With its strong, athletic engine, responsive handling and braking, head-turning design and performance bang-for-the-buck, the 2009 Nissan 350Z roadster has an awful lot going for it and is well worth serious consideration in the sports car segment.
A new development for the 2009 model year is the elimination of the Nissan 350Z coupe, now replaced by the 2009 370Z. The 350Z roadster, however, while largely unchanged from last year's model, continues to carry forward the tradition until it too becomes a 370Z roadster model.
Standard Features And Options:
The 2009 350Z roadster is offered in three model choices: Enthusiast, Touring and Grand Touring.
Standard features on the Enthusiast model include a power top (soft), 18 inch wheels, a limited-slip rear differential, bi-xenon headlights, a wind blocker, automatic climate control, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, full power accessories, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, cruise control, power seats, and a CD/MP3 sound system.
Moving up to the mid-level Touring model adds heated seats, a leather interior, an upgraded Bose sound system, satellite radio and Bluetooth.
The top-of-the-line 350Z Grand Touring has all of the above plus stability control and more powerful Brembo brakes.
Making optional feature decisions on a new 350Z is fairly easy, as there are only two: a navigation system and a gray soft top as opposed to the standard black.
Update: Weak Economy Leads To Lower Nissan Prices:
There's no question that dealers are struggling due to a weak economy and tons of competition... which means there are some extremely good deals to be had right now on a new 350Z... often below invoice prices, sometimes far below.
See the link at the bottom of this article for exactly how to get the lowest price on a new Nissan 350Z.
Engines, Powertrain And Gas Mileage:
Powering the rear-wheel-drive 2009 350Z roadster is a 3.5 liter V6 engine that delivers 306 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. It's coupled with either a six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic.
The EPA estimated gas mileage for a manual 350Z is 17 mpg city and 24 mpg on the highway. Gas mileage for the automatic version comes in at a nearly identical 17 mpg city and 23 highway.
Safety:
Standard safety features on all 2009 Nissan 350Z models include antilock disc brakes, side-impact airbags and traction control. In addition, stability control is standard on the Grand Touring.
In government crash testing, the 2009 350Z roadster received a perfect five out of five stars for the driver and four stars for the passenger in frontal-impacts. In side-impact testing, the 350Z earned a full five stars for both driver and passenger.
Interior:
The interior cockpit area of the 350Z is well designed, user-friendly and attractive. As you would expect, trunk space is limited, coming in at 4.1 cubic feet. On the plus side, the soft top is easy to handle and can be lowered in about 15 to 20 seconds.
Drive:
The greatest strength of the 350Z is its actual driving performance. With its fiesty V6 engine and strong grip and balance, the 350Z is right there with some of the best sports cars available. The athletic and responsive 350Z is an impressive performer on twisty back road challenges, yet remains smooth and comfortable around town and cruising down the highway. While the automatic transmission is certainly capable, it's the manual transmission that brings out the most in this car.
Price:
How To Buy A New Nissan 350Z (now the 370Z) At The Lowest Price: Before listing MSRP and invoice prices for the 2010 370Z, here's a technique that will show you how to buy one at the best possible price, especially given the current slow economic environment.
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