The SC1 is low slung, so getting in is a bit like, literally, dropping
in. And getting out is something of a climb.
One tester's initial reaction to the interior was "plain, but not
unattractive." Good summation. The cloth is good quality and the pattern
pleasingly subtle. The theme is ovoid shapes and rounded corners, with
a modular center pod for audio and climate controls.
Simplicity is repeated in the instrument cluster which has a speedo,
a tach, a fuel gauge and a temp gauge. Period. We've always held that sporty
cars should have a few extra instruments in keeping with the sports car
heritage. But that means extra cost, so if you want a tachometer you need
the SC2. The steering wheel is adjustable up and down, so what instruments
are there are visible to all.
There is no lidded console, just an open catch-all tray. Two cupholders
sit in front of the shift lever, one with a removable ash tray insert.
The seating position is close to the floor, the window ledge high, so
shorter occupants may feel a bit deep into the SC1.
We found the seats rather uncomfortable, even on short runs. The bottom
cushion is short front to rear and lacks support for even average-height
occupants. Similarly, lateral support for back and thighs is less than
we would like.
The driver's seat fore and aft travel has been increased an inch this
year. With that seat in position for a six-foot driver, a six-foot rear
passenger found his knees virtually under his chin. The rear seats are
little more than padded depressions, so don't sentence friends to extended
periods back there.
But let's not make too much about the back seats. This is a small sport
coupe built for fun, not rear seat comfort. Sedan and wagon models have
more rear seat room, though this is not a strong suit in terms of the best
in this class.
The SC1 is not quick. Those 100 horses do a decent job of moving this
sweet little coupe down the road at a moderate pace, but it's not up to
anything much more demanding. According to Saturn, if you wring out all
the performance in there, you will hit 60 mph from stop in 10.5 seconds.
The question, of course, is do you need to get there any more quickly?
If you do, you need the SC2. And you do not need the performance that
goes with the base engine paired with an automatic transmission in any
Saturn. Automatics will work better with the twin cam engine.
The engine, transmission and clutch make a happy threesome. The shifts
are smooth, the clutch is linear, which means there is no sudden engagement
point, and the engine delivers its power in an even--if tepid--flow.
The handling is quite good, we found, with the suspension happy over
almost any surface. Over a favorite piece of twisty road the SC1 could
be persuaded to take on a more aggressive personality if we shifted into
third, and left it there, squirting from corner to corner and dealing only
with the throttle and the steering wheel.
That's for when the boy/girl racer impulse hits. In the normal mode,
the SC1 easily settles into a satisfying motoring rhythm. It feels light
and compact, the engine sounds are muted, wind noise very low. The SC1
is simply fun to drive, thanks to its teriffic looks and nimbleness.