Used 2020 Nissan 370Z Base for sale 

The year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Z Brand for Nissan and to commemorate that occasion, Nissan has introduced a new 50th Anniversary Edition as a trim on the 2020 370Z. Other than this, there are no noticeable changes between the 2019 and the 2020 Models.

Which trim to choose?

The "Sport" trim, couples the Stick-Shifter to the 370Z, allowing for the most authentic feel of driving a sportscar. Also, mechanically speaking, the manual transmission is not only the sportier of the lot but also, the easier of the bunch to live with on a long term basis in terms of reliability and maintenance.

The 2020 Nissan 370Z has a 332 horsepower V6 engine under the hood, which is more than its competitors. There are two transmissions from which to choose, a 6-speed manual, and a 7-speed auto. Both gearboxes try their best to make life easier for the driver, and even the manual version takes things into its own mechanical hands. It has a rev-matching feature, which automatically blips the throttle every time you shift gears.

The engine is quite relaxed in the way it makes its power, and being a naturally aspirated motor, the response is instantaneous. The gearbox has short ratios, which ensures that the engine remains in the power band at all times. Highway cruising is easy, with little need to downshift. NVH levels in the cabin could do with some improvement though.

The different cars in this segment offer vastly different power trains. There are manual transmissions as standard on all, except for the Dodge. It's the Camaro that takes the fight to the 370Z in terms of numbers, besting the Chevy by the smallest of margins.

How fast is the 370Z coupe?

The 3.7-liter engine is the largest in the affordable performance segment. It pulls sharply from idle all the way up to the 7500 RPM redline. The acceleration is quite strong, stronger than almost all of the competition. The 370Z is quicker than most of its rivals to both 60 MPH and quarter-mile mark.

Out on the road, the manual transmission is a hoot to drive and will the ride, a lot more enjoyable than the automatic version. The motor provides enough oomph for that odd overtake and you will never run out of power, at any moment.

The EcoBoost Mustang is the only car that matches the Nissan in performance, even managing to do better when it can, all thanks to the EcoBoost 4-cylinder. It pulls ahead of the group owing to its sheer torque. The Camaro follows behind with Dodge Challenger in their rear-view mirror.

What about the Braking performance?

The braking on the Nissan is quite good, although the brake pedal isn’t the best around. The travel is long and the feel is lacking. Still, this is a really competent car, even on the track, and even though it is heavy, it comes to a halt from 70 MPH in 186 feet. The 60-0MPH figures are even more impressive with the Nissan taking just 113ft, to stop from the same distance.

Talking about the feel, nose dive is evident but isn't pronounced. We would have preferred better brakes but still, for normal street use, you won't find much to complain about.

In terms of braking, there isn’t much difference between all the cars here. They manage to pull similar figures even with their relatively diverse weights and brakes. The Ford and the Chevy fall short of the Nissan’s braking figures but the Dodge seems to better the Nissan in this respect.

How well does the 370Z Ride and Handle?

Nissan wants the 370Z, to drive and handle like a proper sports car. Hence, they haven't messed on the driving dynamics of this coupe by adding electronics and spoiling the mechanical feel of driving this coupe. The steering is light and precise for the most part. The upside to this is that you don’t need much effort to steer and change lanes. Except for the base trim, the car gets a limited-slip differential which drives ups the fun factor. Owing to the lovely V6, you can throw this car around the track and it won't feel out of place.

The Smooth Clutch, Good power, and Active rev-matching makes for a comfortable driving experience on the City and makes for easy overtakes through traffic. However, step hard on the Gas Pedal and you may find the Coarseness of the Motor creep inside the cabin, more often than you would want to. You can throw this Nissan on the corners, without much worry, owing to the relatively lower amount of body roll on offer.

If you don’t want to compromise on fuel efficiency but still enjoy some good performance, there aren’t many cars that would fit the bill. Thankfully, the 370Z is a sipper, sipping just 1 gallon every 26 miles on the highway, a very respectable figure. City efficiency takes a hit though, reaching just 19 miles per gallon. However, if you couple these figures, with the massive 19-gallon fuel tank capacity of the Nissan, you will have at least 320 miles of driving range on hands.

The EcoBoost Mustang stands well to its name, being quite economical, but it can’t beat the little Chevy. The Dodge is one of the least frugal sports cars in the segment with just 23MPG of combined MPG figures.

The 2020 Nissan 370Z comes with just 2 seats, as should all 2-door coupes, as the rear seats are usually entirely unusable. While the seats are fairly comfortable, taller people might have a little trouble finding the sweet spot for their seats. Want some advice? Either don’t have a family when buying this car or have a different car for the family.

The interior materials are quite premium though, and you can easily forget that you’re in a budget car. The front seats are well-padded and supportive and offer a level of comfort not usually seen in cars of this price bracket. The base model doesn’t have active noise cancellation, which means the cabin gets a bit loud when driving fast. Other than that, vibrations, if ever noticeable, can sometimes creep into the cabin.

Coupe cars rarely have usable space in the rear seats, and that tradition is well followed in this segment. But with that trend in mind, the Dodge fares better than all the other coupes in this test and can even seat 4 people in it.

Is the Cargo Area decent for a coupe in its class?

Just like the rear seats, the trunk is cramped too. The 6.9 cubic feet can only fit two or three bags, which considering the “real” seating capacity, seems like Nissan hopes for the 370Z customer to never use it for anything other than a leisure drive.

On the inside, there are a sufficient number of storage spaces on the inside. You have a sufficient number of cup holders and bottle holders and storage spaces for keeping nifty things.

Dodge Challenger puts its large dimensions to good use here, offering the largest boot in the segment. The Pony follows behind closely, with a proper utilitarian cargo area and is then followed by its arch-rival, the Camaro. Nissan is the last of the lot here.

How good is the Infotainment system?

Like all modern-day cars, Nissan is bundling the 2020 370Z, with a modern touchscreen infotainment system. While you miss out on some basic features like inbuilt navigation, Apple Car Play, and Android Auto, you get all other connectivity options like USB, AUX, Bluetooth and more. The Interface is decent and sunlight legibility is good as well.

• 7" Touchscreen Infotainment system with Nissan Voice Recognition
• SiriusXM radio with traffic and Weather subscription
• Bose 8 Speaker Audio system
• MP3/WMA/DVD playback
• USB and Aux inputs
• Bluetooth telephony and music streaming

Creature comforts on offer?

Despite being a sports car, the 2020 Nissan 370Z, comes with plenty of features on the inside. Some of the most noteworthy features include the following

• Tilt adjust leather-wrapped Steering wheel with mounted audio controls
• Auto temperature control with in-cabin microfilter
• Power windows with one-touch up-down feature
• Nissan intelligent key with push-button start
• Auto-dimming IRVM with Homelink universal transceiver
• 4-way power-adjustable front seat
• Leather-appointed heated seats
• Cruise control and a rearview camera
• Leather-wrapped gear shift knob and parking brake lever

The Z takes its name and molds it into the exterior design. The zigzag headlamps and taillamps look extremely distinctive, and you will never confuse this car with something else, even if you will among its different model years. The Nismo variant looks the same except for the additional aero body kit and better-looking alloys.

The 370Z has always been a small car, and even with strict competition from the likes of the American Majors, the little Nissan feels extremely compact. Behind the wheel, the weight of the car simply disappears, and there is absolutely no effort required to drive this car. Owing to its small dimensions, tiny wheelbase, and sweet power output, you can easily hustle this car in the city. Even squeezing it into tight spots isn’t much of a hassle, all you need is a little patience.

The Challenger hauls the most metal and consequently is the heaviest and the largest in here. The Chevy is closely matched to the Nissan in terms of dimensions, followed closely by the Mustang. The Camaro, holds a comfortable middle ground here, being neither tiny nor enormous.

Noteworthy features on the outside?

Speaking of the features, there are plenty of highlights on the outside of the 370Z coupe that'll keep you hooked to it. Some of the most standout highlights includes the following listed features

• Variable intermittent windshield wipers
• Auto On-Off Bi-functional HID Xenon headlights with LED DRL's
• LED Taillights
• Body-colored powered, heated ORVM's
• Rear window defroster
• 19" forged alloys by Rays
• Rear spoiler

Despite being a sportscar, Nissan has ensured that the 2020 370Z, comes loaded to the brim with a plethora of safety features as standard. While the NHTSA and IIHS are yet to rate the “Fairlady”, here is the list of features that will enhance the peace of mind of the occupants inside the Nissan

• Dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors
• Driver and passenger seat mounted side-impact supplemental air bags
• Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags for occupant head protection
• Vehicle Dynamic Control with Traction Control System
• Seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters
• 3-point ALR/ELR passenger seat belt system (ELR for the driver)
• Active head restraints
• Energy-absorbing steering column
• Top tether anchors
• Zone body construction with front and rear crumple zones
• Hood buckling creases
• Aluminum side-door guard beams
• Tire pressure monitoring system

Nissan 370Z vs Dodge Challenger

The Dodge Challenger forms one part of the trio of Legendary American muscle cars that have been dominating the entry sportscar segment in the US. The Challenger is plenty more spacious and practical than the Nissan and offers a higher set of features as well when compared to the Nissan. The Dodge can seat 4 people as well while the Nissan can seat only 2. However, if you look from an enthusiast and sportcar perspective, it’s the Nissan that beats the Dodge, courtesy of its engaging handling, superior performance and better dynamics overall.

Nissan 370Z vs Ford Mustang

The EcoBoost Mustang is the car that closely matches the Nissan in terms of power. It may be a 4-pot motor, but it is fed by a pair of turbochargers. The result is a 310-horsepower output from a tiny 2.3-liter engine. The Mustang is also considerably lighter, which translates to better performance and fuel economy as well. Overall, the Mustang is a better option. The downfall of the EcoBoost though is one that isn’t even the car's fault. Buying this car causes sudden trolls to appear near you, claiming you made the worst choice in the world by not buying the gas guzzling V8. If you’re the kind of person who cares a lot about other people's’ opinions, then steer clear of this car.

While there are a lot of affordable sports cars in the market right now, very few stand up to the 2020 Nissan 370Z. The 370Z offers Japanese Reliability, great build and a true unadulterated sports car experience, courtesy of the lack of driving aids that hamper the driving experience. With the anniversary trim that celebrates the “Z” brand’s existence for the past 50 years, you do get exclusivity by owning one as well. So, if you don’t want to burn a deep hole in your pocket and still want to enjoy the thrills of a proper front engine, rear wheel drive sports car, then there is no looking behind from the 2020 Nissan 370Z Coupe.