Nissan 370Z (2009 – 2020) Review

When the Nissan 370Z was launched in 2009, there were several rivals with similar engines and drivetrains. As time progressed, it became more of an anachronism and in many respects, a modern classic. For some, that is a huge part of its appeal, while others will prefer the more subtle charms of the Audi TT RS, its German rival the Mercedes SLK and the wonderful Porsche Cayman. Read on for our full Nissan 370Z review.

With its aggressive looks and powerful V6 engine, the Nissan 370Z coupe has plenty of wow factor. It turns heads – particularly those of teenage boys – as assuredly as any supercar.

However, there is no denying it is showing its age with high running costs, a disappointing cabin and poor comfort levels. Even so, it has appeal, particularly for drivers attuned to the gaming world of Gran Turismo.

Power comes from a 3.7-litre V6 that develops a hefty 328PS, or 344PS in Nismo form. It thrives on high revs, which means working the meaty gearchange, but when the engine is on song it makes for serious sports car pace – 0-62mph takes 5.2 seconds in the Nismo model.

Sadly, that pace isn’t accompanied by a symphonic noise. The Nissan 370Z feels a little agricultural, and misses out on the aural theatre of the Audi TT RS or BMW M235i.

It also lacks the delicacy and capability of the likes of the Audi TT. This is more of a muscle car than a sports car – it’s happier on a wide, sweeping A-road than an undulating B-road, where the short-travel suspension and stiff ride make life difficult.

Getting the power down without traction control cutting in is hard unless the surface is perfect, which is rare in the UK.

The stiffness also affects ride quality, with constant bouncing and jiggling in the cabin. This is made worse by seats with fairly poor lower back support – you’ll need regular breaks if you’re going on a long journey.

You’ll also have to pack light, since the boot is awkwardly shallow. And you’ll have to fill up frequently since fuel economy is poor: the official figure is 26.6mpg. Thankfully that is possible in real-world driving.

It might not be the most polished performance car on the used market and it lacks the precision and composure of European rivals, but if you’ve grown up with PlayStation driving games you might already have a soft spot for the Nissan 370Z.

If that’s the case then it is good enough to impress, but for most buyers there are better options available.

Fancy a convertible Nissan 370Z? Read our Nissan 370Z Roadster review here.

Show the Nissan 370Z a B-road and it is not that impressive. The stiff body and short-travel suspension interrupt the balance of the car, which bucks and jiggles over bumps you wouldn’t even notice in other performance coupes.

You really need to be switched on to make the most of the Nissan 370Z on a road like this, which you will either find rewarding or very frustrating.

If you’re a track day lover, the Nissan 370Z is better. With enough space to wring the full potential out of the engine and a good quality surface, it’s great fun thanks to impressive levels of grip and excellent feedback through the chassis.

It lacks the precision of a more finely tuned sports car such as the Porsche Cayman, but it still provides a lot of entertainment in the right environment.

The Nissan 370Z Nismo ramps up the performance with an extra 16PS, along with additional stiffening to the chassis and revised suspension.

These extras certainly give the car a bit more wow factor, but they also make it less comfortable on the road. That doesn’t seem to bother buyers, though – the Nissan 370Z Nismo model is more sought after than both the standard coupe or Nissan 370Z GT variants.

The Nissan 370Z recipe is fairly traditional – there’s a big 3.7-litre V6 engine under the bonnet, linked by a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels.

Peak power is 328PS for the coupe or Nissan 370Z GT, or 344PS for the Nissan 370Z Nismo model, while torque is 363Nm (or 371Nm for the Nismo).

Many more recent performance models benefit from turbocharging, but not the Nissan 370Z. That means the engine needs to be revved hard to produce its peak torque output, with no low-down shove like you get in the likes of an Audi TT RS.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean working the gearbox, which has a satisfying but clunky action.

It has a party trick when changing down though, replicating ‘heel and toe’ gearchanges by blipping the throttle for you. It’s a great way to show off to passengers and it’s genuinely useful when braking hard for corners.

The steering is heftily weighted and accurate, but the Nissan 370Z is only really satisfying to drive on smooth, wide, sweeping roads.

There are front, side and curtain airbags as standard in all Nissan 370Z coupe models. You also get ABS anti-lock brakes and traction control.

From 2013, the Nissan 370Z came with a tyre pressure monitoring system. However, no version has modern safety tech such as automatic emergency braking, lane assistance or blind spot assist.

No towing capacities are quoted for the Nissan 370Z, so you’ll need to leave the trailer behind.

The Nissan 370Z has a disappointing cabin. The centre stack uses dated-looking plastics, with a jumble of buttons arranged in a layout that is far from user-friendly.

On the plus side, the instruments are fairly clear, although again they are showing their age.

Fortunately, there are a few flourishes that lift things a little, including suede upholstery on the Nissan 370Z GT and the Nissan 370Z Nismo models.

Comfort levels leave a lot to be desired, too – the driver’s seat isn’t massively supportive on longer journeys, particularly in the more focused Nissan 370Z Nismo variant, while the steering wheel lacks any reach adjustment and over-shoulder visibility is poor.

Thankfully, lateral support is good, so occupants shouldn’t be thrown around too much through corners.

The boot is shallow with a high load lip, so while it offers enough room for shopping or a weekend trip, it is more or less useless for anything else.

There are no rear seats, but you’re unlikely to need room for family gear like push chairs and child seats if you’ve opted for a Nissan 370Z.

You can be confident the Nissan 370Z will last well and put up with a lot of use, thanks to Nissan’s reputation for reliability.

However, that doesn’t mean all of the cabin plastics are the most pleasing to look at or touch, with too many hard surfaces compared with the interior of an Audi TT or Porsche Cayman.

In earlier models, it was only the Nissan 370Z Ultimate version that came with sat-nav and the associated screen.

The later Nissan 370Z GT trim used Nissan’s Connect Premium infotainment set-up with a seven-inch screen that has good resolution and Bose speakers for the stereo.

However, it's not a patch on more recent infotainment systems.

A 12-year-old Nissan 370Z coupe with 60,000 miles on the clock is going to cost from around £14,500. If you want a Nissan 370Z Nismo, you will need to up the budget to start at around £20,000.

Look for a later Nissan 370Z and you’ll pay up to £21,000 for a four-year-old car with 30,000 miles on the clock.

For a Nissan 370Z Nismo model of the same age and mileage, this rises to £28,000.

Whichever Nissan 370Z coupe model you choose – standard, auto or Nismo – they all have the same claimed fuel economy of 26.6mpg.

In normal driving, our Real MPG data shows that figure is close to the mark, with the Nissan 370Z returning a genuine 25mpg.

When it comes to emissions, Nissan 370Z models built up to 1 April 2017 require £710 annual road tax at the time of writing.

For cars registered after that date, road tax is payable at the standard rate of £190 each year.

Servicing the Nissan 370Z at an official dealer will cost a lot less than would be the case with a Porsche Cayman at a Porsche outlet. As such, the Nissan 370Z is more affordable to look after.

However, insuring one is never going to be an exercise in budget motoring, as it sits in groups 44 to 47 (out of 50) depending on the model you pick. The Nissan 370Z GT Auto version is the priciest of the bunch.

The standard Nissan 370Z coupe comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, climate control, xenon headlights, push button start, keyless entry, Bluetooth, auto wipers, power adjustable seats with cloth upholstery and an AUX input.

The Nissan 370Z GT adds 19-inch alloy wheels, BOSE audio system, leather and suede upholstery, a touchscreen system with navigation, cruise control with speed limiter, heated seats, lumbar support, and a gear indicator. Later GT models also gained the seven-inch infotainment screen with sat-nav.

Nissan 370Z Nismo versions add the Nismo styling kit, 19-inch Rays lightweight alloy wheels, dual exhausts, Nismo seats and interior details.