Nissan 350Z

After years in the wilderness Nissan has made a properly sorted and internationally appealing sportscar called the Nissan 350Z. It’s far from perfect, but the rawness and emotion it dishes up is almost unique in this price range.

• Comfort

  Ride comfort isn't great in the stiffly sprung and unforgiving 350Z, but the refined and ergonomically logical cabin means it's still a place you can get very used to.

  

• Performance

  Nissan's 3.5-litre V6 provides the Z with 230kW, making it good for a limited 250km/h and capable of hitting 100km/h in under six seconds. The real selling point of this drive train, however, is the feel and the sounds as you get there.

  

• Cool

  The 350Z still stands out for its beefy, unusual styling and gets cool points just for not being a BMW or Porsche. Those in the know appreciate how raw it is too, so they'll give you the nod.

  

• Quality

  Despite the use of some plastics us Aussies tend to baulk at in a sportscar, the 350Z is sodding well stuck together and isn't going to give you any grief. The only thing you will be replacing with any regularity is rear tyres.

  

• Handling

  The 350Z is not a car to be trifled with, being compact, powerful and rear-wheel drive. It transmits its intentions slowly and clearly, but a regular one of those is power oversteer. Go carefully.

  

• Practicality

  There are a fair few clever storage solutions around the cosy cockpit, but the boot is massively hampered by a huge rear strut brace. A real afterthought by Nissan, that one, but at least it handles as a result.

  

• Running costs

  There's no hiding from the 350Z's lack of frugality. Large capacity V6 and a perennial urge to be gunned means you'll be filling up nigh-on daily. And set aside some savings for more rear rubber.