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Shopping for a 2008 Nissan 350Z?
MSRP: $28,510 - $41,980
SEE LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS
TheCarConnection.com's editors researched a wide range of road tests of the 2008 Nissan 350Z to write this definitive review. TheCarConnection.com's resident experts also drove the Nissan 350Z to help you decide which reviews to trust where opinions differ, to add more impressions and details, and to provide you with the best information.
Likes:
- Jagged-edge styling
- Rear-drive handling
- Quick, smooth steering
- Rippling V-6 power
- Roadster version
Dislikes:
- Feels heavy
- Ride can get rough
- Somewhat stark interior
The 2008 Nissan 350Z is an elemental sportscar with rear-wheel drive, a choice of coupe and roadster body styles, seating for two, and a big V-6 engine producing more than 300 horsepower.
The style of the Nissan 350Z is modern. The Audi TT and Ford Mustang steer toward retro themes; with the 350Z, Nissan has drawn sharp lines and smoothly rounded curves that echo older Z-cars only a little. Inside the 350Z, Nissan lets the controls do the talking--there's little extra trim, though the interior has been warmed up a bit since the 350Z bowed in 2003. The plastics feel a tad ritzier, but all the basics remain as before.
All 2008 Nissan 350Zs blast out power through Nissan's 3.5-liter V-6, which produces 306 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. Different models offer a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions. Fuel economy is a decent 18/25 mpg with the manual gearbox and 17/23 mpg with the automatic. The 350Z's 0-60 time is about 5.6 seconds for the manual (6.0 seconds for the automatic), with a top speed hovering around the 150-mph mark for both. Top-class dynamics, blistering speed, and undiluted driving pleasure are standard equipment; the Nissan 350Z has scalpel-sharp steering, a meaty gear change, an amazing exhaust rasp, and big brakes.
Anti-lock brakes are standard across the line, with front-side and side-curtain airbags. Crash ratings from the NHTSA are mostly four stars, save for five stars for passenger side impact.
