I have owned a lot of cars, and previous to owning my Ion I owned a different Saturn. I was in an accident and that car held up so well that I went out and bought the Ion. The Ion has gone beyond my expectations. I bought it brand new and have had it for just over 8 years now. It has held up to my high-mileage driving, with low maintenance requirements and has always gotten me safely to and from where I am going. I have always felt safe in the car and know it will start up every morning. I have also always enjoyed having the dashboard in the middle of the car as opposed to in front of me. As a short person, the dashboard often obstructs my view a bit.

I liked that it was different than the other cars in my price range at the time. For example, the battery is in the trunk and the speedometer and everything is in the middle of the dashboard. It's a deceptively quick car, I usually get to my destination with time to spare. I dislike that the paint has warped off of the hood of it.

The Saturn Ion 3 is a reliable, dependable vehicle. The style of the car is generic, there is nothing flashy but that's not important to me. The car is comfortable, I've taken it on long drives and have not had any issues. The car has plenty of room for an everyday vehicle for a family of 3 and has a large trunk, perfect for lots of groceries. My car has rarely been in the shop, except for a few recalls. There is currently a recall for the ignition switch; however, I have contacted the dealer and am awaiting them to call me back. They stated it would be about 6 weeks before they would have the parts available. My car gets fantastic gas mileage. I can got a long way on a tank of gas. Any repairs that I have had done to it have been inexpensive. It's not a very fun car to drive, but that is not why I purchased it. I needed a reliable, practical car for everyday use. The car's acceleration is actually quite good for the car that it is and it brakes with no issues at all as well. I do feel safe and in control driving my car; however, not as safe as if I had a larger vehicle. I was hit from behind a few years ago, and although the person who hit me had his car totaled, only the bumper needed to be replaced on my car. I was expecting a lot more damage to my car as a result of seeing the damage to his car.