Test Drive: 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring

2009 Nissan 370Z Touring. Click image to enlarge

The interior is a combination of some nicely-stitched leather and textured plastics, but with a couple of hard plastic pieces that look like they could scratch and weather easily. Three dials in the instrument cluster include one that gives exterior temperature readout, along with coolant temperature and fuel level indicated by a neat row of tiny orange lights, while the other two contain speedo and tach functions. Three more dials up top of the centre stack handle oil, battery and a clock. The optional navigation screen would normally take centre billing in the stack; lacking it, my tester substituted a shallow covered cubby.

Given the Z’s confining cabin – my friend reports it’s roomier than his model, but that’s relative – you’ll need to travel light up front. There’s but a single cupholder (although small water bottles can go into the door pockets), and a shallow console cubby box, plus the glovebox. Unlike the previous 350Z, there is a small cargo shelf behind each seat, and the passenger side’s includes a small pull-out compartment. The problem is getting to them. There’s not enough room to reach behind the seats to use them, and there’s no lever to flip the seatback ahead. Instead, you’ve got to use the electric recline to bring the seatback as far forward as it will go, which isn’t really enough to make these cubbies truly accessible and useful.

There’s more room under the hatch, and while the sloping glass does limit how much you can carry, a little judicious packing got me to a birthday party with two lawn chairs, a small cooler, a box of cookies and a gift.

Back in 2001, when Nissan reintroduced the temporarily discontinued Z with a bright orange concept car that became the 350Z, I went to a gathering of Z-car fans (and got to ride in the concept, which was quite an experience) who lived and breathed their favourite sports car. And after spending a week with the 2009 version, I understand their passion. It’s not a car for everyone, but it’s certainly worthy of high praise indeed.

Pricing: 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring Base price: $39,998 Options: $4,135 (Sport Package of SynchroRev Match, 19-inch super-lightweight alloy wheels, sport brakes, front chin spoiler and rear spoiler, $4,000; metallic/pearl paint $135) A/C tax: $100 Freight: $1,500 Price as tested: $45,733 Click here for options, dealer invoice prices and factory incentives Specifications Specifications: 2009 Nissan 370Z Competitors Buyer’s Guide: 2009 Audi A5 Buyer’s Guide: 2009 Audi TT Buyer’s Guide: 2009 BMW 1 Series Buyer’s Guide: 2009 BMW Z4 Buyer’s Guide: 2009 Cadillac CTS Buyer’s Guide: 2009 Infiniti G37 Buyer’s Guide: 2009 Mazda RX-8 Buyer’s Guide: 2009 Porsche Cayman Crash test results National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

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