Except for the fact that it was a bit underpowered, it was hard to fault the original Quest. It debuted in the fall of 1992 with its sister, the Mercury Villager. And particularly for the time, it was a super-clean design that had a smooth powertrain, right-size proportions, and suspension dialed in for agile handling. It was the minivan that could please any driving enthusiast with a family. And it has comfortably occupied a healthy 50,000-unit a year niche for several years.
But driving it with a full complement of passengers and their luggage on a long, hilly trip revealed that it needed more engine muscle, a bit more cargo space, and some attention to ride refinement and noise control. This became particularly noticeable on the worst road surfaces and over the Snowbelt states' widely gaping expansion joints.
For 1999, Nissan engineers went to work increasing the interior volume by 10 cubic feet by stretching the exterior 4.6 inches over the same 112.2-inch wheelbase. They also rigidly reinforced the body in order to install a fourth door (on the driver's side), which also forced a redesign of the B- and C-pillars. With a bump up in displacement, engine thrust went from 151 horsepower and 174 pound-feet to 170 horses and 200 twisting units, respectively. And so, even though the vehicle weighs close to 4000 pounds and seats seven in a pinch, the company claims a 3500-pound tow capacity.
On the earlier ride issues, the front struts now use a new valve design and softer-response polyurethane jounce bumpers. In the rear, Nissan went from a stiff multi-leaf spring to a single leaf for better control of the beam axle. Road noise also took a hit from a new door channel design, thicker door glass, reshaped outside mirrors, a larger muffler, and a revised intake resonator, as well as more noise-attenuation materials. The result of all these tweaks is a substantial, premium feel absent in the earlier design.
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