e Shore News - 34 Saee Photos submitted THE 1993 Nissan Quest comes with a standard 3.0-litre V6 engine, four-speed automatic transmission, seven-passenger seating, air-conditioning, and car-like ride and handling. inquire about the Quest at Northshore Nissan, 1160 Marine Dr., North Van. Nissan Quest Upscale mini-van comes close to original concept of car/van hybrid Greg Wilson TEST DRIVE IN 1984, Chrysler surprised consumers and competitors with the innovative Magic Wagons, the first mini-vans that drove more like cars than trucks. Curiously, no other domestic or import mini-van has managed to successfully duplicate the Magic Wagon’s unique combination of car-like drivability, van-like roominess, and low price. Most mini-vans are either too big, too small, too truck-like, or 100 ex- pensive, leaving the Magic Wagons ina class of their own. The new Nissan Quest, howev- er, and its Mercury equivalent, the Villager, are the first mini- vans that come close to Chrysler’s original concept of a car/van hybrid. In size and design, vehicles are quite similar. The Quest is only slightly bigger than a standard wheelbase Chrysler mini-van, and like the Chrysler, has front-wheel drive, a transversely mounted 3.0-litre V6 engine up front, a four-speed automatic transmission, seven- passenger seating (standard), a sliding right side door, and a lift-up rear hatch door. In addition, the Quest is easy to drive, rides and handles more like a car than most mini-vans, is easy to get in and out of, and will safe- ly go into most parking garages. The Quest is a result of a joint effort between Nissan and Ford. It was designed and engineered by Nissan, mostly in the U.S.,and is assembled by Ford in Ohio. The Quest and the Mercury Villager are virtually identical except for some external appearance trim, level of standard equipment, and warranty availability. From the consumer's point of view, the major differences be- tween the Quest and other vans is the base retail price. The base price of the Quest is higher than many mini-vans because of its high level of standard equipment. the two The base Quest XE comes standard with a 151 horsepower 3.0-litre V6 engine and four-speed automatic transmission (borrowed from the Maxima luxury sedan), seven passenger cloth-covered reclining seats with head rests, air-conditioning, AM/FM cassette stereo, power mirrors, window and door locks, tilt steering wheel, and rear defroster, wiper and washer. The base price of the Quest XE is $22,290. The luxuriously equipped GXE comes standard with ali of the above features plus anti-lock brakes, an eight-way power driver’s seat, separate rear air- conditioning contre!s and stere controls, a more powerful audio system, upgraded interior trim alloy wheels, and a two-way hat- chback with a lift-up rear win- dow. Base price of the GXE is $26,590. Options such as a trailer towing package, leather interior and cap- tain’s chairs, power glass sunroof, electrically adjustable passenger seats, and a high-power audio system can boost the price of a GXE to over $30,000. That may seem high, but it’s comparable with most mini-vans on the mar- et. Unlike other mini-vans, the Quest is not available in an ex- tended-length version or as a win- dowless cargo van. There’s just one engine and transmission chgice and the Quest isn’t avail- able with all-wheel drive. The Quest aims squarely at upscale, mainstream buyers with families. One of the Quest’s best features is its versatile seating arrange- ments. : The Quest’s rear bench or bucket seats can recline should the rear passengers want to snooze. The rear seats will also fold down flat to form a _ table-top with oo. 7. built-in cupholders. Most impor- tantly, the second bench seat can be removed and the third bench slid all the way forward to the front seats. This creates a large, usable cargo area with a flat floor. The Quest is more refined than most mini-vans. A well-insulated passenger compartment isolates outside noise and the powertrain is quiet and See Quest page 32 THE QUEST’S bench seats fold down to create a large, usable cargo area with a flat floor.