2009 Nissan 350Z Review
2009 Nissan 350Z Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Strong and sweet-sounding V6 engine, capable handling and braking, excellent value, enduring styling.
Cons
- Some low-grade interior materials, steering wheel does not telescope, poor rearward visibility with top up, heavy clutch can be a pain around town.
What’s new
The Nissan 350Z coupe has been dropped -- it's being replaced by the new 2009 370Z. However, the 350Z roadster rolls into 2009 unchanged.
Edmunds says
The 2009 Nissan 350Z roadster still presents one of the best performance values in the sports car segment.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2009 Nissan 350Z Enthusiast 2dr Convertible (3.5L 6cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.31 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$267/mo for 350Z Enthusiast
350Z Enthusiast
vs
$174/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Vehicle overview
With all the gee-whiz technology available in today's cars, it's easy to forget the joy that an elemental sports car like a 2009 Nissan 350Z provides. Nope, this car won't give you the weather in Cincinnati or make you a cup of coffee as you drive into work. But the Z has everything you'll need to get a rush no caffeinated beverage could hope to match.
With its compact dimensions, spirited V6 engine, sharp handling, rear-wheel drive and well-balanced chassis, the 350Z roadster continues to be a sports car in the truest sense. And even though this generation of Z is in its last year, the styling still turns heads. Nissan will be selling the all-new 370Z coupe for 2009 and is keeping the 350Z roadster only until it has the roadster version of the 370Z readied.
Compared to pricier rivals, such as the Audi TT, BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster, the 2009 Nissan 350Z lacks polish, both in terms of handling finesse and interior design and materials. It's also not as nimble handling as Honda's S2000. But this is still an affordable and reasonably comfortable sports car that delivers plenty of grins per mile. For its final year, the 2009 Nissan 350Z rides into the sunset with its head held high.
Performance & mpg
The rear-drive Nissan 350Z roadster is armed with a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 306 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. Putting the power to the ground is either a six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic. EPA fuel economy estimates are about average for a six-cylinder sports car; with the automatic transmission, the 350Z checks in at 17 mpg city/23 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined.
Safety
Antilock disc brakes, traction control and side-impact airbags are standard across the board. Stability control comes standard on the Grand Touring trim but is unavailable on the others.
In government frontal-impact crash tests, the 2009 Nissan 350Z roadster received five stars (the highest possible score) for the driver side and four stars for the passenger side. In that agency's side-impact testing, the Nissan received a full five stars.
Driving
The 2009 Nissan 350Z offers performance equal to that of some of the best sports cars available. On a curvy road, the 350Z rewards its driver with a high level of outright grip and balance. The steering is a bit coarse in feel, but otherwise, it's quick and well-weighted. Around town, the V6 is quite docile. Find some open road where you can let it out, and the engine produces an enjoyable and throaty growl. Power delivery is robust and particularly entertaining at higher revs. Although the automatic transmission matches revs on downshifts, a manual transmission brings out the most in the car. The six-speed's shifter feels heavy through the gates, but it's fairly precise and clutch take-up is smooth, though a bit stiff.
Interior
The Z's instrument panel features three gauge pods that move with the tilt steering wheel. Unfortunately, the wheel doesn't have a telescoping adjustment. All of the controls a driver might need are close at hand, but some of the materials used in the cockpit seem low-grade for this price range. The roadster's trunk offers just 4.1 cubic feet of capacity. On the upside, the soft top is easy to operate and can be dropped in about 20 seconds. Around town, rearward visibility is poor, as you might expect. Of course, that's a non-issue when the top is dropped.
2009 Nissan 350Z models
The 2009 Nissan 350Z roadster is available in three trim levels: Enthusiast, Touring and Grand Touring. The Enthusiast comes with 18-inch wheels, a power soft top, a wind blocker, a limited-slip rear differential, bi-xenon headlights, automatic climate control, cruise control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, full power accessories, power seats and a CD/MP3 audio system with steering-wheel-mounted controls. The Touring model adds leather upholstery, heated seats, an upgraded Bose audio system, satellite radio and Bluetooth. The Grand Touring comes with more powerful Brembo brakes and stability control. There are but two options available for the 350Z roadster: a navigation system and a gray (versus black) soft top.
Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
3.5 out of 5 stars3.5/5Above Average
#42 out of 46 among Compact Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Nissan 350Z from 2008-2022.$415/yr
vs. $416/yr
for Average Compact Car
for Average Compact Car
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).1.36x/yr
vs. 1.01x/yr
for Average Compact Car
for Average Compact Car
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).21.6%
vs. 10.4%
for Average Compact Car
for Average Compact Car
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2009 Nissan 350Z.
5 star(78%)
4 star(17%)
3 star(5%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
41 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.75 out of 5 stars
I LOVE MY NISMO
NISMO 1441, 09/13/2009
2008 Nissan 350Z NISMO 2dr Coupe (3.5L 6cyl 6M)
If I had to give up my wife of 20 years or NISMO.....oh that'd be tough...That end of the day experience of crawling in the cockpit and ZZZZ'ing up that engine is like therapy. I wanted an 08 before the styling changed...beautiful curves, not a bad angle to the car. Walked in to a dealer on V-day 09 ready to check out the 09s, not really in the market and there was 08 1441 sitting on … the floor with $26,500 on the windshield. Are you serious???? Pack it up....and drove it off the showroom floor. My wife looked at it and said, that's all bad, hence my plates "ALL BAD."
4.5 out of 5 stars
Absolutely awesome sports car
Ryan, 03/09/2010
2008 Nissan 350Z 2dr Coupe (3.5L 6cyl 6M)
My last 3 cars have been sports cars, (Mustang GT, Subaru WRX, 350Z) and this trumps them all This car pulls beautifully, runs great, is super reliable, amazing performance. Just love it. I recommend it highly
5 out of 5 stars
First Z car, not first fun car
MJB, 07/16/2015
2008 Nissan 350Z 2dr Coupe (3.5L 6cyl 6M)
Very low center of gravity, wide footprint.
I'm switching the audio, suspension and wheels/tires to improve the driver experience and overall handling. I think the car is well balanced for the price, but a few thousand dollars in the right areas and you have a very competitive handling car with a good driver experience inside.
The motor is a thing of beauty. Stock sound and power is … plenty to get up to high speeds - 90-130+, although I believe the suspension and wheels need to be upgraded to fully realize the VQ35HR's potential.
The exterior styling is timeless and I really like the hood on the HR (07/08) models. HID projectors are a classy touch that provide excellent visibility.
I love this car. It is a visceral machine with an unmistakable racing DNA. This car wants to be thrown into corners, drifted through wide curves, and pull out of corners. Just a great experience overall.
4.88 out of 5 stars
2008 Nismo
Boz, 01/16/2010
2008 Nissan 350Z NISMO 2dr Coupe (3.5L 6cyl 6M)
Best handling car period with traction control on or off. I love this car. Makes me smile with every drive. Super tight and well built. I have owned many Porsches and BMWs. The only thing that handles better is a M3 or GT3 and the Corvette Z06. The Nismo could have a bit more power as the 306hp V6 is a bit short in torque and pull. That said, for $30-35K this is the one in my … garage.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2009 Nissan 350Z, so we've included reviews for other years of the 350Z since its last redesign.
2009 350Z Highlights
Enthusiast
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $36,870 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 20 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $267/month |
Seating | 2 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 4.1 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the 350Z include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5PassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover5 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
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