Nissan's Quest is a fraternal twin of the Mercury Villager. When both Ford and Nissan fell behind in the minivan market in the early 1990s, they teamed up to create a vehicle both could build and sell in the U.S. Since its introduction in 1993, the Quest's platform and its Nissan Maxima-based powertrain are shared with the Villager.The first Quest demonstrated Nissan's knack for making any type of vehicle - minivan, SUV or truck - feel more like its sporty sedans. For this second generation (starting with the 1999 model), Nissan adopted features buyers are clamoring for in minivans: more doors, more cupholders, and more versatility. The most important change is its size. The Quest was always among the smaller minivans, so this time around Nissan added 4.6 inches to the length, and 1.2 inches in width. Although the wheelbase is unchanged, the Quest's interior clearly benefits from the added room, especially in leg room between the benches. Visually, though, the Quest still looks as trim as the last edition. Once again, the Quest is powered by Nissan's charming 3.3-liter V6 engine. It produces 170 horsepower (up from 151 in the first Quest) without much noise or fuss. The transmission is an electronically controlled four-speed automatic with overdrive. The Quest's body now offers five doors in all -- two hinged front doors for the driver and front passenger, two sliding doors on the sides, and a rear liftgate.
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