Test drive: 2005 Nissan Quest SE

Different is good. Very, very good.

The 2005 Nissan Quest is missing a couple of the handy-dandy doo-dads found in other minivans, and its French-inspired styling is a love-it-or-hate-it affair. But after a 650 mile family trip with 7 people and their stuff, I found that the Nissan Quest's well-thought-out interior layout and nifty optional equipment make it an outstanding traveling companion, and my passengers preferred it over the Dodge Grand Caravan. $24,280 base, 3 year/36,000 warranty.

First Glance

The Quest doesn't look anything like your typical minivan. Nissan has a partnership deal with French automaker Renault, and while the Quest was styled in Nissan's San Diego design facility, the resemblance to the latest Renault cars (which, unfortunately, aren't sold in the US or Canada) is clear.

Personally, I'm a fan of the Quest's unique styling, especially because there's no negative impact on interior space. In fact, the Quest boasts more interior volume than any other front-drive van on the market. The only thing I don't like about the exterior styling is that the sliding-door tracks aren't concealed beneath the side windows as they are on the Dodge and Toyota vans. The Honda Odyssey's door tracks aren't concealed either, but at least Honda made an attempt to blend them into the creases in the sheet metal. On the Quest, they stand out like gigantic scars.

But when it comes to minivan, styling isn't nearly as important as functionality. So I decided the best way to test the Quest was to put it to work. Road trip! Robin, our two boys (ages 6 and 8), my sis- and bro-in-law, their daughter (4) and I piled in and headed for Mammoth Lakes, California, some 300 miles away, for a long weekend getaway.

In the Driver's Seat

The unique styling continues inside, with controls grouped on a pedestal-like center console. It's like typing on a computer keyboard -- easy once you get used to it. The instrument panel sits dead-center in the dash, a layout that I like as you don't have to take your eyes as far off the road. But beware backseat drivers; they can see the speedo just as well as you. Our van's interior was trimmed out in an odd combination of red and black that sis-in-law Kristi likened to a Star Trek uniform.

The Quest's interior is biased towards passenger room. Cargo space is tight, but the second row offers first-class space with wide seats and acres of foot room. We made the same trip last year in a Grand Caravan, and while it was easier to pack, it wasn't nearly as comfortable for adult passengers. Hey, there's always the roof rack.

Our Quest's optional DVD player had separate screens for the second and third rows, another great idea. And the optional Bose stereo is the most awesome sound system I've ever heard in a minivan.

Like other vans, the Quest's third-row seat folds and "vanishes" into the floor, but while the other vans split the seat 70/30, the Nissan's seat is one piece, so it's a choice between four passengers or seven.

On the Road

One of the Quest's claims to fame is its car-like road manners. The Quest has a firm ride, but there's more body lean than I remember from the last Toyota Sienna I drove. Keeping my passengers comfortable meant driving through the curves at speeds well below the Quest's capabilities. The Quest's steering feel, precise and firm, is perfect for a sports sedan but a bit heavy for a minivan. Fighting the heavy steering effort in crosswinds gets real old real fast.

I used to think the Quest's 240 horsepower 3.5 engine was overkill, but after driving the fully-loaded Quest from sea level up to 7900' elevation, I'm a believer. The thinner air at higher altitudes robs engine power, but the Quest was able to hold 75 MPH on steep upgrades, though the 5-speed automatic did have to kick down to 3rd gear. Even at those speeds, the engine was turning well below its 6500 RPM redline.

The Quest is geared for low engine speeds and better fuel economy. We averaged just under 20 MPG on the way up to Mammoth Mountain and just over 24 on the way back. Fuel economy around town was in the high teens, both loaded and unloaded; better than an SUV, I suppose, but not great.

Journey's End

After four days and 650 miles, my family gave the Quest two thumbs up. The third row was a hit with the kids; they had enough room to sit comfortably and loved having their own video screen. I've already praised the second row seats, but did I mention that they fold down nearly flat into the floor, making third-row access that much easier?

Home at last, it was time to clean up. Huge floor mats (optional at $160 -- they really ought to be standard) cover most of the floor and caught nearly all of the dried mud and potato chip crumbs. The cargo area gets no such protection, but its carpeted floor takes well to being vacuumed. The leather seats cleaned up nicely with a wet sponge, but the hard plastics covering the cargo bay's walls turned minor scuffs into permanent marks.

While the Quest lacks some features found in other vans (unimportant ones like roll-down side windows and more important ones like all-wheel-drive), it has more personality than Odyssey and Sienna and it's more passenger-friendly than Caravan. The new vans from GM (Buick, Chevy, Pontiac and Saturn) don't even come close. And the Nissan's plethora of optional gadgets, while pricey, made a good trip into a great trip.

And isn't that what minivans are all about?