Nissan Z Coupe 2023 Review

The ground-hugging 2023 Nissan Z Coupe – or Fairlady Z as it’s called in Japan – is priced from $73,300 plus on-road costs in Australia for either the manual or automatic model.

There was a limited-run Z Proto Spec available from launch in September 2022, priced at $80,700 plus ORCs and fitted with forged 19-inch bronze alloy wheels and yellow brake callipers to match the exclusive Ikazuchi Yellow exterior paint, with a colour-coded cabin as well. But it sold out quick-smart.

The manual transmission version was expected to be the cog-swapper of choice for early adopters, and Nissan Australia’s managing director, Adam Paterson, has since told us that “approximately 70 per cent of the orders are for the manual”.

Nissan had sold around 1200 Z Coupes to the end of 2022, but only delivered 129 as at December 31 as global demand for the high-performance Japanese scorcher continues to build. Indeed, if you place an order today, you could be waiting up to 12 months to take delivery.

“We’re just shy of 1200 units and the goal is to clear those within a year,” said Paterson, adding that the importer is “working to make that as fast as possible” to get them delivered here via Japan.

Zed heads will be all over the details, but for the record your $73K for the 2023 Nissan Z Coupe buys you 19-inch RAYS forged alloy wheels – but no spare tyre – shod with Bridgestone Potenza S007 tyres (255/40 front and 275/35 R19 rear) and a number of weapons-grade powertrain and chassis goodies.

The twin-turbo 3.0-litre petrol V6 pumps through a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic (both augmented with set-and-forget launch control) sending power to the rear wheels via mechanical limited-slip differential.

Manual versions come with a lightweight carbon-fibre drive shaft to improve power delivery and reduce rotating mass, while an EXEDY performance clutch and downshift rev-matching are also part of the standard package.

Less exciting but more frequently used equipment includes dual-zone automatic climate control, twin digital screens, electric-folding and heated wing mirrors and attractive front sports seats with leather-accented trim and heating elements.

The only options available are colour choices, with premium paint costing $700 extra, rising to $1200 with a contrasting roof. There are nine exterior colours but only one, Rosewood metallic red, is free.

It’s a shame there’s no brake upgrade or aero kit option, but Nissan execs say these addons may come later.

Aftersales support comprises a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty while 10,000km or 12-month service intervals apply. Capped-price servicing is offered with 60,000km or six annual services costing $2965 for the manual ($2984 for the auto).

Like some other dedicated sports cars – the Ford Mustang and Subaru BRZ among them – the safety equipment in the 2023 Nissan Z is not as comprehensive as you’ll find in other vehicles.

There’s no active lane keeping system, for example, but the Z does come with blind spot and lane departure warnings, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), rear cross traffic alert and automatic high beam assist for the LED headlights, along with front, side and curtain airbags for both occupants.

There’s also adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition nullifying highway monotony, plus front and rear parking sensors reducing parking stress.

As commonly found with sports cars, there’s no ANCAP safety rating for the new Nissan Z, and it may not ever be put through the rigours of the independent crash testing regime.

The new Zed – or Zee if you’re from North America – delivers a generally pure driving experience that hasn’t been contaminated by technology for technology’s sake.

But the 2023 Nissan Z still has plenty of cool tech that make everyday use easier and more engaging.

While the 8.0-inch central touch-screen is nothing to celebrate (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay improve the situation) and doesn’t even get sat-nav, the 12.3-inch digital driver’s display gets the juices flowing every time you ignite the engine.

It has several different modes including Sport, which provides a large central tachometer, complete with shift lights that peripherally alert you to impending clutch action.

The most important and expensive element of the seventh-generation 2023 Nissan Z is the engine, and it’s a belter.

Dubbed the VR30DDTT internally by Nissan and initially developed by Infiniti and launched in 2015 in high-end Q50 sedan and Q60 coupe models, the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 generates enough gristle to lay dirty great big elevensies at the drop of a hat.

It’s an engaging engine that rides a fat wave of torque from low revs yet loves to spin to its almost-7000rpm rev limit.

While the engine is far from new or innovative, it generates a hearty 298kW at 6400rpm and maintains a chunky 475Nm of torque between 1600rpm and 5600rpm.

The V6 is fed by a pair of Garrett MGT1446 turbos which are tiny (smaller than the factory-fitted Z32 Nissan 300ZX turbochargers) and designed for efficiency rather than power, which leaves owners with the option of turning to the aftermarket for a turbo upgrade.

The engine also comes with a pair of water-to-air intercoolers plus transmission and engine oil coolers.

Piston heads will already know the engine features twin overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and that fuelling is direct injection.

The launch control system on manual models allows drivers to flat shift through gears, and while Nissan will not confirm internal 0-100km/h sprint times – mainly because it’s slower than the Toyota Supra (4.1sec) – the author managed consistent 4.8sec runs. That said, more brutal drivers should be able to touch 4.6sec.

For those who aren’t deft heel-and-toe maestros, the rev-matching system is pretty cool and adds plenty of drama when downshifting on snaking, challenging roads.

Nissan missed an opportunity to add even more driver engagement via a throaty exhaust note, with the engine acoustics best described as mild mannered. But, again, it’s nothing an aftermarket hot dog ’zorst couldn’t fix…

If fuel efficiency is high on your priority list you may be barking up the wrong tree, because as good as the new 2023 Nissan Z Coupe is at pedestrian speeds, it’s a pitbull that’s all muscle and built for speed and aggression.

As such, it tends to guzzle like your loose cousin during the festive season.

The fuel economy claim is 10.8L/100km for this manual coupe (the auto is 9.8L/100km), and given the 62-litre fuel tank the Z should be able to cover around 600km of ground, give or take.

The reality during this test was around 400km per tank.

Badged the Fairlady Z in Japan because, well, driving it should feel like dancing with a lovely lady apparently, the 2023 Nissan Z does like to boogie, no doubt about it.

But the new Zed is more of a head-banging punk-rocker babe than a fairlady.

The car’s rather mature ‘FM’ platform architecture and underpinnings combine with its muscular engine and the slick-shifting manual gearbox to deliver a raw but ultimately satisfying driving experience.

If you want a fun car to drive, one that can bite back and needs to be tamed at times, look no further.

You sit very low, close enough to the road to touch it should you decide to remove the doors, Mini Moke style, and acceleration is dramatic.

Rowing through the gears makes you feel like you’ve won a high-stakes game of poker, such is the exultation, and while the gearbox shift action is somewhat heavy and coarse, this only adds to its old-school persona, one that requires skill to exploit.

There’s reasonable rear-end grip under full throttle, and while the Bridgestone Potenza S007 tyres deliver good grip overall, they’re no Michelin Pilot Sports, which would be a wise upgrade, methinks.

Even with traction control engaged, the rear-end can get a little squirrelly punching out of corners with the throttle wide open, and while the Toyota Supra is not immune to such vagaries (the joys of turbo sixes!) the Nissan feels a little looser and can be unsettled by mid-corner bumps and imperfections.

If the road surface is a bit rough the Z can be more challenging to extract maximum performance.

The engine is very tractable and super-effective at getting its power to the road, but if you wag the tail too much or get caught out the rear-drive hottie can be unforgiving, even with a mechanical LSD.

But this was the exception and not the rule; 90 per cent of the spirited driving undertaken during this seven-day test was an exercise in endorphin release, the Nissan sitting flat through corners and telegraphing how the wheels were interacting with the road surface clearly.

The steering rack is direct, and while it could use more weight to it, there’s a sense of proactive energy surrounding it. Indeed, there’s plenty of confidence in the front-end via tyre grip and the plucky brakes which stood up to repeated punishment.

How they’ll feel after a day on the racetrack is unclear but likely not great.

The new Z is a blast from the past in some ways, delivering the sort of involvement that high-tech, overly-assisted modern sports cars cannot offer.

It’s not perfect in a dynamic sense, but given the price difference between it and the Supra, I’d be leaning towards the Nissan for sure.

Despite being based on the same underpinnings as its predecessor, the 2023 Nissan Z feels pretty fresh inside – assuming you haven’t come straight out of a 370Z, in which case there will be a few similarities in the layout.

But the new power-adjustable sports seats are comfortable and supportive, the twin digital screens look great and the eight-speaker Bose audio system is a belter.

You get USB-A and USB-C ports, and while there’s no wireless phone charger and more hard plastics than in the Toyota Supra, it still makes you feel special every time you hunker down.

Around town, the ground-hugging coupe has more suspension compliance than its predecessor, the Nissan 370Z, and is easier to live with by and large.

But it’s by no means the perfect daily driver.

Sight lines are pitiful with obscured vision in every direction – even the interior mirror blocks your view to the left slightly, due to the rake of the windscreen and low positioning.

The boot is small and incidental storage is minimal. But, hey, if want more of those you should be shopping for cookie-cutter SUV…

With limited resources, Nissan has managed to execute an appealing sports car with the 2023 Nissan Z Coupe.

The engine is the hero, delivering implacable propulsion and pace at all engine speeds, but on the right road (a smooth one, preferably) it’s hugely entertaining and very quick point-to-point.

The design is also a highlight, building on the storied Z-car legacy that reaches back five decades.

And with a price point that undercuts the Toyota Supra by a significant margin, expect high levels of customer demand to continue.

The 2023 Nissan Z Coupe is not perfect and, sure, there are some legacy elements that 370Z owners will recognise.

But given the two-door coupe is an endangered species, where utes, SUVs and EVs continue to vie for dominance in the new-car marketplace, it’s mission accomplished for Nissan.

I really enjoyed my time driving this car and am already looking forward to hopefully being involved in the Nissan Z versus Toyota Supra comparison brawl. Viva la Nippon sports car!

2023 Nissan Z Coupe at a glance:
Price: $73,300 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Output: 298kW/475Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 10.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 285g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested