The improvements continued for 2006: Saturn has reconfigured the center dash to provide more room for storage and to enhance legroom. OnStar is now standard on all Ions. A larger, more powerful engine is available. Saturn has dropped the base-level sedan with its narrow seats, and a new Enhanced Performance Package has been added to bridge the gap between the base-engine/base suspension models and the Ion Red Line sport compact. Prices have been reduced, especially at the lower end of the line, where an 2006 Ion 2 sedan lists for $2,455 less than a comparable '05 model.
Meanwhile, all of the Ion's best features remain unchanged. The sedan offers plenty of interior and luggage room for a reasonable price. The Quad Coupe features innovative dual rear-access doors, like those on an extended-cab pickup, that make it easy to load and unload cargo. We found we could stuff large objects into the back seat of a Saturn that would not go into a traditional two-door coupe.
The Red Line coupe features a 205-horsepower supercharged engine good for 0-60 mph in about 6.3 seconds. We found it fun to drive, with strong throttle response and a sporty exhaust note. It comes with Recaro seats that provide comfortable support in corners.
And then, of course, there's that Saturn dealership experience. Surveys show that Saturn buyers tend to be more satisfied with their dealers in terms of the sales and service experience than buyers of other brands. Saturn tends to be the top-scoring non-luxury brand in these types of surveys. Next Page