Used 2006 Saturn ION 3 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A) Consumer Reviews
Used ION for sale
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
14 good years
LittleK, Charlotte, NC, 09/15/2018
updated 09/21/2020
Saturn ION 3 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)
20 of 21 people found this review helpful
I regret that Saturns are no longer available. The ION is my second new Saturn purchase. The Saturn dealerships completely transformed the car buying, ownership, & maintenance experience for me in particular & the auto industry in general. This vehicle can get amazing highway mileage - I have gotten as much as 38-40 mpg. City driving in the northern climates in the winter was as low as 20 mpg but generally is around 25 in southern climates. Mixed driving typically is around 30 mpg. Vehicle has been highly reliable with regular maintenance. Though one popular consumer magazine did not like the center-mounted instrument panel, I have really liked this feature. Good car for one or two people. The back seat is tight if the front seats are not well forward. Turning radius a bit large for the size of the vehicle. Roof pillars somewhat restrict visibility when checking for cross-traffic before turning. Fuel line & tank had to be replaced during year 14, which so far has been the only significant unexpected repair expense.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
My reliable race car, Saturn Ion with 2.4L engine
John, 02/02/2021
Saturn ION 3 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2006 Saturn in 2014 as second car. It had 130,000km. All Saturn lovers know the GM engine is not the quieter and most reliable one, still, I had few Saturns and love them. Now with this one I was really lucky to have an issue with solenoids. Yes, lucky indeed because I found an awesome mechanic and he change the solenoids and explained me that for the 2.4L engine if I do not use a good filter a lot of things will go bad on my car because a regular oil filter cannot offer the same oil flow everywhere is needed !!! I was puzzled as it is my 4th Saturn and never heard this one. I asked him more and he also recommended me the synthetic oil he said will work miracles for my car. I put that oil in the car beginning 2015, the premium Napa filter (few $$ difference from regular one) and I was not driving a Saturn anymore. The engine works like a toyota one, improved gas mileage and everything is a dream ever since. So I am using fully synthetic Amsoil ever since, Napa premium filter or Amsoil recommended filter, and I had no issues with my Saturn in the last 6 years. I have a super reliable car and when the time to change it will come someone will buy a super reliable car. Last year (2020) at 185,000km I did some maintenance work on my Saturn - new Amsoil into the transmission and fancy iridium sparkplugs. I had no issue before the work but again, I felt my car is working better, I showed her love and she loves me back :) Thanks Edmunds for all the knowledge you put together here, I've learnt so much from here and now I finally decided to contribute to this knowledge with the little I know. Thanks.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
What Next?
Neveragain, 10/23/2010
Saturn ION 3 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought this car new in 2006 and loved it at first. Then one night during a rain storm my car alarm went off for no reason. The next day I found the foam seal along the top of both doors is badly weathered and rain water runs in along the door panels and puddles on the floor. With 20,000 miles the front struts are shot and just yesterday my key became stuck in the ignition while the car is running. Likely the ignition cylinder will need to be replaced (from the looks of it this is a huge big with the ION). And who will have to pay for it all? My guess is GM will bail on that as well. So here I sit with a car that leaks every time it rains, bad suspension,and a junk ignition cylinder.
Has been a reliable car
Karen, 07/11/2010
Saturn ION 3 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought by car used and have driven it everyday for work and on trips and have never had any mechanical problems. I had some leakage in the sun roof but removed the wind deflector & problem gone. The security alarm sensor is malfunctioning & will cost $100 to fix but I just don't turn on the alarm and it doesn't go off randomly. Sometimes the engine sounds like it is struggling when accelerating. Everything else is good. I have the extended warranty up to 75K and now I have 70K, so I will probably trade in for a diff. brand b/c Saturn is now out of business. I need a reliable car for my job & this one has been a good one for the last 3 yrs.
Ignition Switch etc
Gary , 08/29/2009
Saturn ION 3 4dr Sedan (2.2L 4cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Saturn had always held themselves up to be a "different car company" and well, they are. I've owned probably 20 cars in my life and never seen a company ignore a known severe problem (the ignition switch failure) leaving consumers to pay $700 or more to have repair work done. I marvel at the prior reviews - people posting here after they bought their Saturn's. The fact is after a few years (we now have 45000 miles on our car) the thing begins to fall apart. Windows falling off, ignition won't turn off, bearings failing, it's a real piece of you know what. I understand things fail but what is irritating is that known severe failures should cause the company to recall or reimburse.