Used Nissan 370Z 2009-2020 review

If there’s any car out there that should fly the flag for Japanese sports cars – a cult breed in the UK not so long ago – it should really be the Nissan 370Z.

Ingredients such as a big-hearted 3.7-litre V6, a six-speed manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, a low-slung driving position and that classic long-nosed, wide-hipped coupé shape scream proper emotive muscle car and a visceral alternative to super-polished German rivals such as the BMW M240i, Audi TT RS and Porsche Cayman.

With each consecutive update (the 370Z was around for over a decade), Nissan attempted to improve refinement by fitting things such as thicker carpets and extra sound insulation – but you wouldn’t know it. The 370Z still feels like you’re driving a mobile boombox, with the cacophony of noises alternating between pervasive engine burr, transmission whine at low speeds and distracting tyre noise at higher speeds.

A very heavy clutch and a gearshift that’s short-throw but also clunks through the cogs only emphasises the sense that the 370Z is something of a dinosaur by modern sports car standards. Yes, you could argue that this kind of blatant mechanical feel and bruising approach is a good thing, but it’s enormously wearing unless you find a road that the 370Z really suits.

But those roads are rare. Your average winding B-road won’t do, never mind a motorway or urban route, where the 370Z is all hard work and no reward. You need a specific kind of fast, smooth, winding corner before you discover that there is a modicum of poise and satisfaction to be had from the heavy, consistent steering and taut suspension.

In tighter bends and quick direction changes, the 370Z feels heavy; while the steering weight is good, it can be tricky to sense whether you’re nearing the limit of grip from the rear tyres.

It’s also difficult to find enough open road to really stretch this 3.7-litre V6. It’s a coarse engine that doesn’t feel particularly smooth and needs to be stretched well beyond 6000rpm before it hits its stride. That means most of your time is spent in the gruff dregs of the rev range, where it's punchy enough but doesn't sound very good.

The drivetrain dominates the driving experience even more so in the Nismo model, thanks to a sports exhaust. However, the small increase in power (up 16bhp) barely makes any difference in reality, cutting just 0.1sec in the official 0-62mph run to 5.2sec. And despite feeling slightly more eager at higher revs, the engine’s ever-present sound and vibrations are much the same as in the standard car.

Both the standard 370Z and Nismo don’t ride too badly for a car of this ilk, but they’re far from comfortable. Undulations make the body bob up and down, so they fidget incessantly around town, and mid-corner bumps unsettle them enough to occasionally cause a loss of traction – and not in a good way.

So, overall, the 370Z works in a very narrow operating window, making it a tiring companion on most journeys.

The driver's seat is well-bolstered and models with leather upholstery have suede-like seat centres to stop you from sliding around during hard cornering. The instrument dials move in unison with the steering wheel, ensuring a clear line of sight. However, it’s not all good news, because the steering wheel adjusts for height only (not reach) and over-the-shoulder vision is poor.

And, disappointingly, the 370Z feels cheap. There are swathes of scratchy-feeling plastics around the gearstick, handbrake and glovebox area, while details such as the dated-looking fuel gauge and odd blanking plates on the centre console hint at cost-saving.

Having said that, the Alcantara steering wheel in the Nismo is ideal. That model’s more heavily bolstered Recaro seats, while slightly limited in their range of movement, are supportive and comfortable even for long journeys, providing you’re not extremely tall, in which case you might want the seat to go back farther.

You have to shop for a car in GT trim to get the NissanConnect Premium infotainment system with a 7.0in touchscreen. It comes with Bluetooth, sat-nav and a 9.4GB hard drive for music storage. However, it’s not the most responsive system in the class and the graphics look very dated when compared with similar systems from Audi and BMW.

The 370Z is strictly a two-seater, but there's plenty of head and leg room. There are several useful cubbyholes, including bins behind the seats. However, the boot itself is unusually shallow and impaired by a big suspension brace, so you'll have to pack light.

If you're interested in buying a used Nissan 370Z, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site here.

An early and higher mileage 370Z will set you back between £6000 and £8000. Spend between £8000 and £10,000 on cars with a full history, average mileage for year and unmodded engine and spec. Look to fork out between £12,000 and ££20,000 on cars from 2012 to 2015. Later cars from 2015 to 2020 will set you back between £25,000 and £33,000.

All versions of the 370Z look fairly good value for money considering how much power you get. However, this is a seriously pricey car to run; its V6 petrol engine promises just 26.6mpg officially, according to the older NEDC tests which were prevalent at the time the 370Z was on the market, and you won’t get anywhere near that if you regularly put your foot down.

High CO2 emissions mean you’ll be charged a fortune for road tax, too, if your car was registered before April 2017. If it was after that date you'll be charged the current flat rate of VED, which is £155 a year. If your 370Z cost over £40,000 new you'll also pay a supplementary luxury car tax, currently £335 a year, from years two to six of the car's life.

Every 370Z comes with alloy wheels, powered seats, climate control, keyless engine starting, automatic xenon headlights and a socket for an MP3 player. GT models add 19in alloy wheels, heated leather and suede seats with lumbar support, a 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system with sat-nav, a Bose audio system with eight speakers and the option of a seven-speed automatic transmission. We'd shop for the base car, though; it's cheaper.

The more powerful Nismo model receives mechanical upgrades over the standard car, including lightweight 19in Rays wheels, a Nismo dual exhaust, lowered suspension and an extra 16bhp from the 3.7-litre V6.

Our favourite Nissan 370Z: Nissan 370Z

A similarly old-fashioned feeling sports car is the Toyota GT86. The major advantage of getting a GT86 is that there are a lot more of them about, and Toyota has a greater spread of dealers when it comes time to service your car. The warranty on the very similar Subaru BRZ is three years, but the GT86 has five years of coverage, which means you are more likely to find a GT86 with some cover left than you are with the BRZ.

The Mazda MX-5 is not a particularly fast car either, certainly not as butch as the Nissan or the Toyota/Subaru, but at least it's a convertible, so the wind in your hair will certainly makes you feel like you’re travelling faster than you are. There is a Roadster drop-top version of the 370Z too, but it's a very different animal to this MX-5. In fact, the MX-5 is a terrific car, great to drive, agile, dinky and fun. In fact, a world away from the 370Z.

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If you're interested in buying a used Nissan 370Z, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site here.