It doesn't take a doctorate degree in geothermal physics to figure out that design is the Saturn Sky's main selling point. Just look at it. The Sky strongly resembles the more expensive Corvette right up to the rear wheels, where it takes on a character of its own through frosted horizontal taillight lenses, outboard rectangular exhaust outlets, a cool central reverse light, and those sexy headrest fairings that force the car's major flaw: the design of the convertible top.

To preserve those headrest fairings, the Sky needed to have a hard tonneau cover. To have a hard tonneau cover, the Sky's rear decklid is reverse-opening affair. Because the Sky's rear decklid is a reverse-opening affair, it is a bigger hassle to lower and raise the roof – not to mention load cargo into the small trunk. The result is a roadster that requires far more effort than the Honda and Mazda to open when warm sunny days beckon or button up when warm summer showers arrive.

The Saturn Sky's interior, too, is an example of form over function, featuring stylish piano-black plastic trim and chrome accents, but suffering a dearth of storage space and compromised control placement. The chrome around the gauges throws glare in bright sunlight, the stereo display is impossible to read with the top down on sunny days, and there's no passenger's side vanity mirror for your Significant Other to use after a top-down drive to dinner. Furthermore, there's no power door lock button anywhere inside the Sky, and the cupholder that pops out of the passenger's side of the center console constantly deploys when the passenger's knee presses against it while running hard on a twisty road. Finally, have fun contorting your wrist to use the power window controls.

Though its competition from Honda and Mazda employs top-notch interior materials, the Saturn takes the usual General Motors path of cost-cutting in an effort to maximize per-unit profit. The dash materials are hard, unyielding, and glossy, and our test sample displayed several fit-and-finish issues, such as the rough plastic edges on the glovebox door and the loose fit of the center console panel. We did like the contrasting red leather upholstery in our loaded Red Line, which looked especially fetching with the silver metallic exterior paint job.