2013
Nissan
370Z Review
(3 Stars)
Reviewed by Automotive on
With the exception of 2001, Nissan has been producing the Z-car series since 1969, and in that time it has become the best-selling sports car series of all time. Over those four decades, the Z series has received praise for providing reliable performance in a handsome package, at an affordable price. The 370Z is the latest generation of the Z-car, and the 2013 Nissan 370Z carries on the traditions of the series. The current generation provides a track day-ready sport car that can also handle daily driving quite well. The 370Z does miss out on some important points in an effort to keep the starting price down, making the car a difficult proposition. On one hand, for pure sport purpose, the basic model with only the Sports Package added is a great choice for those who are in it for pure driving experience. On the other hand, a fully-loaded 370Z model pushes the price into luxury performance range without providing quite the luxury of comparable vehicles like the Infiniti G37, and in this form, would only be a worthwhile model for the Nissan or Z-car enthusiast.
New For 2013
The 2013 Nissan 370Z’s mild face-lift includes a new front fascia, LED running lights, and new eighteen- and nineteen-inch wheel designs. The sport package gains red-painted brake calipers and retuned shock absorbers. Midnight blue and magma red join the color palette. To improve stopping performance, the 2013 370Z gets stronger brake hoses and performance-grade brake fluid.
Exterior
The long nose and short rear of the 2013 Nissan 370Z in profile makes the vehicle immediately recognizable, and is somewhat of a trademark of the entire Z-car series. The front fascia has been tamed for the new model year, with the lip spoiler being smoothed out for a cleaner, sleeker look. The headlights have not been smoothed out however, retaining their angry appearance, bleeding back in to the fenders. The 370Z is very wide, muscular, and aggressive from either end, with deep wheel flares pushing out from slab siding. The hood seems to have a bit of a hump to it in profile, while the roofline curves down smoothly to the back and down to the standard rear spoiler, which is bracketed by boomerang-shaped taillight assemblies that bleed well up into the roofline. The roadster version has the soft top dropping down into its own compartment, with a distinct trunk area at the rear. The 370Z NISMO adds additional ground effects to the front, sides and rear, as well as a larger rear wing. 18-inch wheels are standard, with 19-inch wheels available.
Interior & Cargo
The inside of the 2013 Nissan 370Z is the area where Nissan has cut corners a bit to keep the pricing down, and it shows. In regards to space, as a two-seat vehicle, there is plenty of room in the front to stretch out and it is roomy enough for those who are well over six feet tall. This does all come at the cost of cargo space, as there is a mere 6.9 cubic feet of cargo space under the hatchback in the coupe, and only 4.2 cubic feet in the trunk of the convertible. Both of these numbers are below average for the class. The materials are of average grade, and the fit and finish is what is to be expected from Nissan – not perfect, but tidy and tight. The instruments are easy to read, and the controls are laid out nicely.
The base model comes with plenty of amenities, including a standard four-speaker AM/FM/CD sound system, cruise control, automatic climate control, an eight-way manually adjustable driver seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The upholstery is cloth, although it can be upgraded to leather. Other upgrades through higher trims or options include an eight-speaker Bose audio system, power-adjustable heated seats for driver and passenger, heated and ventilated power seats in the Roadster, and a navigation system with a touchscreen interface that controls audio, Bluetooth integration, and a rearview camera.
Safety
The 2013 Nissan 370Z comes with the usual safety features, but nothing particularly advanced. Traction control, stability control, and anti-lock brakes with electronic braked force distribution and brake assist are all standard. High-performance brake fluid allows the 370Z to come to a complete stop from 60 miles per hour in just over 100 feet, which is tops for the class. This superb braking is offset a bit by the terrible visibility to the back left and right quarters of the car and the full rear visibility, due to large pillars and small, rather useless windows. In the case of an accident, there are six airbags, pretensioners and load limiters on the seat belts, and active head restraints.
Driving Experience
The key selling point of the Z-car series has always been providing a fun, reliable, high-performance driving experience, and the 2013 Nissan 370Z does not fail to deliver. Underneath the hood is a 3.7-liter, V-6 engine that produces 332 horsepower or, with the NISMO model and the attached tunings, 350 horsepower. The base model can make it to 60 miles per hour from a standing start in 5.2 seconds, with the convertible taking 5.6 seconds and the NISMO version knocking it down to 5.1 seconds. A six-speed, manual transmission is the standard, with a seven-speed, automatic transmission being available.
The 370Z isn’t just about straight-line power, as it is incredibly nimble through the corners. The handling is tuned for performance, which means that it gives up a little in terms of ride quality so that it can have better performance. In this case, the loss is more than worth it, with the 370Z being even through the turns at high speeds, with the sense that the car can handle more than the driver can put it through. The steering is incredibly precise, although it loses a bit in the feedback department. The SynchroRev feature on the manual transmission is a nice feature, blipping the throttle during downshifts, but can be a bit irritating if this is something the driver already does. The brakes are extremely sticky, equaling or bettering some of the 370Z’s European competitors.
Key Competitors For The 2013 Nissan 370Z
- Hyundai Genesis
- Ford Mustang
- Audi TT
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