Test Drove the 370Z today (review inside)

RCZ

Hi everyone,

So today I got a call from my dealer telling me they received a pair of 370z's and wanted me to go check them out. They had a red MT base model with no options and a black A/T touring with no options. Nothing too exciting but at least I got to compare touring vs base.

At first glance, the 370Z isn't as striking as I expected from all the hype people have built up. Just kidding, its pretty awesome. The styling is much more aggressive than the 350Z, it is more muscular and more curvaceous while still remaining refined, well mostly. I'm still not convinced about the rear tails and the heads, they are almost too much of a statement, but I can see why people say they work with the car and while I'm not particularly fond of them, I'm sure they will grow on me. The side profile on the other hand is very nice; proportions look pretty good front to back and it feels well like a well balanced design. Definitely could use a little bit of a drop though, perhaps the Sport package equipped models look better with the bigger wheels.
One thing that I noticed is that this car has much more presence than the 350Z did. You get that same feeling that the car means business as you do when you look at a supra. With it's wide wheel arches and long hood, it seems to scream "I have arrived, now look at me." The front end's "fangs" are much less pronounced in person than they are in pictures. They seem to be OK there, but the overall front end of the car feels a little awkward...like they should have spent one more week on it. Overall, the car is stunning. It is safe to say that Nissan hit the nail on the head. It's pretty, its aggressive, its all Z.

Over to the interior. There isn't much to say here really. It is a nice improvement over the old car, but the materials aren't up to par with the likes of Audi and BMW. I think the interior is very fitting to the car. It's sporty, its focused and overall it is not a bad place to spend some time. The steering wheel was great, good size and shape. Seats could use a little more bolstering, but they aren't bad for stock seats. I have to say it though guys... that ridiculous fuel/temp/multi-function gauge everyone has been complaining about, well yeah its pretty bad. It looks completely out of place and it looks and feels cheap. (yes I tapped at it) Someone needs to come out with some sort of replacement set for that gauge, pronto. Blind spots are awful, backing into spots its going to be terrible at least until I get used to the proportions. Visibility out the front is pretty good though, the A pillars are thin and easy to look around. Also my 6'2" friend sat in the car no problem, with the seat all the way back though. Overall, nice improvement over last Z, but don't expect miracles. If you want better materials, you will have to go aftermarket. I can tell you right now that I will be upgrading some interior stuff and I will definitely be getting a new, lighter pair of seats.

Now for the important part; the drive. Considering the fact that I've been talking smack about the 7A/T for the past few weeks, I decided that since the manual version that they had didnt have synchrorev, I would drive the automatic. I did feel out the manual box with the car off and it feels great. Very precise, very natural and smooth. The throws are short and the clutch feels just right, but leaning towards the lighter/softer side. Gears go in without hesitation, you never really get caught on the gates and that is a huge plus. The knob itself feels good and I dont think I'm going to replace it.

Anyway, back to the drive. I liked the keyless entry and start system a lot, very convenient and I'm glad Nissan added these features. Sit down, buckle in and you are immediately greeted with a red glowing button with the words "start stop" on it. Press it and the engine comes to life with a nice rev and the first aural sensation you experience. I gotta say that it put a smile on my face, it is by no means subtle, you know its there and its ready. Now, guys who are getting the 7A/T, I say in simplest terms..get it. The auto transmission is more responsive than I expected, upshifts and downshifts are fairly quick. It's no GT-R, but I was pleased with the quickness. Its fast, but it is NOT DCT fast. It's responsive, but I did find myself getting a little surprised by the gear changes because I didn't know how quickly or how late they were coming. Something I'm sure most of you who get the AT will learn to live with. Hard on the brakes and dropping gears from 4th to 1st felt smooth, however I felt detached from the car. It didn't do exactly what I wanted it to when I wanted it to, but it was damn close. You guys out there that aren't going to be tracking the car, the MT isnt completely necessary, unless you get a kick from shifting gears as I do. The other complaint I had was that while the car matches revs beautifully as you downshift, going from second to first is everything but smooth. The car lurches forward a bit more than I would have liked. I guarantee that you guys who get the AT will just leave it in second at stops and just let the car do the switching once you've come to a full stop. Other than that, its a nice AT. I am still getting the MT though, no contest there

The Motor was another high point. I currently drive a car with at least 370tq and let me tell you, I didn't miss it. This new 3.7L really delivers. The VVEL system does the impossible and provides you with a gratuitous amount of low end torque. 4th gear at 30mph? No problem. I hope the 285's do a better job at reigning in the power because I was all over the place with the 245's. The traction control really lets you play around a lot before it shuts the party down. It works really well as it isnt overly intrusive, but it's not going to let you street warriors spin off your favorite offramp. Im pretty sure it let me spin through most of first and some of second. Punch it in the powerband and the car jumps forward effortlessly and keeps on pulling all the way to redline. I was very impressed with the performance and responsiveness of this bone stock motor. As far as the sound goes, while its not quiet and nor is it annoying, it doesn't have a definitive character. It leaves you wanting more as it doesn't really let you know how fast you are turning potential energy into throw-me-in-jail speed. Its not awful. As far as vibration is concerned, I am used to thinking my cell phone is going off on vibrate when I'm driving. My car has really stiff bushings on the transmission and shift linkage so it vibrates like a mother. It did get a little chaotic near redline, but I was too busy keeping the front end away from street signs and small animals to really notice. Vibration is definitely not on my list of things to worry about.

Suspension, honestly.. it was more or less perfect for street driving. Not soft, but well dampened. Not jarring, but not much lean in corners. Felt a lot like a 3 series; just right. The chassis feels great, less like a bunch of pieces put together and more like a single unit. It was stiff and it really inspired confidence. Steering is heavy, precise and quick. Very point-and-go feeling to it. Overall, it felt positive and sporty. It could use just a tad more sharpening, but that will come in the way of some stiffer sways and a more aggressive alignment.

Nissan really did a great job though, the car feels like it has potential to be a cayman beater for sure. As far as 4.4 to 60? more like 4.8s. I can definitely see it getting a pretty good time in the quarter though, just felt like it had cajones. One thing I can tell you is that this car is going to be a blast to drive on the street, but even more so on the track. While it wouldn't be faster than my current car around the track, it would sure as hell would be a LOT more fun.. I really can't wait. It looks amazing in black, but there are so many places for water to get stuck and watermarks to build up. There is no way I'm buying this car in black. (sorry Shumby) Looks like its graphite for me.

Oh yeah and one more thing, its for sale...NOW . If I had wanted to, I could've taken either of them home today. I thought they weren't available till end of Jan, guess I was wrong.