New Vehicle Technology HIGHLIGHTS Nissan Quest

Nissan aimed to break out of the box and change perceptions of the minivan as a whole with its all-new 2004 Quest minivan.

Unveiled by Nissan at the 2003 North American International Auto Show, the newly redesigned 2004 Quest, which replaces the all-American Quest produced through a joint venture with the Mercury Division of Ford Motor Co., was designed to add style and personality to the world of family vehicles. With the Quest, Nissan worked to elevate the traditional minivan strengths of functionality, utility, and safety features.

When Nissan developed the Next Generation Quest Concept, which debuted at the 2002 North American International Auto Show, it did so with an emphasis on styling among other things. “In studying the ‘unmet needs’ of minivan buyers and non-buyers, the one thing that came up over and over again was the uniform desire for more style than that shown by the current offerings in the class,” Tom Semple, President, Nissan Design America, Inc., said about the Quest Concept back in 2002. “Minivans carry such strong negative imagery that it's hard for many buyers to get beyond the exterior, when the truth of the matter is there's probably no better vehicle for carrying large amounts of people and stuff. With the Quest Concept, we're trying to demonstrate that style and functionality can go together.”