The 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon has delivered a wide array of exciting automotive updates and eye-catching concepts, and Nissan is not about to be outdone by its competitors in the Land of the Rising Sun. It’s no secret that Nissan has been struggling in the sales department for quite some time, but with the striking Nissan Z—and now its refreshed look previewed at the Tokyo Auto Salon—this latest iteration could help reignite some of the JDM passion that Nissan has slowly been losing.
Having only recently gone on sale in 2023, it almost feels as though the Nissan Z never truly had a chance to exist in the real world. Heavy dealer markups at launch made the car a rare sight on public roads, and even now it often gets overshadowed by new Supras and GR86s cruising the streets. Nissan is hoping to change that with a new facelift and a handful of visual upgrades. Immediately noticeable is the revised, retro-inspired design, which leans even further into nostalgia thanks to a redesigned grille now bisected by a body-colored bar that closely resembles the classic 240Z. Gone is the large, boxy grille of previous iterations, and in its place is a cleaner front end that enhances an already handsome design. Nissan previously experimented with this split front grille on the 2024 Z Heritage Edition, but this time it appears far more cohesively integrated into the overall design. The rear of the car remains unchanged.
There are additional new details that are impossible to miss, chief among them a brand-new body color called Unryu Green. Completing the look, the Nissan Z now rides on new 19-inch wheels finished in black with a chromed border around the circumference. The interior is equally restrained in its updates, if updated at all, with Nissan introducing a new tan leather option. While there is little concrete information regarding mechanical changes, reports out of Japan suggest that the refreshed Z will receive larger brakes along with retuned dampers sourced from the GT-R. As the cherry on top, manual-transmission enthusiasts can rejoice, as the NISMO variant is set to receive a manual gearbox option.
Given that specifications for the U.S.-market 2026 Nissan Z have already been revealed, it’s likely that an American version of this refreshed Z will arrive sometime in 2027. That means there is still a bit of a wait before seeing this updated beauty on U.S. streets, but additional details regarding both the car and its U.S.-spec variant are expected to be revealed later this year.
