The Nissan 370Z was on the verge of collecting social security checks from its Delvoca Vista golf cart when its successor, the Z, debuted. And a week after grabbing the handle of this retro-futuristic two-seater, it’s clear that the Nissan Z in 2023 is doing everything it can to make up for the lost time.
Cribing iconic design elements can backfire on modern cars, but the Nissan Z pulls it off. The front-end eye-like headlights and square grille carry just the right amount of slapstick atmosphere, while the 300ZX-style taillights look great hidden under the hatchback lid. The rear haunch is reasonably thick, and the long hood and roofline shout for speed. My tester’s $ 1,295 two-tone black and blue paint job is also sharp.
If you like blue outside, I hope you Love It’s inside because it’s everywhere. My driveway Z has blue leather and suede seats, door panels and the lower half of the dashboard, which is the catalyst for conversation. The upper half of the cabin is standard muted black plastic, but the overall layout is much more modern than before. Even though I don’t think anyone in the universe needs to know about turbine speed, the gauge pods on the dashboard are still a fun little part. My only real complaint about the design is that I think the lock button on the door handle looks cheap.
From a practical point of view, the 2023Z gets a “slightly” Andrew Crook Practicality Rating. One permanent looking cup holder handles most bottle sizes and the second is hidden under a sliding center armrest. Lifting the armrests gives you enough cubies to hold your wallet, etc., but the two pockets behind the seats and the climate-controlled cubies provide unsafe storage in a pinch. increase. Z’s hatchbacks do their best and treat groceries like champions, but taking them to the airport for a week’s vacation may require too much. Maybe.Tall ones will definitely hit the glass, tall ones will definitely hit the glass Man You may find that you want the seats to be placed a little lower, especially if the helmet is involved.
However, worrying about headroom after going out does not give a momentary brain power. That’s where Z really makes me smile. Borrowed from Infiniti, the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 gives you the freedom to use 400 horsepower and 350 pound-foot torque. Boosts are built and the car is pulled at almost every point on the tachometer, making it easy to cross the freeway without worrying about downshifts. It would be nice if a car with a 6-speed manual transmission had a sports muffler that was legal only in the variation of the automatic transmission, but the engine note actually calms down only at low speeds. As Taku approaches the 6,800 rpm red line, the V6 has no problem bouncing songs from my favorite winding backstreet trees.
The Z turbocharged V6 is more relaxing here than Infiniti’s original RedSport 400 lineup.
Despite the slightly heavier curve weight than its predecessor, the new Z’s additional 68hp and 80lb-ft eliminates the idea of scale when it winds. My performance tester’s mechanical limited slip differential prevents power from being constantly converted to yaw, but is powerful enough to intentionally turn the Z sideways. Static dampers still feel stiff in everyday use, but they do a great job of transmitting weight without making the ride quality on normal roads annoying at all. The steering is quite heavy and not as communicative as the old hydraulic pickups on the 370Z, but it’s good enough by modern standards. Performance-specific brakes are easy to adjust and provide a smooth experience in both daily driving and police-like situations. Tire noise is not an issue at low speeds, but it becomes apparent at speeds above 70 mph.
This Nissan Z comes with a 6-speed manual, but a 9-speed automatic is also available. The manual shift action is heavy but accurate and you don’t have to worry about missing the gate when rowing in either direction. Purists can enjoy old-fashioned heel-to-toe action, but the performance model’s rev-matching system is the perfect pitch. My only real complaint here is the long, vague bite clutch pedal. Quick shift corner carving is fine, but dialing the wrong amount of throttle at the start is too easy to lend to a nasty head bob. Rev hang is almost non-existent and is becoming more and more rare in modern sports cars.
The Z cabin keeps everything within reach, and believe me, you won’t want to keep your hands away from that smooth shifter for a long time.
All that power generally corresponds to thirst, but the 2023 Nissan Z isn’t too bad with a pump. The manual is rated in 18mpg cities and 24mpg highways, but my right foot was so much fun that I got a total personal rating of about 18mpg. If you really want to embark on frugality, auto-variants push those EPA numbers up to 19 cities and 28 highways.
Some sports cars are happy to pretend that the technology doesn’t exist, but Nissan has done a good job of modernizing the Z in this area. An 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system is standard, and the higher-end models come with a 9-inch, both of which come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to run the same system as Nissan’s latest model. The large screen also includes embedded navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and an 8-speaker Bose audio system. One USB-A port and one USB-C port provide enough juice for both passengers. The 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster places all relevant information in the front and center, providing three different placements in case you don’t want to always remember the Pathfinder.
There is even a healthy amount of active and passive safety systems here. All Z-up and downlineups come standard with automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Leave’em on and’em off. The choice is up to you, but I’m glad they’re there.
The 370Z’s “iPod” button is dead and buried, and instead there is one worth the Z’s new price tag.
The outing 370Z felt like a bargain at a starting price in the $ 30,000 range, but the all-new Nissan Z is a bit tricky on the wallet. Base Z returns $ 40,015. This includes a destination fee of $ 1,025. My performance trim tester puts in a lot of goodies, from chassis technology to cabin technology. Considering $ 500 for an illuminated kick plate, $ 1,295 for a two-tone paint, and $ 400 for a floor mat, it sounds for $ 53,210. It may seem like a pretty leap, but it’s still some spectacular under the 4-cylinder Toyota Supra.
After debilitating the last Z unchanged for the presidential administration, I made an appointment for a new generation. But with its big power bumps, new appreciation for modernity, and just a lot of fun on-road characters, we are all pleased that the field of sports cars welcomes new challengers. must.