Saturn Sky reviews

2009 Saturn Sky Walkaround

The Saturn Sky looks more aggressive than the mechanically similar Pontiac Solstice. While the Solstice has a traditional Pontiac split grille and a nosepiece that rolls under gracefully, the Sky nosepiece is almost four inches longer and slathered with chrome, part of the latest Saturn design direction and consistent with the front-end design of the Saturn Aura sedan and Saturn Vue crossover.

The Sky nose looks like a boxer leading with his chin, but the overall effect is sporty, with sharp peaks on the tops of the front fenders and big forward-raked air outlets just behind the front wheels. Horizontal creases extend from the top and bottom of those outlets into the doors, the top crease lining up neatly with the cut line for the engine hood opening. We think it is these lines, combined with the way that the Sky's grille splits horizontally (rather than vertically, as on the Solstice) that make the Saturn look longer and flatter than the Solstice, more complex against the Pontiac's simple shape, more pressed-and-pleated rather than curvy and voluptuous.

The Sky's front lower fascia has unique styling elements, including functional brake cooling inlets and a mesh pattern in the lower grille that's said to improve air flow. Twin headrest nacelles just behind the cockpit (like the Solstice's) lead to a short rear end with small, attractive corner-mounted taillamps. Given the restrictions imposed by sharing the GM Kappa platform, we think it's a pretty successful design execution.

The Sky looks pretty cool with the top down, not so cool with the flying-buttress top up. Stowing the top requires popping the decklid with the key fob, which also unlocks the pins that hold down the two fabric extensions that attempt to smooth out the top's visual profile behind the rear window. Then you have to get out of the car, fold the top down into the cargo bay, push it down a couple of times until it is fully nested, then walk around to the back of the car and slam the decklid down with a good amount of force from the center of the lid so that both sides will lock down. This is in contrast to the simplicity of the Miata's top. The Saturn top features an insulating inner layer, but air leaks in between window glass and top seals on both sides of the car.

GM did a masterful job of designing the Sky to take advantage of parts and pieces from GM products around the world, including a set of bucket seats from a Mexican Chevrolet model, driveshaft and differential from the Cadillac CTS, a manual transmission from the Chevrolet Colorado, inner door panels from the Pontiac Solstice, and a glovebox door from the Chevy Cobalt, none of which should be of consequence to a prospective buyer because the designers and engineers have done such a good job of turning all those parts, with appropriate tweaks, into a Saturn Sky.

In short, the Saturn Sky is a very attractive sports car. Like many traditional roadsters before it, the Sky calls for some sympathy and understanding on the part of its owner.