Video: 2018 Nissan 370Z Heritage Edition Review

But for 2018, we have a new Heritage Special Edition which we're looking at right here. There are also some minor styling and mechanical tweaks. The 2018's Heritage Edition is a throwback to the 1977, Datsun 280Z, Zap Edition. Now it's a model so obscure that Nissan couldn't even provide us a photo to show you. So you're gonna have to go and Google it yourself. For 2018, it's available in two colors, yellow and black. And in this yellow model, you have black stripes down the side, black stripes in the hood, and on the inside a few yellow accent pieces. You can see that heritage edition's, yellow steering wheel, the yellow accents on the seats and the gear selector. But otherwise this is a completely base 370Z. Doesn't have the sport package. It doesn't have navigation. This is a $31,000 car, and that shows, it's like being in a time machine back to 2009. It's a base multimedia system, there's no touchscreen. You have to pair the Bluetooth through voice commands, which granted an owner would only have to do once, but there's no blind spot monitoring. There's no cross traffic alert. And that's something competitors do have, especially in the 30 to $40,000 price range, like the Camaro. And if you think the Camaro's visibility is bad, you should drive one of these. You almost need a passenger sitting shotgun the whole time. Just to tell you it's clear to back out of a parking space or to make a right turn. But forget about all that stuff. The Z is all about driving. It's a two-seater sports coupe rear wheel drive. It's got a 332 horsepower V6, it's just a cool car. When I was driving this, a little kid on the side of the street, shouted at me, "hey, Mr. nice car." And that just makes you feel good. My wife, however, she said, I looked like an idiot driving it with the stripes and everything. She actually called me a. I don't think I can say that. It's been a long time since I've driven the 370Z and I think what stood out most was just how nicely it rides. The suspension is actually pretty soft and compliant over rough roads. And I had it on a highway journey about 200 miles, but also spent a lot of time driving in the city and I never felt it uncomfortable. It doesn't crash over bumps and it doesn't jar you out of your seat. Plus you have a very nice seating position. It's high off the ground and it's not in a low to the ground like a Scion FR-S, well now the Toyota 86 or the Subaru BRZ. On the flip side of that, it's not a very engaging car to drive. And perhaps that's because this is the base model. It's not the sport package, which adds limited slip differential and 19 inch wheels of tires. This is the absolute base model and it's a little squishy in corners and it's not quick to respond. And one of the things that the 370Z is missing is just a distinctive exhaust sound. I hear a lot of engine sounds. It actually sounds like you've got your head stuck in a sewing machine. It's a very loud engine, but you're not hearing that from the exhaust. The Camaro has an optional multimode exhaust that in the various modes opens up and that is an exotic sounding V6 engine. And I wish the 370Z sounded like that. And it might, if you uncork the exhaust with an aftermarket sports exhaust, but you don't get that sound straight from the factory. (car engine revving) The most off putting characteristic about the Z on the highway is it's noise, it is just loud. There's a ton of road noise, there's a ton of wind noise. You do have trouble hearing a passenger at 70 miles an hour. A lot of auto makers have switched to turbocharged engines in their sports cars, but it's refreshing to drive the 370Z's, naturally aspirated V6. It's crisp, it's clean. There's no turbocharger lag. What's new for 2018 is an EXEDY clutch. Now you may recognize that EXEDY name from the Aftermarket and Nissan partnered with them to create a clutch that was little easier to use, your clutch take-up point was in a more natural spot and really, it doesn't drive like anything special. The clutch is fine, it has medium effort. The annoying thing about it on this model anyway, is that every time you use the clutch pedal, you hear the clutch safety switch, click on and off, and you can feel it in the clutch pedal. It's pretty annoying. The heritage edition in a few tweaks keeps the Z in the news for 2018, but it doesn't really do a whole lot to move the needle on what's under the skin, a pretty old car. But, it's still just under $32,000 and that's pretty affordable for something that looks this good. Well without the stripes anyway.