First Drive: 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster Page 2

By Marty Padgett

Marty Padgett

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Marty Padgett is High Gear Media's Editorial Director, overseeing the words that skim across High Gear Media's portfolio of automotive destinations... More

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2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster

The Roadster changes almost nothing from the Coupe in terms of suspension (independent all around) and ride quality. We've driven the 370Z Roadster and Coupe on the road and on the track, and in general, the shorter wheelbase and wider track have improved the Z's dynamics. It's big fun to toss around, and on most road surfaces, it rides much more calmly than in the last edition. At very high speeds (go-directly-to-jail velocities) the tires tend to hunt the subtle grooves of the road, requiring plenty of attention to keep the 370Z on course. Absent those conditions, the Z's steering takes a perfect set, it flexes the right kind of driving muscles, and it's not so far from the Porsche Boxster mindset as you might think.

Nissan 370Z: Let the quibbles begin

It's difficult to fault the 370Z for much. Generally, we can observe that a whole class of two-seat convertibles and coupes have turned on performance afterburners this year. The 2010 Mustang's in its finest form ever, and the Hyundai Genesis Coupe's not far off that mark. The 370Z may top them all for its energetic performance and the tightness of its convertible body.

Like those coupes and even like the Porsche Boxster, the concessions for fun are noticeable. The cockpit's adequate, maybe more roomy than all but the Mustang, and the seats (particularly on Touring cars with ventilated leather seats) are fine for long rides. Trunk room is small, though, and interior storage is minimal. Big cupholders are a gesture at convenience, but the gaping hole left if you don't order a navigation system isn't as useful as it might seem. There's no back seat to store luggage, only a slim compartment for laptops and such behind the seats. The trunk might hold a single set of golf clubs, if you can still afford tee time, but that's it.

The biggest objection we can find to the 370Z's road feel is with road noise. On some road surfaces, the combination of tire and drivetrain noise is far too loud, even for a sportscar. It's almost unacceptable for a modern car and could be muted fairly easily, and should be.

Step up to the 2010 Nissan 370Z and you'll have a few choices to make. Coupe or convertible, two trim levels are offered--standard and Touring. (The special NISMO tuner edition has 350 hp and tighter tuning, but we're saving that for a future date with track time involved.) Cruise control, power windows, and Nissan's Intelligent Key keyless entry/start are standard on all. Coupes offer a Sport package with great-looking 19-inch wheels and a Navigation package that adds a 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive with an iPod interface. Nissan 370Z Roadsters have a fast-folding fabric roof that takes about 20 seconds to stow or raise, via a power button on the console or on the doors; they also include standard Bluetooth, XM satellite radio with real-time traffic, power leather seats with ventilation, and high-intensity discharge headlamps. Roadster Touring models can be equipped with the snazzy 19-inch wheels; sport brakes; a limited-slip differential; and a navigation system with the Music Box hard drive and USB connectivity.

For a base price of about $30,000 for the six-speed manual Coupe, up to $42,000 for the Touring Convertible, the newest 370Z raises an important question for agnostic sportscar shoppers. Is its superior acceleration enough to call it a worthy Porsche Boxster competitor? For thousands of you with thousands of dollars to save, the answer could be yes. And we won't snicker when you tell everyone, either.

Motor Authority says: A great performance car that starts just under $30,000, the 2010 Nissan 370Z comes close enough to Porsche performance to make you wonder.

Get more 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster photos, specifications and information, and see the full review on TheCarConnection.com's 2010 Nissan 370Z page--along with a comparison that pits the Nissan 370Z vs. Porsche Boxster.