Acceleration

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
6	6	8	8	6.4

Base engine slow to rev, has little power reserve for quick highway passing. Still, its performance feel supports GM's 0-60-mph claim of about 7.2 sec with either transmission. Turbocharged Red Line punchy at any speed, though with notable turbo lag. GM says it does 0-60 in 5.5 sec or less, which seems credible. Automatic transmission no real penalty vs. manual, which some testers say has notchy shift action.

Fuel Economy

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
6	5	5	5	5.5

With manual transmission, base Skys and Solstices averaged 20.8 in mixed driving, 23.0-25.2 in mostly highway driving. Test manual-transmission Red Line averaged 20.1 mpg in mostly city driving. GM recommends premium-grade fuel for both engines.

Ride Quality

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
5	5	4	4	4

Sky suspension slightly softer than Solstice's, but differences hard to detect. Ride supple enough for sports cars, but turns jiggly/thumpy on wrinkled pavement at highway speeds. Red Line/GXP sport suspension tauter, so impact harshness more noticeable.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
9	9	9	9	8

Predictably agile and balanced: little cornering lean, good smooth-surface grip, great steering feel and response. Fine straightline stability and crosswind resistance too. Red Line/GXP can hop and skip over large bumps, but quickly regain composure.

Quietness

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
2	2	2	2	3

Engines buzzy or boomy depending on rpm, loud enough to mask most tire noise. Several test Skys and Solstices had ill-fitting tops that allowed annoying wind rush even at moderate speeds. Top-down wind buffeting tolerable up to 75 mph with windows raised. Skys have roof sound insulation that's optional on Solstices, but it doesn't help much.

Controls

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
4	4	4	4	5.5

Gauges set in deep tunnels, can be hard to read even by day. Controls mostly simple, well-marked, but some awkward to reach in these tight confines, as are cupholders. Sky's brightwork, piano-black finishes look upscale vs. Solstice cockpit, but still too much hard, cheap-looking plastic.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5	5	5.1

Tighter for six-footers than Mazda MX-5, but OK leg space, good top-up head room. Low seats won't suit some shorter drivers--and impede entry/exit for all--but a power driver-seat height adjuster is promised for later in the model year. Seats have good lateral and lower-back support, but padding feels skimpy. Double-hump rear deck hinders vision astern for shorter drivers, but top-up rear visibility is better than in most convertibles. Top requires standing outside the car to manipulate folding mechanism, rear-roof pegs, trunklid--hardly convenient.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
0	0	0	0	1.1

(No rear seating.)

Cargo Room

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
1	1	1	1	2.5

Top folds into trunk after lifting rear-hinged lid, leaves oddly shaped space for only smaller items like briefcases. Top-up space sufficient for one large golf bag or two small ones. Meager cockpit storage even for a sports car; most shoeboxes hold more.

Value within Class

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5	5	6.2

Like its Solstice sister, Sky offers affordable sports-car fun, but feels unfinished. The base model rivals Mazda's MX-5 for performance, handling, and style, but not for practicality and powertrain polish. The punchy Red Line compares more with Honda's S2000 on price and performance, but has the same drawbacks. For now, Saturn (Pontiac, too) gets A for effort, C for execution.

Total Score

Base, man.	Base w/Prem. Trim Pkg., auto.	Red Line, man.	Red Line, auto.	Class Average
43	42	43	43	47.3

Scores for all Sporty/performance Cars

Low Score		41
Average Score		47
High Score		57