Nissan Z Automatic Vs Manual: Which Is Faster?

The manual transmission may be an increasing rarity in new cars sold in the U.S., but the Nissan Z is not willing to give up on its stick shift quite yet. Now in its seventh generation, the 2023 Z keeps things relatively simple with a single engine option — an impressively potent 400 horsepower twin-turbo V6 — wrapped in appealing retro styling. From the driver's seat, though, you have the choice of reaching out for a 9-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Once upon a time, when automatic transmissions were best known for being slushy laggards, a keen driver with a swift hand and left foot could expect to out-accelerate them with a stick shift. That's not been the case for some time, however. The latest automatics are not only invariably more economical but can be considerably faster than anything human-operated.

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As such, in a car — like the Nissan Z — where there's the option of a manual or an automatic version, you almost always get the fastest 0-60 mph time by leaving the vehicle to do the gearshifts. Nissan doesn't quote official acceleration figures there, though both Car and Driver and MotorWeek clocked the manual Z at 4.5 seconds for 0-60, while MotorTrend measured the automatic Z at 4.3 seconds.

While the automatic Z may have an edge, though, that's not to say it's necessarily more fun. On the Z Performance trim, for instance, the stick shift comes with SyncroRev Match (SRM). Rather than demanding the driver do some heel-and-toe throttle blipping during downshifting — to match the speed of the engine with that of the driveshaft in the lower gear — SRM can do that for you. The result is the tactility of a manual, but without necessarily losing the urgency.

Then there's no-lift shift, which is enabled in the Z's Launch Mode. As the name suggests, it allows you to keep your foot planted on the gas pedal even as you hit the clutch to upshift.

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The reality is, there's more to driving enjoyment than just straight line speed. Though the Nissan Z automatic is undoubtedly faster than its Z manual sibling, there's an undeniable sense of engagement in changing gears yourself. For some enthusiasts, that's reason enough to take the 0.2 second hit on acceleration so they can feel the greater involvement in their sports coupe the rest of the time.