2020 Nissan 370Z

2020 370Z Photos
 Editors' Pick
Autoblog Rating
6

A pure Japanese sports car, and a fun one to drive. On the other hand, it feels every bit its age, there's nearly no tech to speak of, it's not very comfortable and the price is steep.

Industry
6
Imagine with me that there’s no pandemic. You’re out for some drinks, and you’re approached by an old flame. What do you do? Give them the cold shoulder? Have a polite chat and maybe offer some apology for whatever stupid thing you did way back when? Or do you indulge them with a last dance for old times’ sake? When I drove the 50th Anniversary edition of the 2020 Nissan Z, I figured that was my last hurrah with this generation of the Z car — a car that refused to change its ways as the rest of the world marched on into the future. A year and a half after what I thought was goodbye, Autoblog Road Test Editor Zac Palmer surprised me with a 370Z Nismo in my driveway. Me and the Z … we danced. The Nismo just absolutely begs you to wring out its 3.7-liter V6. It unleashes its peak of 350 horsepower at a screaming 7,400 rpm, and a lot of its torque, which reaches 276 pound-feet at 5,200 rpm, is loaded right back in the chamber on a downshift. The Nismo’s H-pipe exhaust clearly communicates everything the engine is doing under the hood. It’s simply hard to hold back from slamming your foot all the way to the floor between shifts, and the feeling of the lever landing solidly in to place is addictive. I can’t remember the last car I drove that so giddily chirped its tires going into second gear, let alone third. Pretty much everything has an automatic transmission these days, and even the scarce few with a manual gearbox could have all-wheel drive. But, with the proper urgency applied, the Nismo still chirps. That sound and feel are tied to memory, and experiencing it brought back not just old Nissan memories, but of cars like the Honda S2000 and Roush-tuned Mustangs, and of a fledgling career as a car writer when driver engagement was pretty much all that mattered to me. Downshifting is a treat too, and you can have it your way — sloppy, heel/toe or automatically rev-matched. Steering the Nismo through country curves is an absolute treat, too. The steering itself provides a good amount of feel, along with snappy turn-in and a linear build of heft. That weight offers a good sense of control on a tightening-radius curve taken at speed. The suspension traces the road beneath it, with minimal travel and a sublime lack of body roll. That taut suspension is also quite communicative, to say the least. And despite its age, the 370Z is still an absolute looker, with a design that has withstood the past 12 years with ease. The proportions transcend time, and the aerodynamic bits spice it up like a dash of hot sauce. All it would need is a few extra creature comforts and a tech upgrade to make it feel somewhat up to date, and Nissan could maybe get a few more years out of the model. But I feel …
Full Review
Imagine with me that there’s no pandemic. You’re out for some drinks, and you’re approached by an old flame. What do you do? Give them the cold shoulder? Have a polite chat and maybe offer some apology for whatever stupid thing you did way back when? Or do you indulge them with a last dance for old times’ sake? When I drove the 50th Anniversary edition of the 2020 Nissan Z, I figured that was my last hurrah with this generation of the Z car — a car that refused to change its ways as the rest of the world marched on into the future. A year and a half after what I thought was goodbye, Autoblog Road Test Editor Zac Palmer surprised me with a 370Z Nismo in my driveway. Me and the Z … we danced. The Nismo just absolutely begs you to wring out its 3.7-liter V6. It unleashes its peak of 350 horsepower at a screaming 7,400 rpm, and a lot of its torque, which reaches 276 pound-feet at 5,200 rpm, is loaded right back in the chamber on a downshift. The Nismo’s H-pipe exhaust clearly communicates everything the engine is doing under the hood. It’s simply hard to hold back from slamming your foot all the way to the floor between shifts, and the feeling of the lever landing solidly in to place is addictive. I can’t remember the last car I drove that so giddily chirped its tires going into second gear, let alone third. Pretty much everything has an automatic transmission these days, and even the scarce few with a manual gearbox could have all-wheel drive. But, with the proper urgency applied, the Nismo still chirps. That sound and feel are tied to memory, and experiencing it brought back not just old Nissan memories, but of cars like the Honda S2000 and Roush-tuned Mustangs, and of a fledgling career as a car writer when driver engagement was pretty much all that mattered to me. Downshifting is a treat too, and you can have it your way — sloppy, heel/toe or automatically rev-matched. Steering the Nismo through country curves is an absolute treat, too. The steering itself provides a good amount of feel, along with snappy turn-in and a linear build of heft. That weight offers a good sense of control on a tightening-radius curve taken at speed. The suspension traces the road beneath it, with minimal travel and a sublime lack of body roll. That taut suspension is also quite communicative, to say the least. And despite its age, the 370Z is still an absolute looker, with a design that has withstood the past 12 years with ease. The proportions transcend time, and the aerodynamic bits spice it up like a dash of hot sauce. All it would need is a few extra creature comforts and a tech upgrade to make it feel somewhat up to date, and Nissan could maybe get a few more years out of the model. But I feel …
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Retail Price

$30,090 - $45,790 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 3.7L V-6
MPG Up to 19 city / 26 highway
Seating 2 Passengers
Transmission 6-spd man w/OD, 7-spd auto w/OD
Power 332 - 350 hp
Drivetrain rear-wheel
Curb Weight 3,333 - 3,457 lbs
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