2009 Nissan 350Z Roadster A Comfortable Sports Car

With all the gee-whiz technology available in today’s cars, it’s easy to forget the joy that an essential sports car like a 2009 Nissan 350Z convertible provides. Nope, this car won’t make you a cup of coffee or tea as you drive into work. But the Z has everything you’ll need to get a hurry no caffeinated beverage could hope to match.

With its compact dimensions, spirited V6 engine, sharp handling, rear-wheel drive and well-balanced chassis, the 350Z roadster continues to be a sports car in the truest wisdom. And even though this generation of Z is in its last year, the styling still turn’s top. Nissan will be selling the all-new 370Z coupe for 2009 and is keeping the 350Z roadster only until it has the roadster version of the 370Z readied.

Compared to pricier competitors, such as the Audi TT, BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster, the 2009 Nissan 350Z roadster lacks polish, both in terms of handling skill and interior design and materials. It’s also not as quick handling as Honda’s S2000. But this is still an inexpensive and reasonably comfortable sports car that delivers plenty of grins per mile. For its final year, the 2009 Nissan 350Z roadster rides into the sunset with its head held high.

Nissan 350Z Roadster Image Gallery:


The 2009 Nissan 350Z convertible is available in three trim levels: Enthusiast, Touring and Grand Touring. The Enthusiast arrives with 18-inch wheels, a power soft top, a wind blocker, a limited-slip rear differential, bi-xenon headlights, automatic climate control, cruise control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, full power accessories, power seats and a CD/MP3 audio system with steering-wheel-mounted controls. The Touring model includes leather upholstery, heated seats, an upgraded Bose audio system, XM satellite radio and Bluetooth. The Grand Touring arrives with more powerful Brembo brakes and stability control. There are but two choices available for the 350Z roadster: a navigation system and a gray (versus black) soft top.

The rear-drive Nissan 350Z roadster is armed with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 306 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque. Putting the power to the ground is either a six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic. EPA fuel economy estimates are about average for a six-cylinder sports car; with the automatic transmission, the 350Z convertible checks in at 17 mpg city/ 23 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined.

Antilock disc brakes, traction control and side-impact airbags are standard across the board. Stability control comes standard on the Grand Touring trim but is unavailable on the others.

In government frontal-impact crash tests, the 2009 Nissan 350Z roadster received five stars (the highest possible score) for the driver side and four stars for the passenger side. In that agency’s side-impact testing, the Nissan received a full five stars.

The Nissan Z’s instrument panel features three gauge pods that move with the tilt steering wheel. Unfortunately, the wheel doesn’t have a telescoping adjustment. All of the controls a driver might need are close at hand, but some of the materials used in the cockpit seem low-quality for this price range. The roadster’s trunk proposes just 4.1 cubic feet of capacity. On the upside, the soft top is easy to control and can be dropped in about 20 seconds. Around town, rearward visibility is poor, as you might expect. Of course, that’s a non-issue when the top is dropped.

The 2009 Nissan 350Z offers performance equal to that of some of the best sports cars available. On a curvy road, the 350Z rewards its driver with a high level of outright grip and balance. The steering is a bit coarse in feel, but otherwise, it’s quick and well-weighted. Around town, the V6 engine is quite compliant. Find some open street where you can let it out, and the engine produces an enjoyable and deep growl. Power delivery is healthy and particularly entertaining at higher revs. Although the automatic transmission matches revs on downshifts, a manual transmission brings out the most in the car. The six-speed’s shifter feels heavy through the gates, but it’s fairly precise and clutch take-up is smooth, though a bit stiff.