Also it tracks well at high-speed while delivering a really comfortable ride, a giant improvement over the previous generation car. I wouldn't go so far as to say it impressed me in the corners though, leaning heavily and getting twitchy in its rear end. And it wasn't like I was taking it through a demanding slalom course either. I'm just talking about going a little too quickly onto a curving highway off-ramp. Still, its independent, strut-type front suspension and semi-independent torsion beam rear design is a far cry more grounded than its predecessor.
That said the ION 3's electric power-assist, rack-and-pinion steering displayed good turn-in characteristics, pointing its 205/55R16 all-season tires where asked with reasonable reflexes. Still, despite having ABS, its merely mediocre braking doesn't inspire confidence. That's probably due to only offering discs up front and drums, effective but not as quick to respond, in the rear. Rear drum brakes, by the way, are industry standard in the compact class. But still some brands offer rear discs as optional equipment in their top trim levels, unlike the ION 3.
Like all Saturn models this new one is held together by a high-strength steel spaceframe with full-length frame rails and steel safety cage design that sits underneath a combination of polymer composite vertical panels and galvanized steel in critical areas.