2024 Nissan Z NISMO Road Test and Review

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Introduced more than a half century ago as the Datsun 240Z, Nissan’s iconic Z car has long been a draw to the brand, creating a performance halo for the entire lineup. The 1970 240Z established the genre for popular-priced, two-seat grand touring coupes that expanded in the 1970s through the 1990s to include notable competitors such as the Toyota Supra and Mazda RX-7.

Sporting design cues that hark back to the original 240Z, Nissan debuted the seventh-generation Z for the 2023 model year sporting a 400-horsepower twin-turbo V6. Back this year is an even more powerful Z car, the Z NISMO. NISMO, short for Nissan Motorsports, is Nissan’s in-house performance and racing division.

The current lineup consists of the Z Sport, Z Performance, and Z NISMO. Including the $1,140 destination charge, base prices include $44,110 for the Z Sport, $54,110 for the Z Performance, and $66,890 for the Z NISMO.

Twin-Turbo V6 Gets Extra Zip

The Z NISMO’s direct-injected twin-turbo 4.0-liter, double-overhead-cam V6 is tuned to 420 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, increases of 5 percent and nearly 10 percent, respectively, compared to the 400-hp/350 lb-ft base Z engine. The NISMO version can jet from zero to 60 mph in around 4 seconds flat, a few tenths of a second faster than the regular Z. It’s unlikely that the Z NISMO's slightly more spritely 0-60 blasts will be noticeable to the average driver, although the added torque improves tip-in response around town.

The direction Nissan engineers took in creating the Z NISMO was to make a Z capable of significantly improved track performance. So, the larger intercooler, faster spinning turbos with higher boost pressure, and spark timing tailored for each of the six cylinders give the Z NISMO extra punch beneath the surface, as does the standard 9-speed automatic transmission that has been retuned for quicker shifts. The Z NISMO comes with steering wheel paddles for manual shift control, as well as downshift rev matching.

The Z NISMO sounds zoomier than other Zs, too, courtesy of a more talkative sport muffler system.

Not that performance-minded buyers will have concerns, but the Z NISMO’s EPA fuel-economy numbers drop a bit to 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway/19 mpg combined compared to the regular automatic Z's 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway/22 mpg combined rating.

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

NISMO Gives the Z Some Track Cred

The track-ready Z also gets a NISMO-tuned aluminum double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension with stiffer springs, as well as gas-charged monotube shocks with larger-sized pistons. Stopping power is enhanced with larger brakes with red-painted Akebono 4-piston fixed aluminum calipers and vented 15-inch rotors up front and 2-piston aluminum calipers with vented 13.8-inch rotors at the rear. Gripping the tarmac are extra-sticky Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600 P255/40R19 front and P285/35R19 summer performance tires, and they wrap exclusive extra-wide Rays forged-aluminum wheels.

NISMO-tuned steering delivers a more linear response to inputs, as well. The beefed-up underpinnings work with a stiffer, structurally enhanced body to reduce flex and improve response to driver inputs with strategically placed reinforcements for the front and rear suspension.

The Z NISMO's underbody enhancements are capped off with aerodynamic aids designed to add stability and downforce at higher speeds. These include front canard winglets at the edges of the front lower fascia ahead of the front wheel openings, stabilizing ground-effects side sills, air splitters at the rear lower fascia, and a taller, wider rear spoiler for greater rear wheel downforce at higher speeds. The aero panels are highlighted with a red accent stripe around the Z NISMO's lower edges.

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Retro Cabin

As with the base seventh-generation Z, the Z NISMO juxtaposes modern and retro styling cues in the cabin. You'll see both an electronic shifter for the 9-speed automatic transmission and an old-school lever-type handbrake on the console.

Switchgear is straightforward and easy to access. Three physical knobs give the driver and front passenger access to adjustments to the standard automatic climate control.

There’s a real glovebox in the dash ahead of the passenger seat, not just a difficult-to-access parcel box behind the front seats. On the console, there’s a small flat surface ahead of the shifter that's big enough to place a cellphone, but there's no wireless charging. The console also offers a pair of cup holders, with one being hidden under the sliding center armrest (which also flips up for access to a small storage bin).

NISMO enhancements include anodized red start/stop and drive mode buttons, aluminum-trimmed pedals, an Alcantara and leather-wrapped steering wheel with a red stripe at the 12-o’clock position, faux-suede door panel inserts, and red accent stitching on the steering wheel and seats.

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Take Your Seat

As you might expect, the Z NISMO’s standard Recaro seats provide added bolstering for enhanced lateral support when cornering. The headrests are fixed but offer extra clearance for wearing a helmet. These seats are also quite comfortable for daily use with multiple adjustments, but they aren’t power assisted – or heated and cooled for that matter. The lack of power adjustability for the Z NISMO's front seats is probably not a big deal because most Z NISMO owners likely won’t want to share their performance baby with others, so once adjusted to the owners liking, there’s little need for frequent changes. 

The driver’s seat is 8-way adjustable manually, including for seat height and bottom cushion tilt. The front passenger seat is adjustable for seatback recline and fore/aft bottom cushion movement only. The seats feature leather coverings with Alcantara inserts and are not as rigid as the performance seats in some competing models, managing a good balance of comfort and support. 

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Configurable Gauges

As with the base Nissan Z, the Z NISMO features a fully digital driver display. The bright and colorful TFT meter features driver-configurable gauges that include a large, prominent tachometer, digital speedometer, engine oil temperature, coolant temperature, transmission fluid temperature, and differential oil temperature, turbo boost pressure gauge, a trip computer, as well as a selectable G-force meter that will display how aggressively the Z NISMO has been accelerating, cornering, and braking.

Harking back to the first Datsun Z more than a half century ago, the new Z features an additional bank of traditional analog gauges atop the center of the dash, angled toward the driver. Unlike the gauges in front of the driver, these are physical ones and consist of a turbocharger boost gauge, a turbocharger speed gauge, and a voltmeter.

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

User-Friendly Infotainment

The Z NISMO gets the larger of two available infotainment touchscreens, a 9-inch one with high resolution and sharp graphics. It’s simple to use, too, and is within convenient reach of both the driver and passenger. It also includes analog rotary volume and tuning knobs for easy, on-the-fly adjustments that don’t take your eyes off the road. In the Z NISMO, navigation with traffic updates is standard.

There are two USB ports for charging and streaming above the console, one traditional USB-A and a smaller, faster USB-C. The Z NISMO also comes with wireless Apple CarPlay, so for iPhone users who want to switch over to Apple Maps and Siri voice prompts, there’s no need for bulky USB cables cluttering the interior. Those with Android phones, however, will need to plug into one of the USB ports.

Musical accompaniment is provided by a rich-sounding, 8-speaker Bose stereo, an upgrade from the 6-speaker system in the base Z Sport. In the Z NISMO, the audio speakers are used to add Active Sound Enhancement to the 420-hp NISMO V6’s already lively sound track, accenting the engine exhaust sounds at higher rpm and wider throttle openings as well as delicious crackles and pops when lifting off the throttle. These same speakers work with an active noise cancellation system to tamp down unwanted noises, such as low-rpm rumbling.

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Generous Driver-Assistance Tech

One of the biggest advancements compared to past Z car iterations is the new model’s extensive standard safety and driver-assistance technology. This includes a backup camera, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear sonar parking sensors, a driver alertness monitor, and automatic high-beam assistance.

Being a sports car with a low seating position and a steeply sloping rear window, outward visibility is not the Z's strong suit. Here, the blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert systems are a big help, essentially giving the driver eyes in the back his or her head. Also, the ground-effects aerodynamic bodywork that helps the Z NISMO stick so well at speed protrudes from the body and sits low to the ground, making it susceptible to damage from curbs and parking lot dividers. The front and rear parking sensors warn the driver of these obstacles and can help prevent damaging the low-hanging bodywork. The new Z’s backup camera, however, does not display an overhead view of the car and its surroundings as it does with some other models.

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Along for the Ride

It's obvious the Z NISMO is not an SUV, and you likely have another vehicle you use for practical, everyday driving. That said, the Z features a wide rear hatch opening which allows you to carry a couple of airport roller bags or a few bags of groceries. There’s just 6.9 cubic feet of cargo space in the Z. Its usability is diminished by its irregular shape, shallow floor, steep sloping hatch glass, and intrusive but functional cross-body support bar. But the space is better than that offered in a Mazda Miata. Just know that large items won’t fit, as a musician in our local Z club discovered when her cello case proved too bulky.

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Nissan Z vs. Toyota GR Supra

Head-to-head competitors for decades, the latest iterations of the Nissan Z and Toyota GR Supra have a lot to offer the enthusiast driver. The Supra has a slight edge in acceleration, is more fuel-efficient according to the EPA, offers marginally more balanced front/rear weight distribution, and gives drivers a choice of a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission.

The Nissan Z gives buyers the option of a 6-speed manual or 9-speed automatic gearbox, but not in the more potent NISMO iteration. More importantly for an enthusiast car, the new Z is all-Nissan to the core, whereas the GR Supra borrows BMW chassis and powertrain mechanicals right down to an in-line six cylinder that’s shared with the BMW Z4.

Styling is always measured in the eyes of the beholder, but to these eyes, the 2024 Nissan Z is a cleaner design that holds true to the original 240Z and avoids the GR Supra’s exaggerated bodywork and odd angles.

2023 Toyota GR Supra ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Final Thoughts

For a lot of reasons, the 2024 Nissan Z NISMO is a collectible toy best used for special occasions and epic drives. Its $65,750 price tag is a huge $22,780 jump from the $42,970 base model Z’s and puts it in the same ball park as base versions of other highly regarded two-seaters, such as the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and the Porsche 918 Cayman and Boxster.

From a performance standpoint, the Z NISMO’s modest additional horsepower and torque over that of the standard Z won’t grab your attention, but 0-60 blasts using the standard launch control are entertaining, and the limited-slip rear differential really hooks up. In daily around-town driving, you will notice the Z NISMO’s stiffer ride quality and the propensity of the soft-compound Dunlop summer performance tires to be noisy and pick up loose stones. Elevated limit handling on the track and, where safe, twisty back roads are where the NISMO shines, although not with the explosive drama of the soon-to-be discontinued 565-hp Nissan GT-R coupe.

Having a manual-transmission option would be a plus with traditional sports car fans, but frankly, the NISMO-modified automatic – especially when in Sport+ mode – does everything a good driver would do in terms of gear selection and matched engine revs, only faster.

The 2024 Nissan Z NISMO is the ultimate expression of the current-generation Z. Its limited production means it will continue to be sought after by sports car fans and the Z faithful now and for years to come, increasing its value in the marketplace. 

2024 Nissan Z NISMO ・ Photo by Ron Sessions