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A
Quest won the previous IFCAR minivan comparison, and the 2007 model has a
distinct improvement in interior quality and ergonomics. What happened between
then and now? The previous minivan test used lower-price, base-model minivans,
and the Quest was much less expensive than the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna,
and even Dodge Grand Caravan. But the Quest gets expensive quickly when the
options are selected, and it priced itself past being considered a relative
value, and lost its draw. The Quest isn’t better than the Odyssey or Sienna,
but when priced far below them, its flaws can be overlooked. But without a
price advantage, there’s much less reason to consider one. And the improved
2007 model isn’t deeply discounted (it may see large rebates later in its
life, but it just went on sale now), and ended up as the most expensive
vehicle in this group by a substantial margin, while it is far from being the
best.
The sport-oriented Quest 3.5SE has a harsher
ride than the other vans here, though the 2007 model was softened up a bit.
This Quest does not absorb bumps as well as the others, but it is at least
free from floating motions at highway speeds. The Quest does handle well,
particularly considering its size, and there is little noticeable handling
disadvantage in the softened 2007 model. But without the responsive and
communicative steering found in some competitors, the comfort penalty cannot
pay off in driving enjoyment. (The improved steering that Nissan mentioned as
a part of the update is noticeable only in low-speed maneuvering, not helping
the main issue.) Unless you want the 3.5SE’s additional features (the reason
it was included in this comparison instead of the smoother-riding and
less-expensive 3.5SL model), don’t choose it over the other Quest versions.
All Quests use a 3.5-liter V6, but high end 2006 and all 2007 versions use a
5-speed automatic transmission that improves acceleration but diminishes fuel
economy compared to the 4-speed automatic that used to be available. This
engine is smooth and powerful, but can get a bit too loud in hard
acceleration. Wind noise is audible, and road noise is excessive. 2007 brought
some additional sound-deadening material, but this addition hardly makes the
Quest refined.
Inside, the Quest’s front seats are firm,
well-shaped, and comfortable, but the cushion is too short. The roomy and
well-shaped second-row seats are better, with an especially long cushion
contributing to excellent thigh support. The third row seat is a bit hard, but
it is both roomier and better-shaped than most minivans'. The third row folds
into the floor, but only as a rather heavy one-piece bench in 2006 models. The
bench remained a one-piece, but became easier to stow and reset after some
2007 upgrades. The second-row seats also fold forward, making an almost-flat
surface that does not require (or allow) seats to be removed to open up extra
cargo space. Cargo volume is impressive as well, thanks to the Quest’s
exterior dimensions. The 2006’s interior
uses some low-quality plastics, and not all trim pieces fit together well.
There are few luxury touches that can set it apart from the base models,
either. The 2007’s is an
improvement in appearance and in quality, but some trim pieces are still
flimsier than some other minivans. The 2006 dash is an ergonomic disaster
(designed so for the sake of being different), one of the van’s most obvious
shortcomings. The gauges are off-center over the instrument panel, and are
much too small. Buttons on the instrument panel are large, but some are placed
too far from the driver. The CD player is mounted close to the floor,
especially inconvenient for the driver to use. 2007 models include larger
gauges mounted in front of the driver, but most of the other complaints
remain. Drivers sit comfortably, but rearward visibility is compromised
somewhat by the vehicle's window shapes and thick roof pillars. Entry/exit
very easy, even to the third row.
The Quest did very well in crash testing. It
earned five stars for both the driver and for the front passenger in the NHTSA
frontal crash test, and five stars for both the driver and for the second-row
passenger in the NHTSA side crash test. NHTSA judged it to have a 12% chance
of rollover in a single-vehicle accident, the lowest of any current minivan.
It was Good in the IIHS offset crash test, and Good in the IIHS side crash
test both with and without optional front-seat torso-protecting side airbags.
Its head restraints were rated Poor, however.
The 2006 Quest reviewed here came in at
$31,106, very well-equipped. At that price, it included every one of the
features expected in this group (a feat managed by none of the others), as
well as active head restraints, a tire-pressure monitor, a rear-obstacle
detection system, power adjustable pedals, a memory system for the driver’s
seat, mirrors, and pedals, “SkyView” glass panels that extend the length of
the vehicle, a rearview camera, and a dual-zone automatic climate control
system. Had Nissan not limited such features as a power passenger seat and
stability control to the most expensive versions of the van, it could have
been a good value leader in this group. The 2007 was over $5,000 more, at
$36,222. It was similarly equipped, but also included a rearview camera and a
Bluetooth hands-free phone system.
Overall, the high-end
Quests aren’t as inexpensive compared to the competition as base models are,
and some options are limited to those versions. Also, the top-of-the-line
3.5SE has a harsher, noisier ride than the Quest trims. Such easily-fixed
flaws combine with the 2006’s low-quality and laughably laid-out dash and the
2007’s relative lack of current discounting. If stability control and some
other options become more inexpensively available, and if (a near certainty)
the 2007 Quest is rebated, the Quest’s advantages of a roomy, very
comfortable, and very flexible interior, solid safety ratings, and other
competitive characteristics may be able to combine with reasonable pricing to
let the Quest reclaim its former position as comparison-test winner. Nissan
did listen to complaints about the dash design, so hope for the Quest remains.
But in the meantime, it’s a generally competitive minivan whose flaws leave it
with a midpack finish.
NEXT: 4th Place
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