This is in spite of the fact that the Ion is more than four inches taller than the old model. The roof curves quite heavily down to the high trunk line almost giving it the appearance of a hatchback rather than a traditional sedan. The look is contemporary and not that dissimilar from the Nissan Altima and Volkswagen Passat. (That's a good thing.)

The Ion continues with the Saturn trademark of utilizing composite polymer body panels mounted on a substantial steel spaceframe. Advantages are rust resistance and resilience to dings and small dents. The disadvantage is that the panels look thicker than steel ones, and gaps between body parts have to be greater to allow for expansion in hot weather.

Another advantage to the composite panels is that it they are relatively easy to replace. Saturn has taken this a step further with the Ion by offering optional colored roof rails that run along the edge of the roof on each side so an owner can easily customize the car's appearance.

A front air dam adds to the Ion sedan's sporty appearance but scrapes on abrupt transitions found on some driveways and side streets.

The Coupe's unique feature is a pair of rear doors that give the car its Quad Coupe name. They are also called rear-access doors (RAD) as they open out from the rear hinges in much the same way as on many crew cab pickup trucks. The absence of a B-pillar and a front seat that folds forward makes access to the rear very easy despite it being a small car. In fact Saturn likes to demonstrate that it's possible to get a nine-foot kayak in the Quad Coupe through the doors, a feat that would be tough to do in many SUVs, let alone a small compact coupe. Speaking of doors, we found the small, lever-style door handles relatively hard to grasp.