For 2007, the Nissan Quest minivan receives a makeover inside and out. Changes include a new grille and front bumper fascia, new lights, revised roof rack design with chrome finish, and new wheels and wheel covers. The 3.5-litre engine remains the same, but a new five-speed automatic is now used in all models.

Click image to enlarge Images courtesy: Nissan

Inside, there’s a new instrument panel, with gauges moved from the previous central location to in front of the driver; there’s a new centre console on the 3.5 SE, and a standard fold-down centre tray with cupholders on the 3.5 S and 3.5 SL; the third-row seat now features integrated auto-folding head restraints and spring assist for easier operation; and there is a new front passenger seatbelt reminder light, standard illuminated steering wheel audio controls and auxiliary input jack, and available Bluetooth hands-free phone system, six-CD/MP3 stereo, larger 8-inch DVD screen, available rearview monitor and rear sonar system, and available SkyView glass panel roof. There’s also a new exterior Chestnut colour, and new Chili interior shade offered with leather seats.

The Quest is available in S, SL and SE trim lines; all models use a 3.5-litre V6 with five-speed automatic transmission and feature dual sliding doors.

Features on the S include 16-inch steel wheels, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, traction control, curtain airbags, cornering lights, heated mirrors, roof rails, rear privacy glass, tire pressure monitoring system, air conditioning, trip computer, power windows, power locks with keyless entry, cruise control, variable intermittent wipers, intermittent rear wiper, four 12V power outlets, cargo area storage bin, eight-way manual driver’s seat, heated front seats, CD stereo with auxiliary input jack and eight speakers, and ten cupholders.

The SL adds 16-inch alloy wheels, front seat side airbags, puddle lights, power sliding doors, power flip-out quarter windows, garage door opener, power-adjustable pedals, auto-dimming rearview mirror, eight-way power driver’s seat, leather-wrapped wheel, six-CD/MP3 stereo, and rear sonar parking assist.

The SE adds 17-inch alloy wheels, stability control, automatic headlamps, fog lamps, passenger tilt-down in reverse mirror, power sunroof with SkyView glass panel roof, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, dual-zone automatic climate control, front-row centre console, full-length overhead console with storage bins, leather interior, four-way power passenger seat, driver seat memory, rearview monitor, and Bose premium six-CD/MP3 stereo with ten speakers.

When it introduced the Quest in mid-2003, Nissan’s intention was a minivan that stood out from the pack; it did that, but for many customers, its interior and exterior styling was a bit too extreme. Its early redesign shows that the company was listening, although its curvy exterior and unusual centre stack may still be a bit much for some buyers. Nissan’s premium fuel requirement is unusual in this segment and will add to operating costs.

Still, this is a smooth-riding and comfortable van, with sliding doors that Nissan says are the widest-opening among the competition, and with standard features that include heated seats, curtain airbags and traction control. The third row of seats disappears completely, and the second row folds flat to provide a huge cargo area. Prices rise only slightly over the 2006 levels; horsepower differences from last year are due to new SAE measurement ratings and do not reflect a change in performance levels.