The Z stands pat for 2014 except for the super-sporty Nismo coupe, which receives mild cosmetic enhancements inside and out, including a new steering wheel.

Nissan's 2014 370Z two-seater continues to deliver impressive performance for the money. It's astoundingly capable, hyper-responsive and just plain fast. Throw in the Z's head-turning styling, high-quality interior and appealing collection of features, and you've got all the elements of a great sports car. Right?

Well, not quite. A great sports car should also have a jewel of an engine, and here the Z falters a bit. Although the 3.7-liter V6 is both explosively quick and remarkably flexible, its coarseness at high rpm makes it a less-than-ideal companion in spirited driving. The harder you push it, the crankier the big V6 gets, and that seems backward in a car that's all about going fast.

Within the population of relatively affordable sport coupes and convertibles, these competitors also promise superior practicality, as they offer rear seats (albeit tiny ones), fractionally better cargo space and greater comfort in city and highway driving. But if you're looking for comprehensive two-seat sports car performance in this price range, there's still nothing like the 2014 Nissan 370Z.

The two-seat 2014 Nissan 370Z sports car is available as a hatchback coupe or soft-top convertible (Roadster). There are three trim levels: base, Touring and coupe-only Nismo.

Standard features include 18-inch wheels, summer performance tires, automatic bi-xenon headlights, LED running lights, heated mirrors, keyless ignition/entry, cruise control, automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped tilt-only steering wheel and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack. The Roadster trades the coupe's fixed roof for a power-operated soft top.