Nissan Quest History
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The Nissan Quest is a minivan model with V-6 power and class-competitive features. In recent years the Quest has become more stylish and design-centric and takes on more conventional-looking rivals like the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, and Chrysler Town & Country.
Replacing the odd little Axxess tall wagon, the Quest aimed right at the middle of the minivan market when it was first introduced in 1993. Standard equipment through 1998 included a 151-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 and four-speed automatic, and while the minivan had decent space, its design didn't offer a particularly versatile seating configuration. Improvements were made with a refreshed version sold from 1999 through 2002, which built on the existing van but upgraded to a 170-hp, 3.3-liter V-6. This version included three rows of seating, but again in space and ease of reconfiguration it was beat by much of the market. The interior layout was somewhat gimmicky and filled with sub-par interior plasticks, yet the Quest drove quite well, with a good ride and reasonably good handling. That said, the 3.3-liter never felt even as perky as its power figures might suggest.
All the time up through 2002, when this generation of the Quest was discontinued, a slightly different version was sold as the Mercury Villager. Compared to the Quest, the Villager had a slightly upmarket look, and in some cases the Villager could be equipped with more for a slightly lower price than the Quest.
For 2004, after a one-year absence, Nissan returned with a completely new Quest. Much larger than the previous Quest, this one set a style statement that was completely unlike its predecessor or any other van on the market. Aiming for fashionista families, the Quest employed a flowing, organic exterior with an even more dramatic interior. A conventional instrument panel was eschewed for a plasticky setup that included an oval-shaped, podlike center stack, housing climate controls and audio, with the shifter mounted up on the dash. Gauges were up in the center of the instrument panel, along with a trip computer screen or navigation screen. In addition, seating was completely redone, with three rows of seating given a more luxurious look than that of other minivans. Although slightly less functional, this was clearly the most stylish minivan.
However, the new Quest was never well received, as its interior wasn't as functional as it was good looking. Seats in back aren't that comfortable or supportive, and the one-piece third-row seat is cumbersome. But both the second and third rows fold flat into the floor. Safety has proven to be an issue, too; even in 2009, electronic stability control still wasn't standard. But strengths include strong acceleration from the 235-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 and smooth shifts from the five-speed automatic.
Nissan addressed some, but certainly not all, of the Quest's misgivings in 2007, when it smoothed over the instrument panel, brought the gauges in front of the driver, upgraded interior materials, and introduced integrated headrests for the second and third rows that automatically tilted forward, making folding easier.
Nissan opted to skip the 2010 model year, and introduced a new Quest for the 2011 model year. Carried over for the 2012 model year, this latest Quest loses many of the functions that made the prior vehicle a direct competitor for the Chrysler minivans. The latest Quest is considerably smaller in overall interior volume--it's based on the Nissan Elgrand minivan sold in Japan, and it's now built there as well--and its seats no longer fold into the floor, and cannot be removed, making the Quest now the least flexible minivan. Performance improved, however, thanks to smaller dimensions and to a new drivetrain that couples a 260-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 with a continuously variable transmission. The latest Quest lacks some innovations found on other minivans in terms of infotainment features, and it's one of the few minivans to score less than a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, where it receives an "acceptable" ranking for roof-crush safety.
