2007 Nissan 350Z Roadster: reviews, specs, and photos

How Far Can You “Z”?

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Interior Comfort and Ergonomics

Good attention to detail everywhere with lots of “Z” emblems in around the cabin. I like how the gauge pod and steering wheel column move as a single unit when adjusting the steering wheel height and reach. Dashboard material, leather seats and anything you touch all have a good quality feel beneath the fingers. Silver and aluminum trim pieces accentuate the cockpit nicely. All the pieces fit together nicely (no gaps or rattles) with predictable Japanese quality.

Close inspection of the panel alignment and interior trim pieces displayed a high level of quality – something Japanese automakers have worked hard to improve upon and raise the bar the past few decades. Everything fitted nicely, had a solid sound when closed and there were no rattles to speak of.

The gauge cluster was easy to read and had the tachometer positioned large and live in the center – right where it should be.

The fun exercise is playing with the convertible top. One foot must be on the brake pedal when operating the roof. Opening or closing the soft-top takes less than 20 seconds – which is pretty darn quick. My sole complaint is that it I had to use two hands to lock down the top after extending it to the closed position. One hand was needed to pull the roof about half an inch into its final locking position and the second hand was used to engage the locking hatch mechanism.

Trunk space may be limited due to the space accommodation for the retracted rooftop, but diehard golfers need not worry about fitting their golf bag into the boot. I grabbed a friend’s set of golf clubs and tested the fit. Tip the top of the golf bag into the left corner first and the bottom the bag drops neatly into place on the right side. You can probably fit your golf shoes and a jacket into what’s left of the available space in the trunk, but not much else.

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Performance / Handling

Power can easily make a man drunk. And the 350Z has lots of power on tap. For those people who drive with a heavy right foot and attract local law enforcement like paparazzi chasing Britney Spears and Paris Hilton from club to club in Las Vegas, I advise something more demure. At idle the engine and exhaust have a pleasant burble that suggests the rich power tucked underneath the hood. Once the engine gets into its power range, the “Z” accelerates like a kid who just stole an Everlasting Gobstopper out of a candy store.

Not only can the 350Z accelerate fast enough to suck the oxygen out of your head, the Roadster does well on the roads that require a lot of left and right turning. The binders do a great job of slowing the silver beast upon approaching the apex. I never felt that I would overcook a turn and come in too hot. Turn-in response is very good. Not quite razor sharp, but then again I wasn’t trying for the fastest time on an autocross course.

I tried a few emergency and hard braking scenarios. Actuation of the brakes and tires were smooth and did not upset the car’s balance. Some vehicles and get a little “squirrelly” with aggressive braking, but the Nissan held its composure well on dry roads. Sorry, there weren’t any wet or slippery roads available on the day of the test drive.

My biggest gripe with the performance of the “Z” is with the automatic transmission. It seems that the engine or transmission (maybe both) need a little time to think before getting things in motion. That little delay between the time you stomp your foot on the pedal, wait for the engine revs to get into the 5k range, and the excitement begins, mars the otherwise fine performance of the “Z”. Manual up-shifting of the gears has a delay and abrupt engagement. Going backwards isn’t any better. I tried a full stop, shifted into reverse, pressed the accelerator smoothly and waited a second or two before the transmission engaged roughly and the car began moving. Has anyone else had similar experiences with Nissan transmissions or their 350Z?

Styling

Undeniably the 350Z has a definitive shape that is easily recognized. Looking at the body shape from any angle grabs your attention and draws your eyes along the curves. The lines are nicely sculpted and the Roadster looks sexy with the soft-top stowed away. The bold front grill and new hood design has an aggressive look that bespeaks of power.

Tire size is staggered front to rear on a set of nicely shaped 5-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels. The front was shod with 225/45-18 and the rear set of tires were a little beefier with 245/45-18’s. The 18-inch alloys filled the wheel wells and left very little wheel gap between the tire and fender.

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Value

From an economic viewpoint, convertibles aren’t much of a value. They are limited on space, noisy, and valuables are never safe inside the car. Throw the practical aspects out the window and you are left with the raw feeling of a sports car that passionately connects you with the driving environment. The 350Z Roadster gives you all of the above and more. The more part is left to each individual’s experience because this car speaks on so many different levels.

Conclusion

After spending the better part of a day with the 350Z, I could “Z” pretty far. Generally speaking, driving the car was a fun experience and I only found a couple of things to criticize. On the plus side there was lots of power to call upon, it gets you around town without a fuss, and looks good doing it. If you know how to drive a manual transmission, then stay away from the automatic transmission. The transmission engagement was the biggest weakness I found. Maybe other 350Z owners can comment on the performance of the 5-speed automatic transmission because the one I had wasn’t very good in my opinion.

Overall I gave the Nissan 350Z Roadster a 4.2 rating. Above average performance and styling are the car’s strong points. The value rating was average because of the car’s limited functionality. With a convertible you just have to learn to travel light.

	Interior	Performance	Handling	Styling	Value	Overall
Rating	4.5	4.5	4	5	3	4.2

>> See all the 350Z Roadster photos in the photo gallery

>> 350Z reviews submitted by the CarREVIEW.com community are here

>> Read more Editor reviews about the 350Z

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2007 Nissan 350Z capsule review (Car and Driver)

2007 Nissan 350Z (MSN Autos)

2007 Nissan 350Z Review - (Edmunds.com)

2006 Nissan 350Z Model Update (Forbes Autos)
This Z Gets An ‘A’

2005 Nissan 350Z Prices & Review (Consumer Guide)

2005 Nissan 350Z Review (Automotive.com)

2005 Nissan 350Z Roadster (AutoExpress.co.uk)

2004 Nissan 350Z Roadster Test Drive (About : cars)

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2003 Nissan 350Z - road test and review (Automobile Magazine)

2002 Nissan 350Z - Reviews / Road Tests (Car and Driver)
The reborn Z returns to its 1970 roots.

Nissan 350Z Coupe car review / summary (WhatCar?)

Nissan 350 generation/history (Edmunds.com)

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