Compare the2004 Nissan 350ZVS 2004 Pontiac GTO

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 Pontiac GTO 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 GTO 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 GTO’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The 350Z Coupe offers optional Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), which uses the antilock brake hardware along with powerful software and additional sensors to detect the beginning of a skid. VDC then intervenes by automatically applying the brake at one appropriate wheel, preventing a skid. The GTO doesn’t offer skid prevention.

The 350Z’s gas tank is mounted inside the frame rails in front of the rear axle to optimally protect the fuel tank in a collision. The Pontiac GTO’s gas tank is mounted behind the rear axle, where it is more susceptible to rear collisions.

Both the 350Z and the GTO have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, four wheel antilock brakes and available traction control.

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

The 350Z’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the GTO’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 engine in the GTO.

J.D. Power and Associates’ surveys of new car owners provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Pontiac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan 21st in initial quality. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Pontiac is ranked 22nd.

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 Pontiac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan 15th in reliability, above the industry average. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, Pontiac is ranked 21st.

The 350Z has 2 gallons more fuel capacity than the GTO (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 GTO 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 GTO.

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

The 350Z’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the GTO are solid, not vented.

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 GTO doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

For better traction and acceleration, the 350Z has larger standard rear tires than the GTO (235/50R17 vs. 225/50R17). The 350Z’s optional rear tires are larger than the largest rear tires available on the GTO (245/45R18 vs. 225/50R17).

The 350Z’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) which provides a stiffer sidewall than the GTO’s 50 series tires.

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

The 350Z with 18” Tires has a standard tire pressure monitoring system, which will alert the driver to a drop in tire pressure before damage to the tire or an accident might occur. The GTO doesn’t offer a low tire pressure warning system.

The 350Z has engine speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The GTO doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The 350Z’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53% to 47%) than the GTO’s (1.5% to 1.2%). This gives the 350Z more stable handling and braking.

The Nissan 350Z may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 550 pounds less than the Pontiac GTO.

The 350Z is 1 foot, 8.4 inches shorter than the GTO, making the 350Z easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 350Z Coupe has .9 inches more front headroom and .4 inches more front legroom than the GTO.

The 350Z’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge – which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The GTO does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The 350Z’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them. Pontiac does not offer a locking feature on the GTO’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 GTO don’t raise automatically.

The 350Z’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The GTO’s available power window controls are spread out on the center console where they can’t be seen without the driver completely removing his eyes from the road.

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

The 350Z’s available outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. The GTO doesn’t offer heated side mirrors.

The 350Z’s standard rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The GTO doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

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 GTO doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

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

The Nissan 350Z comes in both 2dr hatchback and convertible bodystyles; the Pontiac GTO isn’t available as a convertible.