I am in PRE-research for a small but sporty car with good gas mileage now as well since the Rex is simply too much fun to drive to possibly get the best mileage possible, heh.
I test drove the Saturn Sky Redline about 2 weeks ago and loved it, for what it was worth. No internet research at all, just went. Sadly, thing gets worse mileage than my Rex. The only thing it had over my Rex were numbers, but off the paper, my Rex would chew this thing up. No convertible hardtop option either. The lag was enough to make you think the turbo thrusted 0.000003boost. I wanted so hard to love this car for my needs, but it has a lot of shortfalls for the price they are asking. Low to mid $30's. For that, I could cut a deal on an '08 STi and have the bacon, eggs, and the AWD, heh. But, it came down to me still liking the Sky Redline for what it was and not what it could do for me. I would consider it were I a blue collar family man hitting a midlife crisis.
I am gonna look at Smartcars next. For the hell of it.
Gary Noonan
'01 S/C VX / '18 Forester XT