Want to put some excitement in your life? Get behind the wheel of the Nissan 350Z coupe and step on the gas.
Getting behind the wheel, however, may not be such an easy task for some buyers. One, the coupe requires that you slink down and squeeze into the driver’s seat but with eight-way power seats, a comfortable position is quickly obtained. Also, some shoppers may have this difficulty in getting into the seat: the price. The 350Z, which can only transport two persons, is $33,200.
The 350Z looks fast, with design cues taken from the original Datsun 240Z of 37 years ago. It has a long nose, triangular cabin, arch-shaped roof and a hatchback opening that sits on a long wheelbase of 104 inches.
My 2007 350Z Touring tester rode on 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels, adding to its charm. Road adhesion is what grabbed me, and with a short turning circle of just 35 feet, the 350Z was very easy to maneuver. Built on an independent multilink front and rear suspension with front-and-rear stabilizer bars and struts the car stays in control, which is why the 350Z offers so much enjoyment.
Start the engine, and the fun begins. The 350Z has all the qualities any true sports car enthusiast could want for a delightful driving experience. It’s amazing how well-balanced this car is, especially when making sharp turns. It just hugs the road regardless of the speed.
What’s even more amazing is all the power comes from a V-6 engine producing only 306 horsepower. But because it’s a comparatively light car (3,598 pounds) and only carries two persons, the V-6 engine gets the job done quite well. It also has a twin-air intake system that improves the fuel economy. This little car has an EPA mileage rating of 19 miles per gallon city and 26 mpg highway.
But there’s a downside. The only time I could take advantage of the sportiness of the 350Z was on a few rural roads. On main highways, I drove like an angel and stayed on my best behavior wishing that I were on a wiggly racetrack where I could put the pedal to the metal.
Enough of wishful thinking. There’s much to enjoy in the 350Z. The instrument panel is clear and straightforward. Up high on the dash is a gauge that clearly shows the speed using numerals, allowing me to look ahead and not downward to see my speed.
Aside from the leather-wrapped steering wheel, one-touch windows and Bluetooth hands-free phone system, it has a Bose audio system with seven speakers and six-disc in-dash CD player with a subwoofer. One option included XM Satellite radio, so I selected my favorite station, turned up the volume and had a blast.
Safety features are strong factors for buyers. As expected, the Nissan 350Z is equipped with standard front-supplemental air bags and seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters. The 350Z also has an energy-absorbing steering column, driver and passenger side-impact air bags, plus active head restraints.
On the other hand, Consumer Reports doesn’t give the 350Z smashing success ratings when compared with other two-seaters and points out that it doesn’t have a passenger air bag cut-off. However, the magazine does give it praise for the roomy cockpit and that it only requires regular gasoline, not premium.
If you’re driving at a reasonable speed, there’s no need to be concerned about smashing into another vehicle. This coupe is so agile that it would be easy to avoid a collision. The 350Z reacts quickly to each turn of the wheel, and that is what makes it exciting.
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