2009 Nissan 370Z

But the new, slimmer and trimmer Z car accelerates quicker than the Porsche Cayman S (*Est. $60,200) in a test at Road & Track. The Cayman handles flawlessly, but reviewers say the 370Z almost matches its composure, zipping lightly through test slaloms and twisty roads without ever wavering in its grip.

The twice-the-price Porsche does surpass the Nissan in several important ways, however. For example, the Cayman's engine never vibrates frantically at high RPM levels as the 370Z's tends to. You'll also hear incessant tire drone in the 370Z, and road debris like gravel or sand clatters around inside the car's voluptuous rear fenders, critics say. Another bone of contention: the Z's tiny windows and thick C-pillar leave big blind spots to the rear.

The Nissan 370Z features a technological wonder: SynchroRev Match, which makes for uncannily perfect downshifting with the standard six-speed manual transmission, reviews say. When you downshift, the engine automatically revs so it's at exactly the right speed when you re-engage the clutch. Mark Elias at LeftLaneNews.com likes how SynchroRev allows him to exit turns quickly -- he says it makes the drive more fun. But "purists are labeling it an abomination that eliminates the art of heel-and-toe downshifting," Road & Track testers say, and they're glad to disable it with the press of a button. The 370Z also offers a seven-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Either transmission delivers an estimated 21 mpg in combined driving (18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway) with the 332-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 engine.

The 370Z's interior is vastly improved over the previous 350Z's, reviews say. The base Nissan 370Z (*Est. $29,930 to $31,230) includes cloth seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, automatic climate control and push-button ignition. The 370Z Touring (*Est. $34,460 to $35,760) adds heated leather power seats, Bluetooth and an upgraded Bose stereo with satellite radio. A Sport Package (*Est. $3,000) can be added to either trim for bigger wheels and brakes, front and rear spoilers, a limited-slip rear differential and the SynchroRev Match system for manual-transmission models. The top-of-the-line Nismo 370Z (*Est. $39,130) adds 18 more horsepower, more aggressive bodywork and a specially tuned suspension, but it fails to outperform the 370Z Touring in a head-to-head test at Edmunds.com Inside Line. The Nissan 370Z comes with a three-year, 36,000 basic warranty and a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Edmunds.com and Road & Track both pit the Nissan 370Z against rivals in head-to-head tests, and they both include it in their long-term test fleets. We found in-depth single-car reviews for the 370Z at TheTruthAboutCars.com, Autoblog.com and LeftLaneNews.com. FuelEconomy.gov makes it easy to see how the 370Z stacks up against other sports cars in terms of gas mileage and pollution.