2023 Nissan Z | Can you sleep in it?

The 2023 Nissan Z comes with a twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. The tester I had came with a 6-speed manual transmission and has a price tag in the mid $50,000 range. It’s a blast to drive and seems like it was worth the wait. But can you sleep in it? The obvious answer is no. There is no reason that you would choose to take this vehicle camping or on a long road trip with the purpose of sleeping in it. But what if you were on what you thought would be a short five hour drive back home from vacation when the mood to take a nap just hit you? Would it be possible for this 5'7" senior producer to catch some zzzs comfortably? Let’s find out. #nissan #nissanz #nissanzperformance

Video Transcript

- It's been a long time since a new Nissan Z has hit the market. Since the previous generation was introduced, the US has had three different presidents and Tom Brady has played in six Super Bowls. But now we get to slide behind the wheel of a new Z car. The 2023 Nissan Z comes with a twin turbocharged V6 that makes 400 horsepower and 350 pounds feet of torque.

This one is paired with a six speed manual transmission and has a price tag in the mid $50,000 range. It's a blast to drive and seems like it was worth the wait. But can you sleep in it? So you might be thinking to yourself, there is no way that you can sleep in the Nissan Z, at least comfortably. And in some respects, you're right. I mean, of the three vehicles that we've done this, the Sierra AT4X and the Defender, I can easily tell you right off the get go that this is going to be in third place. And it'll probably maintain last place for a while until we get something even smaller.

This entire car is the size of my queen mattress. So there's no way that you could actually sleep in it comfortably. That being said, we're going to try to see if it'd be somewhat comfortable to nap in. Or worst case scenario, you pull over at a rest stop, can you get a couple hours of sleep if you're completely exhausted? Also, going to check out the back and see if it's a vehicle that you could even put some overnight luggage in just because.

So first things first, move the seat up a little bit. I got my feet actually underneath both the clutch and brake pedal just because it gives me a little bit more room. Then we'll start leaning it back. The seat actually leans back a bit further than I expected. We'll move it forward a little bit more. See if it'll go back. All right. That's it.

All right. So right here is where I have the most legroom. And the seats aren't uncomfortable. In fact, the bolsters kind of like hug you in a way that is somewhat relaxing. The headrest is nice and soft. It's almost like a memory foam pillow. It feels that way a little bit. I'm not hating this. I think I could actually take a nap here pretty easily if I was tired enough.

I am really surprised. Plus, it's a manual, which has nothing to do with how well it sleeps. But kudos to them for still making manuals. So it looks like there's only one cup holder here. That's not great. Two seats should have two cup holders. You can actually just push this back and you have the second cup holder. At first when I first got in, I thought it had to be open, which would be supremely annoying to use that second cup holder.

But you also have a little bit of storage here that you might be able to put two phones in, question mark. A couple of phones, maybe some cables. Not a whole lot. You're not keeping extra drinks or anything. We've got two USB chargers up here. So that's good. You can both charge your phone. One's usb-c. And then one's regular USB. There's a little area for a cup in the door. But it's not very tall. You might be able to fit a can of something in there. But that's pretty much it.

So as far as storage goes, it's not looking very good up front. Let's head around back and see what the storage is like. So the Nissan Z actually has quite a bit of room in the back for luggage. Let me get the trusty tape measurer. At its widest point in the back, 53 inches. So what's that? 4 foot 5, 4 and 1/2 feet almost, which is pretty wide.

You do have the sloping roof so you can't fill it super high. But even up front where you have more height, you're talking 4 feet of room. Do have some parts back here that intrude. So you don't have 4 feet of width the entire way. But it's definitely enough for a few luggage bags. Storage wise for what it is, I'd say it's pretty good. It's a heck of a lot better than I expected when I got this car.

In fact, I picked this up at the airport. I was flying home from a trip. And I did have a few bags, my wife and I. And they fit no problem. So carry ons, yes. Personal bags, yes. Checked luggage, depending on what size it is-- if you have like a big hard sided checked luggage bag, I don't think it would fit back here. So that's an issue. But for more on the luggage tests, you can check out autoblog.com. We do luggage tests on a ton of cars.

As far as room to sleep, though, just not happening. Not happening at all. Is it a fun car to drive? Definitely. I think it looks gorgeous. I really like the redesign. Is it great to sleep in? Unfortunately not. But that will come as no surprise to anybody. Worst-case scenario, you're falling asleep at the wheel, you pull over, you could probably get a couple of hours of sleep.

Is it going to be the most comfortable sleep of your life? Definitely not. And there isn't a ton of storage up front. There's not a ton of room for food or drinks or really anything other than your phone. And for that reason, I'm going to rate it 0.4 Zs.