11-02-2025
2024 Nissan Z NISMO Review: The wild child of affordable performance
From the legendary 240Z to the iconic 350Z's tuner culture, the Z has always danced to its beat, a driver's delight, pure and simple. Decades later, the 2024 Z NISMO continues this very legacy of an unapologetically driver-focused ethos.
Its heart, a 420-hp twin-turbo V6, pumps adrenaline through a track-honed chassis for a NISMO-like experience. The track-ready attitude is clear inside, too, where snug Recaro seats, red contrast stitching, and a rich Alcantara suede finish create a cockpit whose sole purpose is driving focus.
The NISMO treatment eventually goes deeper outside, where exclusive 19-inch forged alloys and a dramatic rear spoiler make a bold entrance. And starting at $65,000, it's a car we find hard to resist having in our garage. View the 19 images of this gallery on the original article
The Z NISMO gathers its strength from a tuned 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that's rated at 420 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque — a 20-hp and 34 lb-ft gain over the non-NISMO Z.
The 9-speed auto also sees revision with faster shifts and a new Sport+ mode for maximum track-attack settings. However, even though the paddle shifters make rev matching easier, the absence of a six-speed stick shift is felt, especially now with all the track-ready upgrades.
All 420 horsepower is sent to the rear wheels strictly, propelling the car from 0 to 60 mph in around 4.0 seconds. Still, that's slower than similar cars like the BMW Z4 (3.9 seconds) and the GR Supra 3.0 (3.9 seconds). But the Z, at its core, is far more than just outright speed.
NISMO engineers have done an excellent job tuning the suspension with unique dampers, springs, and stabilizer bars for the razor-sharp handling it so deserves. Additionally, stiffer bushings, enhanced steering rack, and revised aerodynamics (including the massive wing at the back) ensure the Z stays planted and poised throughout.
The grip equation, meanwhile, is handled by a set of wider, bespoke Dunlop SP Sport Max GT600 tires mounted on lightweight forged aluminum alloys, ensuring confidence at every turn (or hairpin).Behind the wheel, the NISMO Z is a driver's delight. Of course, it adopts a driver-centric theme, merging race-inspired aesthetics with modern conveniences, though not without compromises.
We begin with the hard-to-miss Recaro seats, trimmed in a mix of leather and Alcantara. These seats offer exceptional bolstering and support, though they are not the best for longer journeys. Meanwhile, the steering wheel feels purposeful and weighted to the liking.
The 'boy racer' aesthetics go further, with red contrast stitching, NISMO-branded accents, and a red-etched tachometer graphic giving the cabin a motorsport-y vibe. And let's not forget the starter button, finished in anodized red, that adds a small but meaningful touch to the cabin.
Nissan's cabin reveals glaring shortcomings in material quality that undermine its premium aspirations, though. While touchpoints like the steering wheel and armrests are suitably soft, the overwhelming reliance on hard, hollow plastics across lower dash panels, door trim, and console components feels unacceptably cheap for a vehicle commanding a $65,000 price tag.
These cost-cutting choices clash starkly with rivals in its class, such as the Toyota Supra, which delivers a far more cohesive, tactile, rich interior at a price point.
Nissan's 9-inch touchscreen, though equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, lags woefully behind modern standards. The interface is clunky and visually dated, with sluggish input responses and a counterintuitive menu layout that frustrates more than it assists. Compared to BMW's iDrive or Hyundai's snappy, user-friendly setup, the system feels like a relic—an afterthought in an era where seamless connectivity and crisp graphics are the the Z NISMO immediately makes its presence known with a track-focused aesthetic that's hard to ignore. Dominating up front is the signature 'G-Nose' front fascia, a throwback to the Fairlady 240ZG's design cue. Complete with bold NISMO badging and an aggressive front splitter trimmed in red, the front end sets the tone for the car.
Thankfully, the side profile retains the classic Z silhouette but spices things up with NISMO-specific upgrades. These, of course, include the gloss black 19-inch forged aluminum wheels clad in wider, even grippier Dunlop SP Sport MAXX GT600 tires and the sleek, low-slung roofline.
The 2024 Nissan Z NISMO is a thrilling reminder that raw, unfiltered driving joy still exists in an increasingly sanitized automotive world. Its turbocharged roar, razor-sharp transmission, and track-ready suspension deliver exhilarating dynamics that make it laughably easy to break the rear loose and chase tail-happy slides.
Yes, the cabin cuts corners, and the infotainment frustrates, but these flaws fade when you're carving a canyon road or hammering down a straightaway. In an era of numb EVs and overwrought tech, the Z NISMO's unapologetic focus on driver engagement feels rebellious, even heroic. While rivals like the Supra GR or Z4 offer polish and prestige, none match the Nissan's analog thrills or retro-flavored swagger. For purists who prioritize pulse-quickening fun over pampering, the Z NISMO remains a rare, glorious holdout.
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