Driver's Seat: Nissan's 370Z NISMO is sporty fun

2015 Nissan 370Z NISMO Tech:

Small wonder?

Price: $46,425 as tested. (No options. A base Z Coupe starts at $29,990.)

Marketer's pitch: "Innovation that excites."

Conventional wisdom: Edmunds.com liked the "excellent handling; cool rev-matching manual transmission; strong V6; high-quality interior; relatively low price" but not the "V6's lack of refinement; intrusive road noise; big blind spots; Nismo's harsh ride quality."

Reality: A pretty fun toy.

What's new: The 370Z has roots that reach all the way back into the late 1960s and early 1970s as the Datsun 240Z. The evolution has been strong since then, with each increase in number signifying an increase in engine size (i.e., the 370's V-6's displacement is 3.7 liters).

Sizewise, though, the 370 may be closer to the original: I was struck by how tiny the 370Z really was.

The 2015 model gets a refreshed look. The NISMO is the Nissan Motorsports super hot road version, and its advances squeeze 18 more horsepower out of the engine, among other things.

Up to speed: The V-6 creates 350 horsepower and 276 foot-pounds of torque, rocketing the 3,300-pound sports car onto highways in a hurry, as expected, and beyond accepted speed limits in a hurry as well.

Each gear has plenty of power, so downshifts are rarely needed, but they create even more power if you really wish to play. I didn't find the V-6 as bothersome as Edmunds did.

On the road: The 370Z handles like a dream, as a low-slung sports car like this should. Winding country roads are a delight.

Shifty: The six-speed manual has nice, closely spaced gears that are easy to change.

Numbers on the dashboard tell what gear the vehicle is in, even before the clutch is released. This helps keep from hitting 2nd instead of 4th or 4th instead of 6th.

I find the clutches in sports cars (370Z, RX-8, MX-5) do not agree with me. Perhaps it's something about the seat angle, but I must work hard to get nice, smooth releases. A new seven-speed automatic is also available, but even with my clutch troubles, I'll still make fun of you if you buy one.

In and out: These toy cars sit low to the ground, and thus can be difficult for even 45-year-olds in decent shape (as I like to tell myself I am) to enter and exit.

Driver's Seat: A skinny seat with tall bolsters - a la the Juke NISMO I tested earlier - makes for tight quarters. At 5-foot-10 and 175, I'm about at the upper limits.

The bolster wings also make shifting a hair more awkward, as drivers have to reach around them.

Adjustments were all manual in my test car and none was available for lumbar, so my kidneys felt a little jabbed all week long.

Comfort: The wheel does tilt, but it does not telescope, making driving comfort more of a challenge. Even in sport mode, though, I found the ride not so uncomfortable for a sports car.

Visibility: I have spent almost 30 years behind the wheel obsessively watching the traffic around me. (Looks in rearview mirror: "OK, blue Explorer, white Caravan, silver Camry on left.")

This pays off well in the Z, because the opera windows are for decoration, and the rear window only gives a peek at the bumper of the car behind you.

Wet weather: I never had the chance to drive the Z in snow, but I did have it out in the rain in the fall, and it handled wet leaves without incident.

Night shift: Bright overhead lights interfered just a bit with driving.

Friends and stuff: Just two seats. Choose wisely.

The hatchback has room for some storage, but not a lot (6.9 cubic feet, says the spec sheet). Four pizza boxes fit back there nicely, all spread out, but the vehicle lacks much depth for tall objects.

Information, please: The speedometer is clear enough and not so small, but it only covers part of a circle. This makes it easy to forget or misinterpret how fast you're going. So try telling that to the police officer. On the bright side, the gauges rest on the steering column, so they are always in clear view.

Fuel economy: A respectable 22 m.p.g. from this sports car. Feed the Z premium only.

Where it's built: Tochigi, Japan.

How it's built: Consumer Reports doesn't have the latest reliability data for the Z. Nissans overall, though, have spotty reliability records.

In the end: The 370Z Nismo certainly matches other sports cars I've tested for fun, and is slightly more versatile than some other two-seaters.