2003 Saturn ION

small car / 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteria Rating
Side
Side: original test with optional side airbags
P
Side: original test without optional side airbags
P
Head restraints & seats
P

Key

GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Superior
Advanced
Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Side: original test

Tested vehicle: 2005 Saturn ION 2 4-door with optional front and rear head curtain airbags
Rating applies to 2003-07 models

The Saturn ION was introduced for the 2003 model year as a replacement for the Saturn SL.

Two tests of an ION were conducted, one with an optional side airbag for the driver and rear passenger, and one without. These vehicles are rated separately, except that the structural ratings for both vehicles are based on both tests.

Evaluation criteria Rating
Overall evaluation
P
Structure and safety cage
P
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
A
Torso
P
Pelvis/leg
A
Driver head protection
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
A
Pelvis/leg
G
Rear passenger head protection
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CES0426 CES0427
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) 1.0 0.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID CES0426
Head HIC-15 650
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.9
Compression (kN) 0.2
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 54
Lateral force (kN) 2.8
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 51
Average deflection (mm) 45
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 8.34
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 2.13
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 2.1
Acetabulum force (kN) 3.1
Combined force (kN) 5.2
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.3
L-M moment (Nm) 83
A-P moment (Nm) 46

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID CES0426
Head HIC-15 387
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.0
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 54
Lateral force (kN) 2.4
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 44
Average deflection (mm) 38
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 4.81
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.85
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.6
Acetabulum force (kN) 3.4
Combined force (kN) 3.6
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.6
L-M moment (Nm) 61
A-P moment (Nm) 59

About the original side crash test

Tested vehicle: 2005 Saturn ION 2 4-door without optional side airbags
Rating applies to 2003-07 models

The Saturn ION was introduced for the 2003 model year as a replacement for the Saturn SL.

Two tests of an ION were conducted, one with an optional side airbag for the driver and rear passenger, and one without. These vehicles are rated separately, except that the structural ratings for both vehicles are based on both tests.

Evaluation criteria Rating
Overall evaluation
P
Structure and safety cage
P
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
A
Torso
P
Pelvis/leg
A
Driver head protection
The dummy's head was hit by the intruding barrier, producing moderately high head injury measures.
P
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
M
Torso
M
Pelvis/leg
G
Rear passenger head protection
The dummy's head was hit by the window frame of the rear passenger door, producing high head injury measures.
M
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CES0426 CES0427
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) 1.0 0.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID CES0427
Head HIC-15 739
Neck
Tension (kN) 2.4
Compression (kN) 0.4
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 55
Lateral force (kN) 3.4
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 53
Average deflection (mm) 42
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 9.48
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 1.82
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 3.1
Acetabulum force (kN) 3.2
Combined force (kN) 6.1
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.4
L-M moment (Nm) 85
A-P moment (Nm) 37

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID CES0427
Head HIC-15 849
Neck
Tension (kN) 2.5
Compression (kN) 0.2
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)
Lateral force (kN) 3.0
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 47
Average deflection (mm) 40
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 4.07
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.77
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 1.1
Acetabulum force (kN) 3.3
Combined force (kN) 3.7
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.8
L-M moment (Nm) 86
A-P moment (Nm) 53

About the original side crash test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Cloth seats

Overall evaluation
P
Dynamic rating
P
Seat/head restraint geometry
G
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Cloth seats
Geometry
Backset (mm) 48
Distance below top of head (mm) 55
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Fail
Max T1 acceleration (g) 11.0
Head contact time (ms) 88
Force rating 3
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 252
Max neck tension (N) 601

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Seat type: Leather seats

Overall evaluation
P
Dynamic rating
P
Seat/head restraint geometry
A
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Leather seats
Geometry
Backset (mm) 68
Distance below top of head (mm) 75
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Fail
Max T1 acceleration (g) 10.8
Head contact time (ms) 84
Force rating 3
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 238
Max neck tension (N) 672

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.