Saturn Sky Redline: Fewer clouds overhead

Continuous improvement is a very good thing in the car business. Consider the Pontiac Solstice. While eye-catching, the 2006 Solstice we tested ultimately wasn't that impressive to drive. During my long drive back from the out-of-state dealer where we bought the in-demand car, the Solstice felt like it wasn't quite fully baked yet. Junky-sounding rattles and vibrations dominated the experience.

Fast-forward (literally) to our 2007 Saturn Sky Redline. It shares the same platform as the Solstice, as well as many improvements. Combined with revised gear ratios, the turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder happily pulls strongly in every gear, unlike the "I have a headache" reaction of the base engine in the 2006 Solstice we tested. Maybe as important, driveline revisions remove the harsh sounds and vibrations from the Pontiac experience. This Sky feels generally more together and solid to drive, greatly increasing its enjoyment.

Some little details help a lot, too. The Sky's power-lock button means you don't need to be double-jointed to unlock the doors. The power-seat height adjustment means you don't have to sit on the floor.

Sure, the packaging still leaves a lot to be desired. I drove home with a small set of boxed-up bookshelf speakers. The only place for them was on the front passenger seat; they couldn't be securely hidden in the tiny trunk. So, every time I made a stop, I had to go through the convoluted process of raising the top, including snapping the buttresses down on each side and slamming the hard-to-shut rear deck lid.

But practicality aside, on a sunny morning, listening to the turbo whistle, the Sky Redline becomes more alluring than our Solstice ever was. That said, the combination of enjoying the turbocharged Sky roadster with having driven a Mazdaspeed3 in the same day got me thinking: how long do we have to wait for a new Mazdaspeed Miata? That would be continuous improvement, indeed.

--Tom Mutchler

Comments

[Mike Hammock]

I know that dealerships are enjoying the success of the Mazdaspeed 3, and they are pushing Mazda to release a Mazdaspeed MX-5. The Solstice GXP and Sky Redline had a lot to do with this, too. Imagine a roadster with better performance than the Sky Redline and the reliability of an MX-5.

[Chris Stengel]

Mazda made a Mazdaspeed Miata in 2005.