2015 Nissan 370Z Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Want an affordable sports car with a respectable pedigree? Take a look at Nissan’s 2015 370Z. This 2-seat compact getaway car comes in 3...

Want an affordable sports car with a respectable pedigree? Take a look at Nissan’s 2015 370Z. This 2-seat compact getaway car comes in 3 styles, a hard-top coupe, a soft-top convertible (also known as the 370Z Roadster) and an up-powered Nismo version. Now in the second decade of the Twenty-First Century, this next-gen Z may not match up with the likes of Chevy’s muscular Camaro and Ford’s iconic Mustang in terms of sheer performance but for the middle-management-level playboy-wannabe, it offers a generous taste of the sporting life.

Trim-wise, there are a few updates for the upcoming year’s 370Z offerings. The coupe gets new Sport and Sport Tech versions, with the drop-top Roadster getting a Touring Sport trim and a new Nismo Tech variation is added to the once-unique Nismo trim level. Thus, for 2015, the 370Z coupe is available in Base, Sport, Sport Tech and Touring editions; the Roadster comes in Base, Touring and Touring Sport offerings, and the potent Nismo is now paired with the new Nismo Tech edition.

Further changes for the upcoming year include upgraded steering and suspension components for all trims, as well as standard Bluetooth connectivity all around. Also new for the 2015 Nismo trim duo is an available 7-speed shiftable automatic transmission, a slightly revised look and upgraded sport seats.

Returning in this lively rear-wheel-drive (RWD) sports machine is the standard 3.7-liter V6 engine mated to the ubiquitous 6-speed manual transmission that’s delivered standard in all coupe versions, as well as the Touring and the brand new Sport Touring trim in the Roadster. The new Roadster Sport, Sport Tech and Touring Sport variations pack the 6-speed stick-shift with Nissan’s SynchroRev Match technology, allowing the driver to select throttle response and engine revs to match downshifts with the driving mood of the moment. Furthermore, a 7-speed shiftable automatic transmission remains standard on the Base Roadster and optional for all other trims.

No matter the transmission selection, however, this 6-cylinder throws down 332 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque in all non-Nismo variants. Mileage estimates in the 2015 370Z coupe with the 6-speed stick-shift remain at 18 mpg city/26 highway, while the automatic transmission is estimated at 19/26. The Roadster, meanwhile, sports estimates of 17/24 toting the manual gearbox and 18/25 with the automatic.

The same V6 engine also graces the Nismo and its debuting Nismo Tech sibling, but some added tuning tweaks and an H-pattern exhaust have it putting out 350 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque with either the standard 6-speed manual transmission (boasting SynchroRev Match) or with the available 7-speed shiftable automatic. Mileage numbers for this pair of Nismos are, as yet, unavailable.

Performance tires and 18-inch alloy wheels again grace the 2015 370Z Base coupe and the rag-top Base Roadster profiles. The Roadster also comes with a power-opening soft-top convertible roof.

Inside, look for all trims to sport full power accessories, keyless entry/ignition, cruise control and tilt-wheel steering. Lower trims come with standard cloth upholstery, while the Touring trim in both the coupe and Roadster versions, as well as the pair of Nismo editions, gets leather and simulated suede upholstery. The Bluetooth hands-free technology is now standard aboard all versions of this sporty Nissan, with sport seats and a single-CD player returning from last year.

Higher 370Z editions, meanwhile, boast such additional goodies as premium Bose speakers, a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, GPS navigation, satellite radio, Recaro leather upholstery, heated and ventilated power-adjustable seats, and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. The Roadster Sport trim, by the way, also gets standard upgraded brakes, a limited-slip rear differential and unique lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels, as well as chin and rear deck spoilers, with all of the above also standard aboard each Nismo iteration.

Of course, lower 370Z trims remain eligible for many of the bells and whistles that are delivered standard in higher trims as optional equipment.

Finally, the usual standard safety features, like 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), traction and stability control, side-mounted airbags and head airbags again remain bolstered by LED running lights and HID headlights in all 2015 370Z variations.