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The Ion is a solid well-balanced car with a lot of positive attributes.

It comes as no surprise the first salvo in GM's newly declared war on the imports in this segment comes from the ION, a brand new car that will replace the 12-year-old S-Series next month. This role makes the ION one of the most significant new cars in recent GM history.

Saturn has a new model. But this car, unlike most other cars, is really a true model, flaunting itself down the freeway, modeling bits of this and flashy pieces of that. Sound a little strange? Let us explain.

Based on GM's new Delta small-car platform, a platform developed jointly in North America and Europe for GM small cars worldwide, the Ion shares nothing with the current S-Series. It is larger, roomier, with a new engine and transmission, a new suspension, new steering system, new interior - the works.

When young drivers slap big wheels, body kits and assault-weapon audio systems on their rides, they tend to be Honda Civics or Toyota Celicas -- certainly not Saturns. The GM division hopes to change minds and win hearts with the Saturn Ion, an all-new compact sedan and coupe that's part of a thorough expansion of the formerly one-note Saturn lineup.

Saturn replaces its entry-level model line for 2003 with larger, more-powerful sedans and a unique 4-door coupe. Ion is Saturn's first fully redesigned car since it opened for business in 1990. Ion replaces Saturn's S-Series and retains the brand's trademark dent-resistant plastic body-side panels. The sedan and coupe are nearly the same length and both are significantly larger on the outside than their S-Series counterparts.

Replacing the bread-and-butter S-series was no mean feat. With the quantum leaps in quality and amenities made by subcompact Hondas and Toyotas in recent years, Saturn had to find a way to remain competitive, add some much-needed sizzle to the lineup, and retain its loyal buyers, all with the same car. Better yet, it appears that the ION succeeds at each of these goals.

The bad joke around General Motors has been that Saturn's new line of vehicles is worth keeping your "eye on"–get it, the ION? If the insipid wit can be excused, there's some truth to the sentiment.

Saturn has a new model. But this car, unlike most other cars, is really a true model, flaunting itself down the freeway, modeling bits of this and flashy pieces of that. Sound a little strange? Let us explain.

Saturn VP of Engineering Jim Ulrich spent 24 months creating the replacement for the original Saturn: Ion.

An all-new Saturn division and cars were the brainchildren of Roger Smith, during whose nearly 10 years as chairman, GM's market share fell from almost 50 percent to about 30 percent. Share probably would have dropped more without Saturn, considering that almost 80 percent of Saturn buyers profess that they otherwise would have headed to a Japanese showroom.

On a winding road through the ranch lands south of the Texas capital, the Saturn Ion slings around a corner. The oncoming vehicle surprises an armadillo slowly making its way across the asphalt. The brake pedal is tapped quickly and the steering wheel is jerked right. Dust is kicked up as the Ion’s right wheels touch the dirt shoulder.

The ION sedan and coupe are the first GM cars sold in America using the company's Delta global small-car architecture. Eventually, variations on the Delta platform will be available from other GM brands. However, none of them will have the signature DNA that makes the ION a true Saturn.

Ion sedans are already popping up, to be followed in spring by a Quad Coupe model featuring Saturn's clever rear-hinged doors for easy back-seat access. Keeping things simple, you can count trim levels on one hand: the Ion 1, 2 and 3.

The newest Saturn, introduced last fall, has been rechristened Ion, and it's significant in several respects. First, it's built on a new chassis that will be used for the next-generation Chevrolet Cavalier and other GM small cars of the future. Second, it attempts to move Saturn up a notch, in terms of size and prestige.