Quest Nice, But Niche Player

Ever since the modern minivan was introduced in the 1980s, auto makers have tried to top each other with gimmicky features.

“Behold the magic seat!” Honda proclaimed in 1995 with its Odyssey's disappearing third row. Nearly 10 years later, Chrysler offered “Stow 'n Go” second-row seats to get a flat load floor.

In 2003, Nissan, a bit player in the segment, thought an anti-minivan minivan was the way to go. With unconventional sheet metal, Nissan targeted “sexy moms.” Turned out most sexy moms were not impressed.

Now Nissan is on the right path, going after the natural minivan target: families.

The Quest, now on sale and sharing a platform with Nissan's Japan-market Elgrand van, makes a styling statement with its boxy shape and near-upright D-pillars joining a flat roof.

For Americans accustomed to softer, swoopier minivans, this might be a turnoff. The Quest also is slab-sided, emphasizing that — at 200.8 ins. (510 cm) long — there isn't much mini about this van.

Minivans are all about interior comfort, space and functionality. The Quest boasts plenty of passenger volume.

With or without the optional moonroof, the Quest's passenger space is less than Odyssey's but more than the best-selling Chrysler Town & Country.

Nissan emphasizes the Quest's comfort quotient over the competition. Having recently spent a weekend in the new Odyssey and time in a Town & Country, the claim rings true.

The Quest's seats are forgiving, with good side-bolstering, both for front- and second-row occupants.

Flipping down seatbacks is necessary for a flat load surface because Nissan has eschewed the Stow 'n Go concept as well as removable seats. This is why the auto maker raised the roof; the folded second- and third-row seats take up close to a vertical foot (0.30 m) of space.

This faux floor seems preferable to removing heavy seats, or even flipping them into the floor.

But it's likely some parents will prefer a true load floor and perhaps dislike lifting items even higher than usual to place them on collapsed seats.

The Quest's manual seat controls are awkward. To move second-row seats forward, a sliding lever is positioned on the side of the seatback. It proved sticky in one test vehicle. But the wide, horizontal latch at the base of the second-row seats, used to collapse them flat, was a much beefier, better-functioning device.

The Quest's only second-row seating configuration is two buckets, with a small, removable center console.

The lack of a bench-seat option may be a turnoff for some buyers wanting to put three people/car seats in the second row.

Getting to the Quest's third row is much easier than getting out. The opened sliding door intrudes into the threshold, requiring a step around, a harder feat when exiting.

But the third row is comfortable, with plenty of head- and leg-room.

Unlike the Odyssey's third-row “Magic Seat,” which flips backward into a floor well, the Quest's third row just folds forward flat, either manually or with power buttons in the up-level LE trim.

A rear-seat DVD system is a must for the back seats. But unlike the split-screen system found in the new Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler minivans, which allows two different videos to be shown at once, Nissan opts for a single large LCD.

The Quest's only powertrain remains a standout in the segment. Nissan's venerable 3.5L VQ V-6, mated to a continuously variable transmission, makes a plentiful 260 hp and 240 lb.-ft. (343 Nm) of torque.

The V-6 propelled us, mostly free of duress, up some steep mountain roads near San Diego.

Interior materials are some of the nicest we've seen in a minivan, with scads of soft surfaces covering the dash and door panels, compared with the sea of hard plastics in the Odyssey and Sienna.

Contrast piping on the Quest's leather seats is attractive, as are thick-carpeted mats, which partially tuck under the sill trim to better hold them in place.

The minivan has an eye-popping 16 cupholders overall.

The new Quest comes in four grades, ranging from the $27,750 base S to the $41,350 LE. The SV and SL grades fall in the low- and mid-$30k range. This pricing is on par with the competition.

The minivan has shortcomings, notably the singular seating configuration and absence of a true load floor or dual-source DVD viewing. And Nissan offers only one engine, while Toyota and Chrysler both offer options.

The '11 Quest, although nice, is destined to remain a niche player, thanks to its one-size-fits-all flavor that makes competing vehicles, especially the new-for- '11 Odyssey, more attractive.

But perhaps Quest will find its own comfortable niche.

The vehicle is well-suited for older buyers, thanks to its comfy bucket seats and easy access.