The Nissan Quest is yet another minivan focused vehicle from the Nissan marques. It has a strong V6 engine, innovative sheet metal design and value-added features the Quest makes a proper alternative to the competition in the same class but cannot match their level of refinement or user-friendly nature.
The family-friendly design interior and unique creative exterior design are at the heart of the Quest, which has been called sexy, stylish and sophisticated. The family-friendly aspects are evident in the wide opening rear sliding doors, and flat-folding seats in both second and third rows.
The design features in the Quest sometimes get in the way of their function. The centre consol stack is a huge pod housing the audio, climate and navigation controls. It look great but is not very ergonomic. The front overhead console has space for storage of maps and sunglasses, with rear air-conditioning vents, lighting and storage bins. But lacks a lower storage space between the second-row.
Dual-zone automatic climate control air-conditioning is an option, while rear heating and cooling is standard. Side curtain head airbags protect all occupants in all three rows. The 240-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine comes coupled with a four-speed automatic transmission in lower specification ranges, and a five-speed automatic in the upper two trim levels. Buyers should stick to the manual gearbox, which offers better fuel economy with its lower gearing.
Although the engine responsive the wide gear rations and slow downshifts from the automatic blunt the performance. The Quest’s strongest selling point is its unique design.
