2007 Saturn Sky

Halo cars add colors to a company's pallet—a Hawaiian shirt in a closet of grey flannel suits. Their benefits are both direct and indirect, as the rest of the lineup gets to bask in their reflected glow. Sky is Saturn's first halo car. The two-seat sports car is cousin to the Pontiac Solstice. While similar in size and performance, the two are far different in appearance. Where Solstice is curvy with nary a flat panel, Sky is more angular and edgy looking.

Power & Design

Neither of these GM roadsters look especially similar to the Mazda Miata, the benchmark, two-seater they were designed to compete with. Styling is subjective, with no right or wrong. Auto design is fashion, and people buy based on personal preference. Function, unlike fashion, is more measurable and comparable. Here, the Miata sets a high bar.


Sky takes aim at that mark with a solid platform. Beneath its chiseled sheetmetal, the rear-wheel-drive chassis is fitted with a fully independent, short/long arm suspension. It's aided by rack-and-pinion steering with a well-weighted power assist. Eighteen-inch wheels are shod with a set of 245/45R18 Goodyear Eagles. The engine is GM's Ecotec 2.4-liter four cylinder, connected to an Aisin five-speed manual transmission (automatic available for $950). The gearbox shifts smoothly, though it doesn't rival the Miata's renowned, short 'n snappy stroke. Good for 177 horsepower and 166 lb.-ft. of torque, the 2.4-liter equipped Sky has sports car speed—enough to keep up its end of the traditional, balanced performance formula.


The trip from 0-60 mph takes about seven seconds and change. Fuel economy is respectable. EPA says that your gas mileage will be 20 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. Sky passes the fun-to-drive test with flying colors. The little roadster rides comfortably, handles capably and looks good doing it. Brakes are four-wheel disc with standard ABS, and suitably strong. A near-even weight distribution (52 percent front/48 rear) and well sorted platform give the 2,900 lb. Saturn a grippy, well-planted feel that whispers in your ear a fall weekend trip, driving twisty country roads.


Or maybe a day trip. Like most small sports cars, Sky suffers from a lack of storage spots in the cabin and limited cargo capacity. The trunk measures 5.4 cubic feet with the top up. That's' small but still workable for that weekend getaway, with some wardrobe restraint and soft luggage. But when the top goes down, so does trunk room, slipping to a microscopic 2.0 cubic feet. Sky's interior is distinguished from the Solstice by its packaging. Parked just upstream from the Pontiac, its slightly higher base price reflects a corresponding increase in the level of standard equipment.