2007 Saturn Sky Test Drive

The coolest new droptop roadster to come out of Detroit in years is...a Saturn? Yes, the 2007 Saturn Sky really can be found on the friendly, no-haggle showrooms of your local Saturn dealer. Signaling a whole new direction for the kinder, gentler division of General Motors, the 2007 Saturn Sky emerges from the heavens with a base price of $23,115 ($26,150 as tested) bearing a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty and EPA estimates of 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway.

I took twice as many photos of the Sky than I usually take of my test cars - it's just so cool-looking from every angle. Top up (link goes to photo) or down, the Sky presents interesting, provocative views from each direction. My favorite exterior feature has to be the Batmobile-like cowls behind the driver's and passenger's heads -- way too cool.

The front end features feline headlights and functional shark gill vents on the big hood, which leads up to a tiny windshield. The sides of the Sky bulge at the wheel wells and the back deck is high and truncated. An inverted trapezoidal back-up light sits below the center of the rear bumper alongside a rectangular exhaust tip.

The Sky looks more Porsche than Pontiac, more German than GM. Though the Sky is the mechanical double of the Pontiac Solstice, it is by far the cooler ride with its cosmetic individuality.

A few small oddities: The tiny chrome "Sky" badge on the rear bumper looks like an afterthought. The chrome eyelets that receive the top's rear corners are ugly blemishes on the rear deck. Paint quality and general fit and finish are OK, but not exemplary. For a car that's going to attract as much attention as the Sky, you want everything to be first rate.

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My test vehicle was fitted with the Premium Trim Package ($750) which included seat inserts and other trim pieces in red leather which contrasted beautifully with the high quality plastics on the interior. Materials choices throughout the cabin were tasteful and attractive.

Sky is a pure roadster, two seats only, and absolutely no room behind the seats for storage, squeezing an extra passenger or dog, or significant smuggling of any kind. There are two small gloveboxes, one in front of the passenger's knees and one between the seats at rib cage height. A ridiculous single cup holder pops out of the right side of the transmission tunnel, and another double pops out of the wall behind the driver's right elbow -- both useless. The elbow holder popped open every time I shifted from first to second gear.

The seats themselves are comfortable, if not particularly roomy. If you're much taller than me at 6'2", you're going to find legroom a challenge. I was just barely able to drive in comfort -- I would have liked another inch or two of forward/back space to play with. Dashboard layout is simple, cool and retro, with big, deep-set rotary analog gauges nestled above the steering wheel and simple knobs and switches on the center stack.

Sky may look like a sports car, but it's really a cruiser. Its 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine sends 177 hp and 166 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels, which is enough for a spirited ride in the 2933 lb chariot, but not enough to really rip. You'll have to pony up for the Sky Red Line ($27,895) to experience true rippage: its 2.0 liter turbo makes 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Still, the Sky in base form gives a nice ride with its low center of gravity, supple suspension, direct steering and excellent brakes.

Trunk space is virtually non-existent in the Sky with the top up, even more scarce with the top stowed away. If you're planning a romantic weekend getaway in the Sky, you'd better go to a nudist colony, or your passenger will have to hold the luggage in their lap.

The top itself is pretty simple, though you have to get out of the car to take it down or put it up (expect passing Miata drivers to laugh at you). The top folds into the rear-hinged trunk; closing the trunk lid takes a serious shove. Once you get the hang of it, the whole operation takes a minute or two at most. There are no boots or covers to mess with. Driving around in the Sky with the top down is definitely worth the minor hassle. It's glorious.

It sure took a while for Saturn to come out with a car that I could be passionate about -- Sky is that car. It's far from perfect -- the lack of storage alone makes it impossible for me to contemplate as a daily driver. But it is very, very cool.

If you're considering buying a Sky, you're probably also considering the Pontiac Solstice (link goes to review). It would be a purely superficial decision for me: Solstice is cool but I like Sky's looks better.

You must drive the Mazda Miata before you buy a Sky, though. Miata is the target, and Sky is definitely on the paper, but nowhere near the bulls-eye. Miata drives rings around Sky and Solstice and beats them on ergonomics as well. For a little more practicality, you should consider the MINI Cooper Convertible, the Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible or the upcoming VW EOS, though none are true roadsters. I would also take a look at the Porsche Boxster and BMW Z4 Roadster, just to see what you're missing in the next tax bracket.

I've heard that some guys will buy a Sky and drop a big V8 engine into it, creating a mini-Corvette. That's what I'd have to do to live with the Sky -- then I'd have the looks and the performance in one package. Look out, world.

Saturn Sky photo gallery