2017 Nissan 370Z Review

Affordable two-seaters are pretty rare these days. Fortunately, the Nissan 370Z is still around and, as always, it puts the driver's desires first. This is a sports car in the most traditional sense, and it emphasizes driving precision rather than driving comfort.

A big part of the 2017 Nissan 370Z's appeal is how well it goes around turns. It's easy to drive quickly and boasts an uncommon level of precision thanks to its relatively small size and light curb weight. Take a 370Z along your favorite serpentine road and you'll get a feeling of nimbleness that bigger sport coupes can't match. The 370Z's got a decent motor under its hood, too. The 3.7-liter V6 puts out a strong 332 horsepower (350 on the Nismo model) and can be paired with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission, both of which can match revs for expertly smooth downshifting.

Unfortunately, there's more to the ownership experience than just driving fast. One of the biggest problems with the Nissan 370Z is the fact that it's gone largely unchanged since it was introduced in 2009. Every major competitor has received a thorough redesign in that time period, and that has left the 370Z looking a bit stale and behind-the-times from a technology standpoint. Also, the Z's tiny cabin, small trunk and elevated amounts of road noise continue to be notable drawbacks.

So what can rivals offer that the Nissan 370Z doesn't? Primarily, comfort and practicality without any loss in performance. The 2017 Chevrolet Camaro and 2017 Ford Mustang are both amazingly good, providing rear seats (albeit small ones) for extra passengers, more cargo space and better rides over broken pavement. They both have wicked-fast V8's available, too, and more modern interiors with recent tech like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You might also take a look at the Subaru BRZ and the Mazda Miata, which is one of our driver-favorites, or even entry-level luxury two-doors like the Audi TT and BMW 2 Series.

In the end, the 2017 Nissan 370Z isn't the most real-world-livable choice but is compelling enough to take one for a test-drive. It's up to you to decide which set of attributes you value most.

Every 2017 Nissan 370Z comes standard with antilock brakes, traction and stability control and side airbags. The coupe gets side curtain airbags, while the Roadster's side airbags extend upward for head protection. A rearview camera is standard for the coupe's Touring, Sport Tech and Nismo Tech trims and the 370Z Roadster's Touring and Sport Touring trims. Features like adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring are not available.

In Edmunds brake testing, a coupe with the available upgraded brakes and 19-inch summer performance tires stopped from 60 mph in a short 106 feet, while a Roadster with the Sport package matched that impressive feat. However, the most recent 370Z Nismo we tested weighed about 100 pounds more than the standard Z and it posted a longer (but still respectable) stopping distance of 111 feet.

The 2017 Nissan 370Z is a two-seater sports car that is available as a hatchback coupe or soft-top convertible (Roadster). The coupe comes in base, Sport, Touring, Sport Tech, Nismo and Nismo Tech trim levels. The Roadster comes in base, Touring and Touring Sport trims.

The 370Z isn't the kind of sports car that you'll see in many rental-car fleets. It's meant for driving enthusiasts who will value ultra-responsive steering and a body that stays flat even in high-speed corners. When a suspension is tuned for maximum performance, though, it can lose some comfort in the process and the Z definitely falls victim to that problem. It's livable for daily commuting, but rough roads or long highway road trips will be problematic. The raucous road noise that fills the cabin is another drawback. Granted, we haven't tested a model with the optional noise cancellation system yet, and that could help.

While the Z can boast V8-adjacent acceleration numbers, revving it to its redline isn't the reward it is in other sports cars. In normal driving, you'll often find yourself shifting up to the next gear to avoid the coarse noises that come with high-rpm engine speeds and the vibrations that come through the pedals and shifter. Despite all this, the 370Z is still invigorating to drive, especially at speed. In particular, the SynchroRev Match mode for the manual transmission is a delight, as it'll make you feel like a professional racer with every near-perfect rev-matched downshift.

The Nissan 370Z isn't for drivers who like to pack for every occasion. Interior quarters are very tight, with limited space for small items in the cabin and restrictive cargo space. In the coupe, the bulkhead between the seatbacks and the cargo area makes for a particularly closed-in sensation, whereas the convertible's intimate interior is more typical of that body style. The coupe's rear visibility also leaves much to be desired, as does its meager 6.9 cubic feet of cargo space. Competitors like the Mustang and Camaro have 9.1 cubes and 13.5 cubes, respectively. The convertible Z drops to a laughable 4.2 cubic feet, making it tough for a couple to pack much more than soft-sided weekend bags.

One surprise with the Z is the high-quality materials that wouldn't look out of place in an Infiniti. But base trim levels are missing basic features like Bluetooth audio and a USB port, likely an omission that is tied to the Z's increasing age. The seats feature sporty contours that excel at keeping occupants in place during spirited drives, and long-distance cruising comfort is respectable as well. Although the steering wheel doesn't telescope, Nissan compensates to an extent by providing a gauge cluster that moves with the wheel's tilt adjustment. Still, you'll want to make sure that your arms are comfortable with the reach to the wheel, because you won't be able to adjust it.