EDMUNDS.COM 2004 SATURN ION RED LINE
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 Summary
What Edmunds.com Says
With 200 horsepower, upgraded running gear and a price under $20,000, the Ion Red Line has all the right credentials to compete in this rapidly growing class.
Pros
Supercharged engine, lots of performance for the price, easily accessible rear seat, customer-focused dealers, dent-resistant body.
Cons
Low-grade interior materials, inconsistent build quality.
What''s New for 2004
The Ion Red Line is a new performance-enhanced version of the standard quad coupe. Upgrades include a supercharged 200-horsepower engine, a tightened suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and 17-inch wheels.
Overview
Introduction:
Everyone wants in on the emerging "tuner" market. You may think you don''t know what a tuner car is, but actually you do. Every time you see a lowered Honda Civic or Mitsubishi Eclipse with huge wheels and tires and a coffee can-sized exhaust pipe, you''re seeing what the industry now calls a "tuner" car. For years, younger auto enthusiasts have been on the cutting edge of what''s new in the car world. Current features such as aftermarket-looking alloy wheels and body-colored bumpers and mirrors clearly got their start on lowered pickups and Civics. Like the generation that preceded them, today''s trends are being fashioned in mom and dad''s garage and after-hours trips to the local body shop. But there are a few differences between today''s street rods and those of yesteryear. The most obvious difference is the cars themselves; previous generations spent their time slaving over a worked V8 that most likely came in a car double the size of a Civic. The second and more important difference lies in the fact that new carmakers are courting and copying today''s street designers and marketing the results to more mainstream buyers. Think of Dodge''s Neon SRT-4, Ford''s SVT Focus, Mazda''s Mazdaspeed Protege, Nissan''s Sentra SE-R and Subaru''s WRX, along with the various iterations of the Chrysler PT Cruiser. And for 2004, if GM has its way, you''ll include Saturn''s Red Line series in this group as well. Saturn is clearly GM''s best chance at import and tuner market infiltration, and the Ion quad coupe already enjoys a bit of a following amongst young import enthusiasts. Enter the Red Line series. Covering two models, the Ion and the Vue, the Red Line models are performance versions of otherwise normal cars -- the same formula used by Dodge, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Subaru. Take an unassuming economy car, then add more horsepower, bigger wheels and tires, a lowered suspension and sport seats, and you''ve created an instant hot rod on a budget. Rejecting the all-too-common strategy of slapping on a body kit or appearance package, Saturn has assured that the Ion Red Line is serious about performance. Witness the supercharger, which increases output to 200 horsepower, the Getrag five-speed manual transmission, the high-flow exhaust, the four-wheel antilock disc brakes and the 17-inch wheels wrapped in 215/45R17 performance tires. Unique front and rear fascias and a variety of rear spoiler options further distinguish the Red Line from the ordinarily unexceptional Ion quad coupe. If you''re shopping for budget performance car that comes in right around $20,000 this year, you''ll definitely want to add the 200-horse Ion Red Line to your test-drive list.
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For Pricing information, see Edmunds'' Pricing page. |
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options:
A performance version of the Ion, the Red Line is offered in quad coupe form only in a single trim level. Standard features include 17-inch forged alloy wheels with 45-series performance tires; a lowered, track-tuned suspension; four-wheel antilock disc brakes; air conditioning; bolstered sport seats; an MP3-compatible CD player; and power door locks and windows. All Red Lines have black interiors. Buyers can choose from a variety of rear spoiler options.
Powertrains and Performance:
Under the hood is a supercharged and intercooled 2.0-liter version of GM''s Ecotec inline four-cylinder engine. Output is rated at 200 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque. A heavy-duty Getrag five-speed manual transmission with a short-throw shifter is standard; an automatic is not available. The suspension, which is 10mm lower than the setup on the standard Ion, incorporates firmer spring and bushing rates, and larger stabilizer bars and rear shocks. The Ion''s electric power steering has been retuned to provide increased driver feedback.
Safety:
Four-wheel antilock disc brakes are standard on the Ion Red Line. On the options list, you''ll find a head curtain side airbag system that protects both front and rear outboard occupants, and the OnStar communications system. Traction control is not available. In government crash testing, the Ion earned a perfect five stars for driver and front-passenger protection in frontal impacts. In side-impact testing, an Ion without head curtain airbags earned three stars for the protection of rear occupants (front-occupant protection wasn''t tested).
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For more Safety information, see Edmunds'' Safety page. |
Interior Design and Special Features:
The Red Line retains the standard Ion''s center-mounted instrument pod but gains a sportier cockpit ensemble with a black color scheme, a new steering wheel and shift knob and bolstered sport seats to better keep occupants in place during hard cornering. Like other Ion coupes, it has two additional rear-access doors (RADs), hence the name "quad coupe." These extra doors make it easier to get people and cargo in and out of the backseat.
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For more Interior Features information, see Edmunds'' Specifications page. |
Driving Impressions:
While the standard Ion offers little to get excited about, the Red Line presents a high level of performance for the price paid. With 200 horsepower and a low 2,600-pound curb weight, this coupe is able to run with anything in its price range. Add in a modified suspension, meatier tires and a full set of disc brakes, and this is one Saturn we don''t mind taking to the track.
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For more Driving Impressions, Recent Articles and Car Awards from Edmunds'' editors, see Edmunds'' Road Tests page. |
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