Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

Nissan 370Z

Not just a great looker, our 370Z is practical, too

Practicality isn’t a very sexy subject. Mind you, neither is the weather, but it sure as hell makes a difference to your life, so I thought I’d scribble a few words on the subjects of keys and load space and the like.

The Zed has a sort of small pellet instead of a key. You just leave it in your pocket, then to unlock the car you simply press the button on either door or the boot. At the end of your journey you press one of the buttons to lock the car again. The advantage of this button system over some older keyless systems (where you only have to pull a door handle and the doors unlock) is that if you’re the sort of person who worries about whether you left the cooker on when you’re 30,000 feet in the air on the way to Corfu, you can check you really have locked the car by giving the handle a tug.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Inside, still with the pellet in your pocket, you simply press the starter button and the 370Z grumbles into life. Not having to use a key might seem like a trivial thing but, like getting water from a tap rather than a well, it’s amazing how you get used to it.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

The old 350Z used to have a huge strut brace across its boot but in the 370 this has been moved forward to just behind the seats, making the load space much more useable. Now you can fit as much as a bicycle in the back, which is not something most two-seater coupes could claim. Meanwhile, the 72-litre fuel tank beneath means that, although the Zed’s 25mpg average isn’t great, you can still get up to 400 miles between fills.

Just like any self-respecting 911 Carrera, the Zed also has a rear windscreen wiper, which isn’t exciting but when I go outside in the morning and there’s dew or meltwater on the rear screen I like having it. And in ‘GT Pack’ spec like this car, your life is made easier still by the addition of bi‑xenon headlights, cruise control, Bluetooth and heated door mirrors. Choose to spec the sat-nav rather than sucker a TomTom to the windscreen and you’ll be pleased to hear that it takes you where you want to go by perfectly reasonable routes. Which is nice.

All this boring practicality and the Zed is still undoubtedly the best-looking car in the Evo Towers car park. It’s like that weather forecaster you fancy.

Running Costs

Date acquiredJuly 2009
Total mileage7867
Costs this month£0
Mileage this month1715
MPG this month25.3
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Best fast estate cars 2025 – performance cars with space and pace
Best fast estates
Best cars

Best fast estate cars 2025 – performance cars with space and pace

For do-it-all transport, nothing nails the brief like a fast estate. These are the very best, from familiar names to hardcore specials
29 Nov 2024
Used Porsche 911 (997, 2004-2012): review, history, specs and buying guide
Porsche 911 997.1
Features

Used Porsche 911 (997, 2004-2012): review, history, specs and buying guide

The 997 might be the ultimate goldilocks 911, blending modern technology, performance and reliability with a slender footprint, feelsome steering and …
29 Nov 2024
Audi RS4 Edition 25 years 2025 review – a fitting farewell to the BMW M3 fighter?
Audi RS4 Edition 25 years interior
Reviews

Audi RS4 Edition 25 years 2025 review – a fitting farewell to the BMW M3 fighter?

Audi's flamboyant fairwell to the RS4 is the edition 25 Years, with Competition suspension and a boost to 463bhp
29 Nov 2024