2010 Nissan 370Z - Styling Review

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For the 2010 model year, Nissan delivers on its much-anticipated promise of a roadster version of the resurgent 370Z sports car. Unlike the 350Z roadster of two years ago, the 2010 Nissan 370Z droptop appears to be very deliberately designed and the car boasts stunning good looks. Also new for 2009 is track-ready Nissan 370Z NISMO edition.

The 2010 Nissan 370Z is a two-seat sports car that is newly available in five different flavors; there are the standard coupe and convertible offerings, both available in base or Touring trims, and a new-for-2010 NISMO edition that gets both performance and visual enhancements. When the Nissan 370Z debuted last year, the automotive press was largely impressed with the overall styling, which Car and Driver called "largely successful." The curvaceous exterior was originally penned with a roadster model in mind, so the addition of the new convertible model is much more than an afterthought, and it certainly shows in the design. Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com rave about the Nissan 370Z convertible, which Automobile says "may be Nissan's first graceful convertible." Left Lane News reviewers revel in the attention that their 370Z roadster generates, bragging that "pedestrians, as well as drivers of cars far hotter than the 370Z would cast longer than passing glances along the flanks of" the Nissan sports car. The performance-oriented Nissan 370Z NISMO edition also gets restyled, and Motor Trend feels that "everything about the all new Nissan NISMO 370Z is better: interior, exterior, and especially the performance." The biggest distinguishing features of the NISMO edition are, according to Autoblog, "a larger rear wing, new bumper, and an aggressive front splitter," along with lightweight wheels and tires. Not all of the styling elements are successful, however, and Motor Trend cautions that "the headlight and taillight clusters are over styled," with sharp angles that combine to form a very unique appearance.

The interior of the 2010 Nissan 370Z is upgraded for the new model year, and its appearance upgrades sit well with the automotive press. The coupe retains much of the interior, which Jalopnik calls "a vast improvement over the 350Z," but the convertible and NISMO are upgraded beyond the coupe. Left Lane News observes that the Nissan 370Z roadster "goes further and refines the interior with taller backed and ventilated seats, rollover bars, and the like," while Motor Trend lists "a bit of decoration" on the NISMO edition-including 16 NISMO emblems throughout the vehicle. Other styling elements include "a minimalist look, with a sculpted dash wrapping around the gauges and passenger confines," according to Automobile. The only major criticism of the interior comes from Motor Trend, where reviewers find that the computer readout is "hard-to-read" and "another case of function following form."