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2018 Nissan 370Z 2018 Nissan 370Z

2018 Nissan 370Z

The Nissan 370Z is a rear-wheel drive coupe that blends athletic proportions with track-tuned handling. The coupe is available in four trim levels, and buyers seeking the thrill of a convertible can opt for the Roadster model.

Recent Changes

For the latest model year, the ageing 370Z gets a minor facelift, including slightly revised head- and taillamps. A Heritage Edition with special color combos is also available to celebrate the genesis of the Z car.

Overview

The 370Z is powered by an all-aluminum 3.7-liter V6 engine. It sends 332 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual transmission or an seven-speed automatic unit. A carbon composite driveshaft links either transmission to the rear axle.

When driven conservatively, the 370Z returns 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway with the manual transmission, and 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway when equipped with the seven-speed automatic.

Looking The Part

The 370Z's front end wears an eye-catching design thanks in part to vertical LED daytime running lights and high intensity discharge (HID) headlights shaped like a boomerang. Out back, the aggressive look continues with wide fenders, a bumper-mounted air diffuser and dual exhaust tips finished in chrome.

The Z's body is made out of high-strength steel but the doors, the hood and the hatch are crafted out of aluminum in order to save weight. Packing a 54/46 weight distribution, the coupe tips the scale at 3,488 pounds with a manual transmission.

Life Aboard

The 370Z offers a track-inspired cockpit with room for up to two passengers. The instrument cluster consists of two analog gauges and a configurable thin-film transistor (TFT) screen, and three additional gauges mounted on top of the center stack hark back to the iconic Datsun 240Z coupe of the 1970s while providing the driver with vital information about what is going on in the engine bay.

Connectivity is not one of the Z's strong points but certain models can be equipped with a hard drive-based navigation system controlled by a seven-inch touch screen mounted in the middle of the dashboard. The navigation adds Bluetooth audio streaming and a voice connectivity function, but base model coupes have to settle for a traditional AM/FM/CD player.

Active Noise Cancellation and Active Sound Enhancement are standard from the Touring trim up.

Trim Level Breakdown

The 370Z is available in base, Touring, Sport and Sport Tech trim levels.

The base coupe comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, a three-spoke leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped by Yokohama tires, a 17-inch spare wheel, xenon HID headlights, LED daytime running lights, automatic headlights, LED tail lamps, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, cloth-upholstered bucket seats, an eight-way adjustable driver's seat and a four-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo. This is the only model that doesn't feature Active Noise Cancellation and Active Sound Enhancement.

Stepping up to the Touring trim level adds turn signal indicators integrated into the front fenders, seats upholstered in a combination of leather and synthetic suede, an eight-way adjustable driver's seat (four-way power, four-way manual), synthetic leather upholstery on the door panels, a 240-watt Bose sound system with six speakers and two subwoofers, a 7.0-inch touch screen, a hard drive-based navigation system, an auxiliary jack, voice recognition, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated door mirrors, a universal HomeLink Transceiver, a rear cargo cover, aluminum pedal caps and a rear-view camera.

New for the latest model year, the Sport trim level comes standard with a trim-specific final drive ratio, a limited-slip differential, a rev-matching function (six-speed manual only), upgraded brakes with red calipers on all four corners, a quicker steering ratio, 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped by Bridgestone Potenza tires, cloth upholstery on the seats, manually-adjustable front seats and a four-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo.

Finally, the Sport Tech trim builds on the Sport model with a 240-watt six-speaker Bose sound system, a 7.0-inch touch screen with navigation, voice commands, an auxiliary jack, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated door mirrors, a rear-view camera and a HomeLink universal Transceiver.

The 370Z's only factory option is the aforementioned seven-speed automatic transmission, though Nissan and performance division Nismo both offer a wide array of aftermarket accessories including spoilers, heavy-duty floor mats, mud flaps, anti-theft bolts, wheel locks and seat belt extenders.

Occupant Safety

All 370Z models regardless of trim level come standard with dual front, side and side curtain airbags in addition to traction and stability control systems and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

Key Competitors

Buyers in the market for a relatively affordable performance-focused coupe should also look at the V6-powered Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang and the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Alternatively, V8-powered variants of both the Camaro and the Mustang offer more power than the Z for roughly the same amount of money.

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