Nissan Quest

The Quest returned for the 2011 model year in redesigned form after taking 2010 off. The new Quest’s styling was more conventional than before, but still bold and distinctive. Though it wasn’t as roomy inside as some competitors, the Quest offered an upscale interior with available features like dual moonroofs and a DVD entertainment system with an 11-inch screen. The 260-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine provided satisfying acceleration, and the steering and handling were crisp for a minivan. For 2013, the line-topping LE trim gained an around-view camera monitor as a standard feature. For 2015, the LE was renamed Platinum, an available 5-inch display screen replaced the previous 4.3-inch screen, and the continuously variable automatic transmission was tuned to feel more like a conventional stepped-gear automatic.

Nissan rolled out an all-new Quest for the 2004 model year. Unlike previous Quests, the new one didn’t share anything with Ford or Mercury — it was a stand-alone Nissan design. The sole engine was a 240-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 that was paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. The radically styled, elongated body picked up some styling cues from Nissan’s passenger cars and featured a swoopy beltline shape and angled rear. The unconventional interior layout had a centrally located gauge cluster and controls mounted high on the dashboard on a stylized pedestal. Available features included a full-length overhead console and four Skyview glass roof panels for rear-seat passengers. The Quest’s daring styling was a bit too far out for many minivan shoppers, and sales stumbled. Nissan revamped the interior as part of a mid-cycle refresh for 2007, giving the dashboard a more conventional layout with the instrument panel positioned in front of the driver.