Nissan 370Z Roadster (10 on) - Review

The Roadster delivers a harsh ride: Nissan has done well to retain the rigidity of the Coupe but in so doing has made things a little too stiff. On lumpy surfaces the convertible will throw you around and if comfort is your top priority you’ll be better off with a BMW Z4 or even a Mercedes-Benz SLK. On the motorway you’ll get plenty of road and engine roar coming through to the cabin, which can get irritating over longer distances and if you have the roof down you get a fair bit of buffeting. It can also be a tiring car to drive in traffic due to the heavy controls: it requires a delicate touch to stop it kangarooing. On the plus side, there's plenty of interior space for the two occupants - including good headroom - and the seats offer excellent side support while still being soft enough for long-distance comfort. Both seats are electrically adjustable as standard and all models have climate control. There's also a knee pad on the central tunnel for both the driver and passenger, which is useful for more enthusiastic driving.

This is not the Roadster’s strong point. First up, the car has to be stationary to operate the hood, which can be a pain particularly when you consider that rival systems often allow drivers to raise or lower the lid at speeds up to around 30mph. The folding roof mechanism has also eaten into the rear space so the 140-litre boot is really only useful for a couple of overnight bags. There's a handy cubby between the seats, however, and cars without sat nav get a large storage box on the central console. The door pockets and glovebox are a little small though.

The convertible offers a nice, low-slung driving position that even taller drivers will enjoy. Sadly there’s no reach adjustment on the steering wheel but there is quite a lot of flexibility on seat settings. The driver's seat also has pronounced side bolsters for hold in corners along with extra under thigh support. The interior uses high quality materials and the top models get stitched leather covering on the centre console. The deep-set instruments and three extra dials on top of the dash add to the performance feel.