What is it?
2007 Nissan Quest
What's special about it?
Nissan sells only 40,000 Quests a year, which makes the minivan an official flop. Introduced in its present form back in 2004, the van's futuristic styling and Starship Enterprise interior just turned off too many buyers.
In a low-key presentation today at the Chicago auto show, Nissan admitted the mistakes it made with the Quest and announced how it has fixed them for the 2007 model year.
"We've been extremely successful stretching the boundaries of car design and engineering innovation," said Brad Bradshaw, the vice president and general manager of Nissan. "Occasionally, we stretch the envelope a little too far — and then we have to remind ourselves that different is better only if it actually produces a better result.
"Quest offered an appearance, inside and out, that was more architectural than austere, which, for some people, was a little discomforting," he continued. "We made the decision to fix it, rather than wait for the usual product cycle."
Improvements include a mild face-lift with a simplified grille and taillights that resemble the units used on the company's Altima sedan. Mechanical changes are also numerous, including retuned steering for lighter effort at parking-lot speeds, a softer-tuned suspension with less impact harshness, and more dash and wheelhouse insulation to better shield the interior from tire noise. Although the 3.5-liter V6 is unchanged, a five-speed automatic transmission is now standard on all models.
According to Carla Bailo, Nissan's director of vehicle program development and a mother of four, "The heart of the changes is the new interior."
The Quest is essentially new inside from top to bottom. The gauges have been moved from the center of the dash to where they belong, directly in front of the driver. There's also a new second-row center console, new wood and chrome trim, and new switchgear for the audio and climate systems. Bailo and her team of engineers also made the third-row seat easier to fold flat — it's now a one-hand operation — and redesigned all the pillar trim to increase the vehicle's perceived quality. New features include a rearview camera system that activates any time the reverse gear is engaged.
The 2007 Quest will hit dealers in early summer, but it will cost the same as the 2006 model. "Quality enhancements don't always equate to dollars," said Bailo.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Bailo told us Nissan has been selling the Quest to exactly who it had in mind when it designed the van. "Moms who picture themselves as more than a mom," is how she describes them. "There just weren't enough of them," she adds.
These changes should change that. The 2007 Quest is sure to have a much broader appeal. — Scott Oldham
2007 Nissan Quest
What's special about it?
Nissan sells only 40,000 Quests a year, which makes the minivan an official flop. Introduced in its present form back in 2004, the van's futuristic styling and Starship Enterprise interior just turned off too many buyers.
In a low-key presentation today at the Chicago auto show, Nissan admitted the mistakes it made with the Quest and announced how it has fixed them for the 2007 model year.
"We've been extremely successful stretching the boundaries of car design and engineering innovation," said Brad Bradshaw, the vice president and general manager of Nissan. "Occasionally, we stretch the envelope a little too far — and then we have to remind ourselves that different is better only if it actually produces a better result.
"Quest offered an appearance, inside and out, that was more architectural than austere, which, for some people, was a little discomforting," he continued. "We made the decision to fix it, rather than wait for the usual product cycle."
Improvements include a mild face-lift with a simplified grille and taillights that resemble the units used on the company's Altima sedan. Mechanical changes are also numerous, including retuned steering for lighter effort at parking-lot speeds, a softer-tuned suspension with less impact harshness, and more dash and wheelhouse insulation to better shield the interior from tire noise. Although the 3.5-liter V6 is unchanged, a five-speed automatic transmission is now standard on all models.
According to Carla Bailo, Nissan's director of vehicle program development and a mother of four, "The heart of the changes is the new interior."
The Quest is essentially new inside from top to bottom. The gauges have been moved from the center of the dash to where they belong, directly in front of the driver. There's also a new second-row center console, new wood and chrome trim, and new switchgear for the audio and climate systems. Bailo and her team of engineers also made the third-row seat easier to fold flat — it's now a one-hand operation — and redesigned all the pillar trim to increase the vehicle's perceived quality. New features include a rearview camera system that activates any time the reverse gear is engaged.
The 2007 Quest will hit dealers in early summer, but it will cost the same as the 2006 model. "Quality enhancements don't always equate to dollars," said Bailo.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Bailo told us Nissan has been selling the Quest to exactly who it had in mind when it designed the van. "Moms who picture themselves as more than a mom," is how she describes them. "There just weren't enough of them," she adds.
These changes should change that. The 2007 Quest is sure to have a much broader appeal. — Scott Oldham
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