 0 cu ft | 2 | 2002 | |
| Pontiac Grand Am | 0 cu ft | 2 | 2005 | |
| Infiniti I30 | 0 cu ft | 2 | 2001 | |
| Infiniti I35 | 0 cu ft | 2 | 2004 | |
| BMW 525i | -1 cu ft | 2 | 2007 |
Boot space is one number. Buying is a longer list.
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How we count
Cargo and passenger volumes come from EPA interior-volume records — the same figures manufacturers file for the window sticker, measured to a standard method rather than claimed in a brochure.
The luggage counts are ours — 2 checked cases for the Saturn Ion come out of its 15 cu ft. We assume 80% usable volume, because a boot is not a cube: wheel arches, a sloping tailgate and the shape of the cases themselves waste the rest, which is why the Saturn Ion counts as 12 cu ft of usable space rather than 15. Suitcase sizes are the airline standards — 22 × 14 × 9″ for carry-on, 27 × 21 × 14″ for checked, so the Saturn Ion takes 7 of the small ones. Numbers are deliberately conservative; if we say four cases fit, four cases fit.
Frequently asked questions
How much cargo space does the Saturn Ion have?
15 cu ft behind the rear seats, plus 92 cu ft of passenger cabin.
How many suitcases fit in a Ion?
About 2 checked cases (27 × 21 × 14″) or 7 carry-ons, allowing for the fact that a boot is not a perfect cube.
Will a pushchair fit in a Ion?
Yes — a folded pushchair takes roughly 6 cu ft and this car has 15, so it fits with room for shopping.
Is that a lot for this size of car?
Compared with 260 cars of a similar cabin size, it is below the average of 15.3 cu ft.
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