Compare the2004 Nissan 350ZVS 2004 Chevrolet Corvette

To maximize occupant safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Nissan 350Z have pretensioners to eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Chevrolet Corvette doesn’t offer pretensioners.

The 350Z offers optional front seat side-impact airbags and available head airbags, which act as a forgiving barrier between the passengers and the door. Combined with high-strength steel door beams this system increases protection from broadside collisions. The Corvette doesn’t offer side-impact airbags.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the 350Z deploy with different levels of force to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Corvette’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the 350Z and the Corvette have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, four wheel antilock brakes, available traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the 350Z 2 years and 24,000 miles longer than Chevrolet covers the Corvette. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years and 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Corvette ends after only 3 years or 36,000 miles.

The 350Z’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Corvette’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the 350Z has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the engines in the Corvette.

The battery on the 350Z is under the seat, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures which can degrade battery life. By keeping the 350Z’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Corvette’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ surveys of the owners of three-year-old cars provide the long-term dependability statistics which show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan 15th in reliability, above the industry average. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 17th.

The 350Z has 2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corvette (20 vs. 18 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For more complete vehicle control the 350Z offers an optional manually controlled automatic, with the available convenience of an automatic transmission and the complete gear control of a manual transmission without the inconvenience of a clutch. A manually controlled automatic allows the driver to eliminate unwanted shifts and maximize engine braking by down shifting while cornering. The Corvette doesn’t offer an automatic transmission that allows complete gear control.

A five-speed automatic is optional on the Nissan 350Z, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a four-speed automatic is available for the Corvette.

For better stopping power the 350Z’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Corvette:

The 350Z’s brakes have 27% more swept area (the area covered by the brake pads) than the Corvette (533 vs. 421 square inches), so the 350Z has more braking power available.

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. Whatever factors cause this tendency, the 350Z has standard Brake Assist to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Corvette doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

The 350Z stops shorter than the Corvette:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 350Z offers optional 18 inch wheels. The Corvette’s largest wheels are only 17 inches in the front and 18 inches in the rear.

The front and rear suspension of the 350Z uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Corvette, which uses transverse leafs springs. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The 350Z Track Coupe handles at .88 G’s, while the Corvette Coupe pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The 350Z Track Coupe goes through Road & Track’s slalom 5 MPH faster than the Corvette Hardtop (67.3 vs. 62.3 MPH).

The 350Z Touring Roadster goes through Road & Track’s slalom 5.7 MPH faster than the Corvette Convertible (67.2 vs. 61.5 MPH).

For better maneuverability the 350Z’s turning circle is 7 feet tighter than the Corvette Z06’s (35.3 vs. 42.3 feet). The 350Z’s turning circle is 4.9 feet tighter than the Corvette’s (35.3 vs. 40.2 feet).

The 350Z is 10.3 inches shorter than the Corvette, making the 350Z easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

For excellent aerodynamics, the 350Z has standard flush composite headlights. The Corvette has pop-up headlights which spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag when raised.

As tested by Road & Track while at idle, the interior of the 350Z Touring Roadster is quieter than the Corvette Z06 (47 vs. 64 dB).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the 350Z easier. The 350Z’s trunk lift-over height is 36 inches, while the Corvette’s liftover is 38.5 inches.

The battery on the Corvette has side-mounted terminals, which make giving or receiving a jump-start very difficult. The 350Z has top mount battery posts.

The 350Z’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them. Chevrolet does not offer a locking feature on the Corvette’s standard power windows.

The 350Z’s front power windows raise and lower automatically with one touch, especially convenient at tollbooths or drive-up windows. The power windows on the Corvette don’t raise automatically.

To improve comfort and visibility, the 350Z Coupe (late availability) has standard pull-out visor extensions that block glare better. The Corvette doesn’t offer any similar feature.

The 350Z Touring’s standard heated front seats keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. The Corvette doesn’t offer heated seats.

The 350Z’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Corvette Z06 doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

The 350Z’s standard steering wheel mounted cruise control is close at hand. The Corvette’s standard cruise control is on an over-crowded turn signal stalk.

Insurance will cost less for the 350Z owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the 350Z will cost $765 to $1520 less than the Corvette over a five year period.