What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Nissan Z? What does it compare to?
The 2025 Nissan Z is a two-door, rear-wheel-drive sports car. Compare it to the Ford Mustang and Toyota Supra.
Is the 2025 Nissan Z a good car?
It’s a lot of fun, if hardly a practical choice. The 2025 Nissan Z scores points for its willing handling and excellent acceleration, earning a TCC Rating of 5.8 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2025 Nissan Z?
Not much, aside from some new paint colors.
The Z’s long-hood, short tail proportions are classic sports car—and classic Z. Its styling nods back to the late 1960s and early 1970s 240Z, which was by all accounts a very pretty coupe. The latest model looks a bit heavy in its rear haunches and its rectangular air intake up front seems a bit slapped on, but otherwise it’s timeless, elegant, and very sporty looking. Inside, the driver-centric dash wears a relatively big screen measuring 8.0 or 9.0 inches, depending on the trim, with a simple, if not exactly cutting-edge, infotainment system.
Underhood, the Z makes use of a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 rated at 400 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, which goes to the rear wheels through a slick-shifting 6-speed manual with rev-matching or a rapid-fire 9-speed automatic gearbox. Either gearbox is well-suited to the Z, though the springy clutch and no-lift shifts offered by the manual make it our default choice.
The Nismo version has a buttoned-down suspension and additional chassis bracing that gives it a firm, but not too rough, ride. Its version of the V-6 is rated at 420 hp and 384 lb-ft, and it has a special Sport+ mode to help wring out its 9-speed automatic. Sadly, there’s no Nismo manual.
The Z rips through corners with predictability, even if the engine can be a bit slow to rev up unless you’ve downshifted early. Nismo versions are track stars with their extra power and additional aero tweaks, but no Z is a slouch.
Fuel economy is actually better than 400-plus hp might suggest. Automatic transmission models offer up to 28 mpg on the highway; most versions check in between 19 and 22 mpg combined.
Inside, the Z has enough space for two passengers to be reasonably comfortable, but with just shy of seven cubic feet of cargo space it is hardly a road-trip machine. Some of Nissan’s interior materials are a bit low-rent, too, though the Z remains a stellar value. It’s even better when you consider that it comes with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitors, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warnings. There’s no surround-view camera system, though, which is a shame given how bad over-the-shoulder vision is.
How much does the 2025 Nissan Z cost?
Including a mandatory $1,140 destination charge, the Z runs $44,110 to start in base Sport trim. That’s with either a manual or automatic transmission, and it includes manually adjustable cloth seats, an 8.0-inch touchscreen wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and 18-inch alloy wheels.
The step-up Performance model tosses in power adjustments for the front seats, which are heated and wrapped in leather with synthetic suede inserts. It also includes a limited-slip differential and 19-inch alloy wheels, though the $10,000 upcharge for these features seems egregious.
At $66,890, the top Nismo is a proper performance car, but it’s a rounding error away from a base Corvette.
Where is the 2025 Nissan Z made?
In Japan.
