When I drove the 2024 Nissan Z Nismo back in September, I liked it. It felt peppier and sharper than the normal Z, especially around the track at Sonoma. But now I've been driving the Nissan Z Nismo for a few days, and while I don't have any tracks at my disposal, I'm curious to see what it's like to live with for an entire week.
Let's start with the numbers: This car has a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine with 420 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. That's 20 more hp and 34 extra lb-ft over the base Z, and it'll get to 60 miles per hour about half a second quicker.
The bad news is you don't get a manual gearbox. Nissan only offers a nine-speed automatic on the Nismo model because they say it's inherently quicker than a manual, and that's what people who buy the Nismo and plan to track it will want. Sure.
And then there’s the price; the Z Nismo starts at $66,085 with the destination fee included, and the particular car I’m testing is $66,280 with a few options. The two-tone paint is one of the few options that can hike the price – it’s $1,295 – with a handful of accessories adding to the final MSRP.
But so far, the Z Nismo feels like a good daily sports car. The question is: Can it win me over even with a $68,000 price tag? We’ll find out.
What’s Good So Far
- It’s easy to drive. If you keep it in the Standard mode and don’t hammer the throttle too hard, it doesn’t feel dramatically different than the normal Z.
- It looks great. The normal Z does too, but the two-tone paint, red accents, and 19-inch wheels give the Nismo model that extra touch of aggression that it definitely needs.
- It’s fun. That should be a given for a near-$70,000 sports car, but you’d be surprised at how many alternatives feel too antiseptic when you’re not on a track. The Z Nismo is fun even on the most boring roads.
What’s Less Than Good So Far
- It’s tough to get in and out of. That’s not exclusive to the Z Nismo – plenty of other sports cars make me feel old – but the aggressive seat bolstering and the narrow entryway make getting in or out an unnecessary struggle.
- The suspension is harsh. Even in the softest setting, the Nismo’s extra stiffness rattles your back. The sports seats aren’t all that supportive, either. It’s not as inherently crashy as a Toyota Supra, but it still rides rough.
- No manual. I’d be okay with the automatic if it were better, but it doesn’t respond quickly when you need it to and it holds gears for an annoyingly long time when you’re in Sport or Sport Plus modes.
I’ll have more to say in my final review, but for now, what do you want to know about the Z Nismo? Let me know in the comments.
