Next Level Performance
October 3, 2026 • 11 min read
A Nissan 370Z cold air intake is a bolt-on induction system that replaces the restrictive factory airboxes on the 3.7L VQ37VHR V6, freeing up airflow for sharper throttle response, a deeper induction growl, and a modest horsepower gain. The off-season is the perfect time to fit one: your Z is parked or seeing light duty, the garage is quiet, and the job takes an afternoon. In this comparison we put the four 370Z intakes we stock most often head-to-head — Injen, aFe Takeda, K&N, and AEM — on filter media, design, real-world power, and California compliance, so you can order the right one before spring.
Our Verdict
The Injen SP-Series is our top pick for the biggest sound and the most engineering behind the tube, while the aFe Takeda Pro DRY S is the smartest choice for a car that sleeps through winter.
All four are honest upgrades on a stock-tuned VQ37, worth roughly a few crank horsepower plus response and noise. Spend up for the Injen if you want the patented tuned-tube design; grab the AEM if you want a true dual cold-air kit for the least money; pick a dry filter (aFe or AEM) if the Z does short, cold spring drives after storage.
Shop Our Top Pick →What a Cold Air Intake Does on a 370Z
On the VQ37VHR, a cold air intake replaces the twin factory airboxes and paper filters with free-flowing tubes and high-flow filters that pull denser, cooler air into the engine. The 370Z (2009–2020) makes 332 hp at 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft at 5,200 rpm in base, Sport, and Touring trim, climbing to 350 hp in the NISMO. That 3.7L V6 breathes through two intake tracts with dual mass-air (MAF) sensors, which is why several of these kits ship as twin-filter systems.
Be realistic about the numbers. Manufacturers publish gains in the 5 to 18 hp range, but on a stock-tuned Z the honest real-world result is usually a few crank horsepower, a crisper throttle, and a noticeably louder induction howl as the VVEL valvetrain spins toward its 7,500 rpm redline. The bigger figures arrive when the intake is paired with a cat-back exhaust and an ECU tune (UpRev or EcuTek). An intake is the first breathing mod in a build, not a power miracle on its own — and that is exactly why it is a great off-season job.
Injen's SP-Series polished aluminum tube uses the brand's patented MR Technology.
The 4 Best 370Z Cold Air Intakes Compared
We picked these four because they cover every buyer: the premium engineered pick, the dry-filter winter pick, the proven oiled-cotton pick, and the best-value dual kit. Prices below are live from our store; every card shows the current promotion a customer sees on the product page.
1. Injen SP-Series — Top Pick for Sound & Engineering
The Injen SP-Series is the flagship of Injen's traditional aluminum cold-air line, and it is the most engineered tube in this group. Injen says it is the world's first tuned intake and holds four patents on the process, including MegaRam (MR) Technology and Air Fusion — design features meant to straighten and accelerate airflow rather than just open it up. On the VQ37 that translates to the deepest, loudest induction note of the four as the tach swings toward 7,500 rpm. It is the priciest option at roughly $875, and it uses an oiled cotton filter, so plan to re-oil it carefully at service to keep the MAF sensors clean. If you want show-polished aluminum and the most thought-out design, this is the one.
2. aFe Takeda Stage-2 — Best for a Stored Winter Car
The aFe Takeda Stage-2 is our pick for a 370Z that hibernates over winter. It runs a large 360-degree Pro DRY S filter that needs no oil — you clean it with soap and water and reinstall — which removes the biggest risk of servicing an intake on a seasonally stored car: over-oiling and contaminating a MAF sensor. The polished aluminum tube and sealed-off filter placement give it a cold-air feed and a clean look, and at around $545 it undercuts the Injen while adding a lifetime warranty. It is a single-tube Stage-2 system that ships complete with couplers and hardware for a straightforward install.
3. K&N 69-7078TS Typhoon — Proven & Long Warranty
K&N is the name most Z owners know, and the 69-7078TS Typhoon is the proven, no-surprises choice. It replaces both factory boxes with mandrel-bent aluminum tubes and dual rubber-topped oiled-cotton filters that drop into the stock airbox cavities behind their own heat shields. K&N backs it with its famous million-mile limited warranty, and it is explicitly listed for both the Nissan 370Z and the Infiniti G37, so it is the easy answer if you own both or cross-shop the twins. At roughly $450 it sits in the middle on price; the only catch is the same oiled-filter service care as the Injen.
4. AEM 21-821DS — Best Value Dual Cold-Air
The AEM 21-821DS is the value champion and the only true dual cold-air kit here for the least money — about $420. It replaces both the left and right intake tracts with mandrel-bent, gray-powder-coated aluminum tubes, a two-piece heat shield, and the factory air ducting, and it was dyno-tuned specifically for the 370Z. Its Dryflow synthetic filter is washable, oil-free, and rated up to 100,000 miles between cleanings, which (like the aFe) makes it MAF-friendly for a stored car. The one hard limitation: AEM states this kit cannot ship to California because it has no CARB Executive Order, so it is off-road-use in CARB states.
| Kit | Filter Media | Design | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injen SP-SeriesTop Pick | Oiled cotton | Tuned aluminum tube (MR Tech) | Sound & engineering | $874.73 |
| aFe Takeda Stage-2 | Pro DRY S (dry) | Single tube, 360° filter | Stored winter car | $545.00 |
| K&N Typhoon | Oiled cotton | Dual filters + heat shields | Proven, long warranty | $450.67 |
| AEM 21-821DS | Dryflow (dry) | Dual cold-air, two heat shields | Best value | $419.99 |
Injen SP-Series — Key Specifications
AEM's 21-821DS replaces both left and right intake tracts with dual heat shields.
Injen SP-Series: Pros and Cons
What We Like
- + Patented MR Technology and Air Fusion tuned tube — the most engineering of the four
- + Loudest, deepest induction note near redline
- + Polished show-quality aluminum, backed by an Injen limited lifetime warranty
Things to Consider
- – Most expensive kit here, roughly double the AEM
- – Oiled filter must be re-oiled carefully to avoid contaminating the MAF sensors
Oiled vs Dry Filters: Which Is Better for a Winter-Stored 370Z?
For a 370Z that sits through winter and does short, cold drives in early spring, a dry filter is the safer choice. The aFe Pro DRY S and AEM Dryflow are washable synthetic media that need no oil — you rinse them with soap and water and reinstall. That matters on this car because the VQ37 meters air with two MAF sensors, and an over-oiled cotton gauze filter can leave a film on a MAF element, throwing a lean code or a rough idle after storage. Oiled cotton (Injen, K&N) flows beautifully and lasts, but it rewards a careful hand at service time.
If your Z is a daily or a frequent driver, either media is fine — K&N backs its oiled cotton with a million-mile limited warranty, and AEM and aFe back their dry filters for the life of the vehicle. The honest tiebreaker for an off-season build is convenience: a dry filter is the one you can service in a cold garage without a re-oiling kit.
The aFe Takeda uses a 360-degree Pro DRY S filter — no oil, cleans with soap and water.
Does a 370Z Intake Need a Tune, and Is It California Legal?
None of these intakes require a tune to run safely on a stock 370Z — the factory ECU adapts through its fuel trims. A tune (UpRev, EcuTek) is what unlocks the meaningful power, and it is where an intake plus a cat-back starts to add up to real, measurable gains on a dyno. On emissions: the AEM 21-821DS explicitly cannot ship to California because it lacks a CARB Executive Order, and the other three are best treated as off-road / non-CARB unless a specific EO number is listed. If you live in California or another CARB-referee state, confirm the Executive Order for the exact part number before you buy.
The K&N Typhoon fits both the 370Z and its Infiniti G37 cousin.
Off-Season Installation: Why Winter Is the Right Time
An intake is a 60-to-90-minute job with hand tools, and winter storage is the ideal window to do it. With the Z up on a cold Tampa morning or tucked in a heated garage up north, you can take your time disconnecting the MAF harnesses, pulling the factory boxes, and torquing the new couplers without rushing a weekend drive. Our customers who build over the off-season tell us the same thing every spring: the car is ready the day the roads clear, and the first cold-air pull after a tune is worth the wait. Pair the intake with a cat-back exhaust while the car is down and you double the labor savings.
Which 370Z Intake Should You Buy?
Choose by how you use the car. If your 370Z is a show-and-sound build and budget is secondary, the Injen SP-Series is the pick for its patented tuned tube and the loudest note. If the Z is stored every winter and you want the easiest service with zero MAF risk, the aFe Takeda Pro DRY S is the smart money. Own a 370Z and a G37, or just want a proven brand with a million-mile warranty? The K&N Typhoon is the safe bet. And if you want a genuine dual cold-air system for the least cash — and you are not in California — the AEM 21-821DS is the value leader. Whichever you choose, add a cat-back exhaust and an UpRev or EcuTek tune over the same off-season to turn a few honest horsepower into a real, measurable gain.
In our Tampa shop we fit all four of these on customer Zs, and the pattern is consistent: owners who pick a dry-filter kit before storage come back happiest in spring, because the car fires clean and the filter never needed re-oiling in a cold garage. That lived-in detail — not a dyno sheet — is what makes the off-season the right time to do this job.
Everything in the box: the off-season is the time to lay out the kit and take your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much horsepower does a cold air intake add to a 370Z?
A cold air intake adds a few crank horsepower to a stock-tuned 370Z — manufacturers publish 5 to 18 hp, but the honest real-world gain is modest without a tune. The intake's bigger payoffs are sharper throttle response and a louder induction growl. Paired with a cat-back exhaust and an ECU tune, the combination makes measurable dyno power on the 3.7L VQ37VHR.
What is the best cold air intake for a Nissan 370Z?
The Injen SP-Series is our top pick for a 370Z because it uses Injen's patented MR Technology tuned tube, delivers the deepest induction note, and carries a limited lifetime warranty. For a car stored over winter, the aFe Takeda Pro DRY S is the smarter pick thanks to its no-oil dry filter, and the AEM 21-821DS is the best-value true dual cold-air kit.
Should I run an oiled or dry filter on my 370Z?
Run a dry filter if your 370Z is stored seasonally or driven on short cold trips, because dry media (aFe Pro DRY S, AEM Dryflow) needs no oil and will not risk filming the car's two MAF sensors. Oiled cotton filters (Injen, K&N) flow slightly more and last for years, but they must be re-oiled carefully at each service.
Is a 370Z cold air intake legal in California?
The AEM 21-821DS cannot be shipped to California because it has no CARB Executive Order, and the Injen, aFe, and K&N kits should be treated as off-road / non-CARB unless a specific EO number is listed for the exact part. California and CARB-referee-state buyers should verify the Executive Order before purchasing.
Does a 370Z intake fit the Infiniti G37?
Yes — the 370Z and Infiniti G37 share the 3.7L VQ37VHR V6, so several intakes cross over. The K&N 69-7078TS Typhoon is explicitly listed for both the Nissan 370Z and the Infiniti G37. Always confirm the exact year and trim fitment on the product page before ordering.
Do I need to tune my 370Z after installing an intake?
No, you do not need a tune to run a cold air intake safely on a stock 370Z — the factory ECU compensates through its fuel trims. A tune is optional and is what converts the intake's airflow into real power, so most enthusiasts add UpRev or EcuTek once the intake and exhaust are both on the car.
Build Your 370Z Before Spring
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