2009 Nissan 370Z Quality Review

The 2009 Nissan 370Z reemerges for its latest model year as a smaller, lighter vehicle. While those new adjectives work wonders for its performance, overall practicality is down, and passenger space, even in front, is still at a premium.

The Nissan 370Z is a true sports coupe, meaning there is no 2+2 seating arrangement. Instead, Nissan 370Z owners will purchase just two seats, and Car and Driver reports that "the driver's seat is more aggressively bolstered than the passenger's, and both are upholstered in nonslip fabric." Reviews of occupant space are mixed, with Consumer Guide contending that the 2009 Nissan 370Z is "still among the more spacious two seaters," but Car and Driver finds the 370Z Nissan to be "a tight fit, with the more globularly hipped among us contemplating the possibility of embarrassing chafing." Aside from the overall space, Consumer Guide says that the "padded knee rests for both the driver and passenger are a comfort plus." Autoblog reviewers love the front seats, finding that "the eight-way adjustable driver's seat benefits from a bit more bolstering than the passenger, but both chairs balance the proper amount of coddling with the kind of side-hugging support you'd expect in a sports car."

Cargo space isn't the 370Z Nissan's strong suit, and it shows in reviews read by TheCarConnection.com. Car and Driver almost mockingly notes that "there's now even a glove box" inside the 2009 Nissan 370Z. Consumer Guide, meanwhile, observes that "Nissan claims 370Z has 6.9 cu ft of cargo space, but it doesn't seem that large." They also find that "there are some hidden bins behind the seats, but interior storage is otherwise meager, with a small glovebox and center console."

For a car with such a low base MSRP, the 2009 Nissan 370Z exceeds nearly all expectations in terms of quality. ConsumerGuide claims that the interior quality on the Nissan 370Z is "vastly improved from the 350Z," thanks largely to the addition of "padded surfaces, textured dashboard plastics, and visible contrast stitching." Car and Driver finds that the "cockpit is richer than its predecessor's, with graceful contrast stitching...and a classy hinged leather panel covering the hole you'll create if you don't order the nav system." Motor Trend also approves of the redesigned interior, which they say "Nissan has upgraded with finer materials (read: less hard plastic), bigger gauges, a race-style oval steering wheel, [and] a convenient glovebox."

Fortunately, ride quality has improved, and Consumer Guide contends that "wind noise is well hushed, with only a little noticed from around the exterior mirrors." The engine, however, still causes some problems, and Motor Trend reports that the V-6 "still exhibits a coarseness near redline," and other Motor Trend reviewers claim that it has "gotten noisy and harsh in its old age." TheCarConnection.com notes that Nissan has tuned the 370Z's exhaust to be heard not just when accelerating hard, but in everyday cruising—an aspect that could be fatigue-inducing on longer trips.