2023 Nissan Z Performance (Manual) - POV First Impressions

My long awaited first drive in the new Nissan Z. Is it worth its $53K price tag (manual with Performance Package), or is your money better spent on the manual GR Supra?
Check out @jubbalandcars for another review on this Nissan Z!
Shout-out to the kind folks at MAMA who organized the 2023 Spring Rally at Road America.
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#nissanz

[@hongkong322]

the prerelease hype to actual release of this is the biggest dropoff I have ever witnessed

[@Chilicharger665]

Because they are charging so much for a 20+ year old chassis with a 10+ year old engine. They could have competed with a lower price, but they got greedy.

[@Zygrene]

Can't argue there. The hype train came to a halt real quick. Still a good base platform, but needs a lot of help from the aftermarket (for the way I like to drive)

[@ricepony33]

Nissan is struggling once again.

[@kasio22B]

People notice. I have not seen a single one on the road since it released.

[@NDEEZMiata]

@@Chilicharger665 for real. 40k for an open diff car with 400hp. 50k for the trim you want. SS 1LE destroys this car for the same money or less. The GR86/Miata are better value. Or for a little more you can get a manual Supra. This car should have been 40k loaded. Tedward just reviewed one and said it felt really similar to his 350z…. anyone wanting a Z should just go pickup a 370z at this point. Other than the power/turbo seems to be largely the same driving experience.

[@antonakis79ohyes]

Best to-the-point, no bs car reviews on KZbin. Been following you since your early S2000 days. Keep it up, always looking forward to your reviews!

[@ashlandthedoberman9831]

Same old platform but improved on what was there. Nice to see you were at Road America, best track in the Midwest. Eat some cheese when in WI!

[@ndz2913]

As an owner - this review (as with many others) is spot on. I am learning that the car is very enjoyable at 7/10ths but really fails after that. Mine is up for sale now with a GR86 replacing it. It would be great with mods - but it’s a brand new car and should be better off the shelf. I still really like the car - it’s just not what I was expecting.

[@KuostA]

How disappointing. how was it not enjoyable after 7/10s? how was it not what u were expecting?

[@ndz2913]

Suspension too soft, unsteady under heavy braking from high speeds, gears don’t like fast shifts, back end unpredictable in anything but fully dry conditions, generally feels heavy. none of these things are issues when not pushing as hard.

[@KuostA]

@@ndz2913 wow, how disappointing. horribly disappointing esp w a car with such hype and costing THAT MUCH. I'd be sooo disappointed in it. thanks for the honest response man. r u going to lose a shit ton on selling it too

[@brap_stu_tu_tu]

@@ndz2913thank you. If you are a driver in the twisties everything you said makes perfect sense. Give the gr86 hell and have fun!

[@milesfathi]

Funny I'm going the opposite direction. For me, I think you spend way more time driving 7/10th than you do 10/10th (unless you're buying a track car). Over time gr86 gets tiring as a daily car. The car just doesn't sound good at the end of the day and the manual driving experience lacks smoothness.

[@MK3504]

I wanted to love the Z so much, but I'd rather a 3.0 Supra. I can forgive much of it, but the Curb Weight is the true deal breaker. I do like a lot of things about this car and the feeling it invokes compared to the sterile M cars; just will never be as capable. Edit: I was wholly mistaken, the Supra isn't much lighter at 3400 LBS, I thought they were 3200 with the manual.

[@ciello___8307]

definitely think the tires could use an upgrade. The supra comes with PS4s/ PSS while this has an old bridgestone tire model

[@existentialcrisis_4421]

Should do a drive of a 370z ! been nearly 6 years. Maybe find a nismo 👀

[@Frandaman84]

I’d like that interior on a new gr86

[@_Suzuka_Joe]

FL5 Type R, Integra Type S, Z, Supra??

[@sink61]

As other comments have stated I wanted to love this car so bad but I’m disappointed in the result from Nissan. Others have noted you can’t track it do to fuel starvation issues from the unbaffeled tank. This had the potential to be a home run from Nissan but turned out to be a single base hit.

[@kgthegreatone943]

I hate to say it but the Supra is better especially now that you can get it with a manual transmission

[@Zygrene]

The Supra is objectively better in most ways, but the Z has some retro charm that the Supra's missing

[@porschegt2346]

The interior looks dated already lol…

[@verdict1163]

3:55 😂

[@wizardryyyy]

small thing, but the quality of your videos would double with better audio

[@pab3783]

“I don’t like them too thick”. In retrospect, choice of words was not the best.

[@Datsun510zen]

For all Nissan's hype, it's disappointing the Z platform isn't something new and improved to go along with it's cool retro-modern styling. Granted that's an expensive undertaking, but no substantive Chassis improvement is a missed opportunity IMO.

[@porschegt2346]

Yep… and the interior is a half assed attempt at modernization. Looks dated already. That’s the best we gonna get from Nissan though… they ain’t got the cash or the brains to give enthusiast what they want.

[@Datsun510zen]

@@porschegt2346 Yeah, I miss Datsun/Nissan's racing glory days.

[@jaredjohnson3985]

Looks like a big step up from the 370Z in some ways. If the performance pack brakes are like the last gen, it's a big upgrade. I remember a scary moment feeling the brake pedal get soft just driving a curvy mountain road at 4/10ths. What do you think of this vs a Mustang GT handling wise?

[@Swaangin]

The rear view mirror is the same one I had from my IS 250, Lexus changed over to using frameless mirrors in around 2017 or so, it shows how Nissan was cutting corners.. Those door handles look atrocious

[@WTFNoNamesLeft2]

I'm an import guy but this thing just doesn't make any sense given the Camaro exists (for a little longer at least)

[@SickiR]

I’m in between this and ZL1 or 2SS 1LE idk it’s hard

[@WTFNoNamesLeft2]

@@SickiR in this segment its so hard to beat the 1LE. It punches so high above it's weight.

[@Zygrene]

True. SS1LE is the class leader. So bummed it's being discontinued.

[@NDEEZMiata]

@@SickiR get the 1SS 1LE if you can. The 1LE pack replaces most of the 2SS stuff anyway. Me personally….I wouldn’t get the ZL1 for a street car unless you have a LOT of self control I got rid of my 1SS 1LE because it was too fast for my lead foot. The limits are so stupid high you really have to flog it. It’s such a competent car it’s not very exciting at remotely legal speeds….that is if you enjoy feeling cars close to the edge. It’s still a great car to cruise in, but outside of wheel spin you won’t get much drama until you’re hauling ass. 100mph on an on-ramp and the car doesn’t even flinch. The SS is already plenty fast, I can’t imagine another 200hp/tq. I rode in a ZL1 and it does sound incredible, the whine is so good The SS 1LE a bad ass car though, the engine and trans are so good. Best shifter I’ve used. Sound is amazing. It was basically the perfect car outside of the electronic parking brake and the visibility is horrible. You get used to it, but it still is awful. Ruins some of the driving experience and makes it tricky to daily sometimes. Wide car with wheels that poke out, easy to curb. In an ND2 Miata now. I miss the v8 sometimes, but the Miata is more fun on the street/canyon drives. 90mph on a similar on ramp and I feel like I’m about to die 😂 As a collectorish car I’d lean towards the ZL1 as cars like that won’t exist soon. But from a not wanting to go to jail, kill someone, or kill myself…I’d take the SS lol.

[@chrislo2007]

better spent BRZ/86 and save the rest

[@marcozuniga1186]

Def for just driving feel but some people want to get thrown into the back seat

[@cr4zym3x1c4n]

It’s a 35k car max

[@NayteeD]

Kevin Jabaal from MedSchoolInsiders?

[@Zygrene]

Jubbal* and yes, the one and only!

[@NayteeD]

amazing 🙌🏼 just reached out what a small world. if you’re ever in Vegas and would like to review a stock ‘19 Nismo 370 or ‘21 STI (also stock) let me know 👍🏼

[@joewilder]

I thought the Supra was ugly the first time I saw it and it hasn't grown on me.

[@Swiggityswagger]

1:00 Z getting upstaged in its own review by a Lucid Air cruising by.

[@dre32pitt]

If you're into appliances, sure..

[@jayczyzyk7607]

It’s a gt not a true enthusiast hard core

[@odinikita4821]

Michelin PS4s tyres should fix the handling issues car looks great plenty of power has a very nice interior car is a winner is a winner that's why I've ordered one and this is coming from a guy with the Porsche 981 Boxster s and a Jaguar F-Type this guy just seems to be a whinger and can't adjust himself the car every car is individual and has its quotes that every driver needs to adjust trip this guy just can't drive and Andy spews forth nonsense

[@TheChannel1978]

Stopped watching when I heard the manual isn't good. Also find the gauges really run of the mill boring. The engine sounds really boring also on the video. Maybe it's just the video? At 50k+ I don't see it, wasn't the appeal of a Z that it's a good bang for buck?

[@minorsalaam]

Your very right about the engine, it's sound is being suppressed by a powerful muffler so it sounds weak. Without aftermarket exhaust which isn't as easily available yet, the car will sound like shit

[@fkhothatchi]

very underrated in japan this is already hitting 1 minute in tsukuba with just a wing and matching stock 2020+ gtr nismo times. Us reviewers is not doing this car justice. Just like any Z car and S chassis car none of them are good at stock form they are a tuner car that's what's nissan sport's car have always been

[@shinn43]

That's a hard argument to support considering how much these go for MSRP with an LSD, now you're adding in modifications, you might as well buy a stock GTR with the same amount of money or other performance car within that price range. Stock for stock the B58 supra beats this in every way even value. A modified A91 Supra will beat the modified 400R

[@fkhothatchi]

@@shinn43 stock GTR is shit unless its a nismo version its one trick pony not any more than fun than Z nor more practical. ZUPRA is good because it responds so good with modification not on stock form just have a higher base than Z. but with mods they can be equal

[@FATmenDRIVEtrucks]

I don't believe you

[@fkhothatchi]

@@FATmenDRIVEtrucks kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWGvqKaHr9aip9E

[@thedaredevil1907]

They have given themselves plenty of room to update and upgrade with the nismo and newer models. And I'm with you bud the Z and S chassis where always a great platform to build from not always the best stock.

[@Unicornpirate]

Throttle House said it best, in 10-15 years from now, you can get these for really cheap and they will be extremely popular at your local track day, autocross, drift event just like how the 350z and 370z is now. Also Savagegeese likes the steering feel and old school nature of this car way more than the Supra which feels like a BMW. I'd take the base Z, throw on some coilovers, brakes, a better LSD than what comes on the performance model, clutch and flywheel, aero, wider wheels and tires, and performance mods to enhance the sound and call it a day and have a car that's more fun than the Supra. Oh and I bet someone will release a shift kit that will improve shift feel like they did on the 350z and 370z.

[@porschegt2346]

Don’t play yourself, this thing is a dinosaur with lipstick on.

[@mperformance3502]

That’s a lot of work for a $53k new car. Just shows how weak this car is. It’s a great $35k car. Crappy $53k car

[@Unicornpirate]

@@mperformance3502 Don't buy it new. These cars will drop in price fast. You can buy a performance model and mod it to be a great track/canyon car

[@Unicornpirate]

@@porschegt2346 That dinosaur gives you that old school charm Zygrene was talking about here.

[@porschegt2346]

@@Unicornpirate I don’t want old school for 60k

[@blademanx]

Nissan are done. Toyota still doing the job. 370Z was the last decent car they made. Id only get the auto. Nowadays most family sedans are quicker. Done manual for 10 years.

[@cosmic_gate476]

You won't find a car that looks like this, no matter how fast it comes stock, and making this car faster is rather simple with the existing setup and booming aftermarket.

[@Arid379]

Overexposed video content, ill

[@JohnAvantiBK]

The difference between the BMW/Toyota Supra and the 350z will be reliability the Supra will blow up and the Nissan owner will enjoy it for 25 yrs w/o any issues.

[@andycalifornia426]

When you say that BMW turbo engines are underrated -- you do realize that advertised horsepower is PEAK horsepower, and you only get it in a certain RPM range, which is usually in the second half of said range? Whenever I hear you guys say "this BMW is underrated", you're always in the lower RPM range, so I wonder how you can make such statements... Get to the peak horsepower RPM, and then judge whether they're underrated. And when making comparisons to other cars, don't compare the power you're getting at a given RPM from car to car -- compare the peak power at the RPM that that peak power happens on THAT GIVEN car. Any HP you get before peak HP, is NOT rated. So it can't be OVERrated if it's NOT rated to begin with.