Overview & Reviews
The Nissan Quest has typically had a supporting role in the minivan market. The first two generations, in particular, were rather anonymous and subpar. The more recent third-generation Quest made a huge leap ahead in terms of styling and performance, though it, too, never really caught on with the public.
The newest and latest fourth-generation Nissan Quest, however, is the most competitive model yet. Its bold styling, interior refinement and smooth V6/continuously variable transmission (CVT) place it firmly in the discussion among the leaders of the pack: the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.
Current Nissan Quest
The Nissan Quest minivan is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 making 260 horsepower, put to the ground through a CVT. There are four trim levels: S, SV, SL and LE.
The base S is sparsely equipped for a minivan, but still offers an auxiliary audio jack and a few other niceties. The SV adds a wealth of other items such as alloy wheels, power-sliding doors and high-tech items like Bluetooth and an iPod interface. The SL trim is more luxurious thanks to its leather upholstery and one-touch folding third-row seats, while the top-trim LE gains a navigation system and an advanced "Around View" parking camera, while offering an optional panoramic moonroof spanning nearly the length of the roof. The kids will be thankful that a DVD entertainment system is available on all but the base S.
Inside, the Quest's controls are logically grouped on the center stack and easily navigable. Interior materials are the best you'll find in a minivan, with the leather-appointed cabins in the range-topping trims feeling especially premium and luxurious. On the downside, the Quest's standard second-row captain's chairs eliminate the option for an eighth passenger. And although the Quest's seats fold neatly into the floor, this design results in about 40 cubic feet less cargo capacity than other mainstream minivans.
Overall, though, the Quest is a legitimate, if commonly overlooked, choice for a minivan. Thanks to its compliant ride, composed handling and smooth power delivery, it should serve families quite well.
Used Nissan Quest Models
The current, fourth-generation Nissan Quest was introduced for 2011. There have been no significant changes since then.
The third-generation Nissan Quest was produced from 2004-'09 (there was no Quest for the 2010 model year). At its debut, it shook up the minivan world with its avant-garde body styling, unique cabin design and a marketing campaign that did its best to disassociate the van from its soccer mom image. The Quest's pillar-style center stack was certainly distinctive, but the multitude of similar buttons made operating often-used functions a hassle. Thankfully, the busy center stack was replaced by a much more user-friendly layout in a 2007 refresh.
All Quests of this generation were powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 235 hp, and power was sent to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission. Four trim levels were available -- the base 3.5, 3.5 S, 3.5 SL and 3.5 SE -- each with an increasing number of features and conveniences. Oddly enough, none of these trim levels included rear seats -- forcing customers to pay extra for a seat package that included second-row captain's chairs and a flat-folding rear bench.
This Quest had a few things in its favor, including a roomy interior and handling that was a cut above most other minivan competitors. However, downsides were numerous, including a third-row seat that wasn't split, a relative lack of cargo capacity and limited availability of stability control. Overall, minivan shoppers would be better served by other top choices in this segment.
The second generation of the Nissan Quest debuted for 1999. Offered in base GXE, midlevel SE and leather-lined GLE trims, this Quest featured a 3.3-liter V6 with 170 hp, as well as a unique sliding (but not removable) third-row seat that could be stowed right behind the front seats -- after the second-row seats were taken out. The van's questionable ergonomics, iffy build quality and poor crash test scores, however, made for a last-place finish in an Edmunds minivan comparison test. The model run continued through the 2002 model year, but there was no Quest sold for the 2003 model year.
Introduced in 1993 and sold through 1998, the first-generation Nissan Quest had a 151-hp 3.0-liter V6. Base XE and uplevel GXE trims were offered and seven-passenger seating was standard. The biggest change for this generation occurred in 1996 when a minor face-lift yielded a new grille, bumpers, headlights, taillights and dashboard.
The first two generations of the Quest were rather anonymous and subpar. It might also be helpful during the shopping process to know that these Quests were also nearly identical to the Mercury Villager from the same time period. With either variant, however, minivan shoppers are still advised to consider better-ranking minivans first.
User Reviews:
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THE BEST MINIVAN ON EARTH!! - 2004 Nissan Quest
By questlover - January 31 - 10:00 amLike most people i did extensive research before dediding to purchase this piece of perfection. I drove the siena and the odessy and they both perfomed very well, but they lack the styling and charisma that this quest has. The leather is much like the comforts of home and the fact i can slide 4 by 8 sheets of goods for my home improvement projects. I really couldnt ask for much more in a minivan
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Lots of Rattles - 2004 Nissan Quest
By mjcp - January 31 - 5:26 amLove the style, room, etc., but hate the rattles.
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Great car, some annoying bugs - 2004 Nissan Quest
By bdrury - January 13 - 10:00 amVery much like the drive and look of this minivan. Best of the ones we drove. Would absolutely love it if the build quality were better. Squeaking overhead console has been "fixed" 4 times in 6 months. Passenger side sliding door rattles and no solution available for that.
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Favorite customer - 2004 Nissan Quest
By Sara - January 13 - 10:00 amI have fully enjoyed the van. We travel alot and it is very comfortable and features are excelent for long trips or everyday. An incrediable van for todays familys.
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Gas Mileage - 2002 Nissan Quest
By kzanne109 - January 11 - 10:00 amI purchased the Quest after a long time driving a suburban.....The drive doesnt compare of course to that but its a great vehicle for the cost..It had a lot of neat features and i enjoyed it alot.....however i bought the van mostly for fuel economy and it doesnt get what its supposed to get....i repeatedly asked the dealer to check to see if there was something wrong that was causing it to get low fuel mileage and they said it has to be broken in.......i think they just missed the boat on what they rated it...
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Quest - 2007 Nissan Quest
By Ross Curti - January 5 - 7:23 amI would Give the quest an overall 7.8 it is not perfect but then again no other car is
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After 8 Months - 2008 Nissan Quest
By Esteban Salceda III - January 3 - 8:26 pmMy Quest is Awesome. It gets great gas mileage that ranges between 27-30 MPG on the highway. Tons of space. Phenomenal acceleration. Maximum performance is obtained by using 5W-30 Valvoline SynPower Oil or Castrol Edge (Synthetic Oil). Have not had any problems with it at all. Absolutely the best Mini-Van option on the Market. I got a great deal, that Ford, Toyota, nor Honda could match. The fold down rear seating options come in handy for moving days or hauling delicate items. Would buy again it opportunity arises. Great amount of features for base model. This van gots it all.
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Another Lemon - 2004 Nissan Quest
By tiffster - January 2 - 10:00 amWe have had nothing but problems with this van. We have started the process of filing lemon law on ours and if that doesnt work we are going to suck it up and loose money by trading it in for a vehicle that hopefully is manufactured better than this one. It is a rattle trap and no one can fix it yet. Problems are too many to list in 700 characters allowed here. Just save yourself the heartache and trouble that I am experiencing and DO NOT BUY A QUEST!!!
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Dont buy this piece of junk; stranded - 2006 Nissan Quest
By disappointed - December 25 - 12:56 amDont buy this piece of junk unless you want to spend 2 trips a month for 2 years. I traded my Quest in for a 2005 Toyota Sieanna and couldnt be happier. Things that went wrong were: - cranks forever - loss of power annually - powered sliding door keeps reversing and still isnt fixed. - vibrations at hwy speeds - gas gauge shows empty after a fill- up twice - passenger air bag shows off even when adult sits there - replaced radio keypad twice - lights falling out of ceiling - door panels coming off - glove compartment warped - shifter replaced - radio antenna weak - headrests are too far from your head so you can get a serious whiplash if you are rear-ended.
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i Love my quest - 2004 Nissan Quest
By hoopa - December 13 - 10:00 amthis car is great. one of the best nissans ever and the best nissan quest by far. its superior design, comfort, and performance is like none other. compared to the sienna, it wins in every category except the windows in the sienna in the 2nd row go down some
