2024 Nissan Z NISMO

　　

2024 Nissan Z Review

byJared GallCorrespondent

　　Jared Gall started his career in the auto industry in 2001 with an internship at Car and Driver. He has written and edited many thousands of car reviews, technological deep-dives, industry analyses, and personality profiles. He is a correspondent at zzdcar and still has the 1969 Chevrolet C20 he dragged out of his parents' barn and drove until Car and Driver started giving him cars to evaluate.

　　, rating written byJared GallSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　Redesigned for 2023 on a heavily revised version of its predecessor's basic architecture, the Z carries on the proud tradition of the Nissan sports car. Whether a 240, a 300, a 350 or a 370, it was always a Z car, and so instead of following the rest of the auto industry down a rabbit hole of increasingly convoluted (and decreasingly relevant) alphanumerics, Nissan dumped the numbers and is simply calling this generation the Z. Its long-nose/short-deck proportions, two-seat layout and rear-wheel drive are decidedly traditional, but its twin-turbocharged V6, nine-speed automatic and digital instrument panel are all modern.

　　

zzdcar spotlight: The new 2024 Z Nismo

For 2024, Nissan has brought back the Nismo version for drivers who want a car with more of a track-ready attitude. It comes with a variety of upgrades that hone the Z's performance. Firmer suspension tuning, more direct and accurate steering, special wheels, gripper tires and more powerful brakes are all exclusive to the Nismo. It also has a more powerful version of the turbocharged V6. In the Nismo, it makes 420 horsepower and 384 lb-ft, which is up 20 hp and 34 lb-ft from the other Z trims. A nine-speed automatic transmission is standard, but unlike on the other trims, you can't get a manual gearbox on the Nismo.

　　

Competitors to consider

The Toyota GR Supra is a front-engine rear-wheel-drive two-seater, and it's definitely worth test-driving alongside the Z. We also like the redesigned Ford Mustang. It's bigger and heavier than the Z but still offers a compelling mix of muscle car bravado and modern tech. BMW's 2 Series coupe is another worthwhile option. Check out our Expert Rating of the 2024 Nissan Z to learn more.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.3

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the Z drive? Fitted with the six-speed manual transmission, our test car accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds flat and crossed the quarter mile in 13.6 seconds at just over 106 mph. Those numbers are a fair bit slower than the six-cylinder Toyota GR Supra. We tested the Z using launch control and 91 octane fuel, which is the best we can get since zzdcar is based in California. Adding insult to injury for the Z, Nissan says the Z needs 93 octane, which is not available in many states (including California), to achieve its full performance potential. While we love the option of a six-speed manual and the Z's automatic rev matching, the gearbox feels a bit cumbersome and not nearly as precise as the manual gearbox in the Mustang.

　　Handling and braking numbers similarly trail those put up by its main rivals, with the Z Performance stopping from 60 mph in 112 feet and registering 0.98 g of lateral grip on our skidpad. Pure sports cars feel better and more engaging the harder you push them, but when pushed the Nissan starts to feel more reluctant and less satisfying to drive. Body control and steering feedback could use a lot of refinement near the limit, and while the brakes feel strong, the antilock braking system can feel a bit crude, allowing slight brake lockup that can briefly unsettle the car. The Z is simply at its best when you can lean on its torque-rich engine and not rush things, an attribute that makes the Z Sport and Performance trims more grand-touring coupes than sports cars. The Nismo's sharper handling and steering are a definite upgrade for hardcore sports car fans.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Z? Outright performance might not be the Z's strong suit, but it certainly is one of the more comfortable sport coupes on the market. The heated seats on our Performance trim level test car featured both manual and power adjustments, and our drivers found them plenty comfortable. The Z's day-to-day ride quality is also commendable. The low-profile tires do let a lot of small, sharp impacts into the cabin, but larger bumps, at both low and high speed, are dispatched with ease, making the Z ideal for longer road trips.

　　The Nissan's climate system maintained excellent control over cabin temperatures, even with triple-digit temperatures, and we appreciated the easy-to-adjust vents. The three easy-to-use round dials that control the climate system are appreciated, but they are a bit set back under the dashboard and can be tough to read at a quick glance. We're less enamored with the noise, or at least the quality of the noise, emanating from the Z's turbocharged engine. It lacks the refinement of the GR Supra's turbocharged engine and doesn't sound particularly sonorous at any point during acceleration.

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