A center mounted instrument cluster built below the Quest's 6.3-inch information display and a console mounted shifter make the interior of the Nissan the most unique, and strangely, not difficult to adjust to.
My vote would go to the Nissan. The strong engine, tidy handling, and spacious interior were all good qualities that offset the difficult to read gauges and questionable placement of some controls.
Young male's view: The Nissan Quest was just plain strange inside and out. It was certainly the easiest to load and held the most. The engine was the most responsive and had the most buttons to play with. You have an overhead console and an available full-length rear overhead console, four 12-volt power points, and a Skyview which is Nissan's name for its rectangular glass roof panels in the Quest's roof. It was my favorite because it could be driven hard and it felt sportier.
Young working woman's view: I cherish utility and the Dodge and Chrysler vans with the Stow and Go are my favorites. They come well loaded, have adequate power even when loaded, and are well priced. I especially liked the Town and Country from Chrysler that had the available power lift gate, power side doors, and crisp handling. The option list for these Chrysler vans borders on rivaling War and Peace in number of pages. You have to decide on so many option packages that it is best to come well prepared. The flexible-fuel 3.3-liter is not as handy as the larger 3.8-liter V6.
The Verdict:
The question we asked was why did the Freestar provide so little evidence it was the best van. It appears to be well situated with the largest engine, lots of options, safety features in abundance, and looks good. Basically, what we found was that it did just did not feel as useful as the others. The beautiful interior is not as creatively done and the engine is more truck like in noise level and reaction. The rear seat folds into the floor but does not split, and the touch isn't as good as the others. Mind you this is a good van, it just is not as useful or as inventive as the others. A couple of years ago this would have been the best van around, but since 1999 the competition has surged and Ford has put a lot more energy into other areas from our viewpoint with a new sedan, hybrid SUV, and GT supercar all competiting for attention.
The Chrysler/Dodge vans had the most useful interior features and the quietest ride, but suffers from concerns over quality control. Although we feel these concerns have been addressed, it is difficult to change the public's impression. Furthermore, these vans are not as easy to maneuver and we felt the need for more power. There is no question they are the most family friendly.
Nissan's Quest is just plain unique. If you like the powerful engine, spacious interior, and different interior set-up you can get a good deal. We felt that it was not nearly as easy to live with on a daily basis as the other vans and the gas mileage was not as good.
Toyota's Sienna was guilty of being the best mini-van for our needs. Outside of the very heavy second row seats, the Sienna provided exceptional gas mileage, a spunky engine, and a comfortable, if not sporty, ride. It was by far the easiest to live with on a daily basis.
My vote would go to the Nissan. The strong engine, tidy handling, and spacious interior were all good qualities that offset the difficult to read gauges and questionable placement of some controls.
Young male's view: The Nissan Quest was just plain strange inside and out. It was certainly the easiest to load and held the most. The engine was the most responsive and had the most buttons to play with. You have an overhead console and an available full-length rear overhead console, four 12-volt power points, and a Skyview which is Nissan's name for its rectangular glass roof panels in the Quest's roof. It was my favorite because it could be driven hard and it felt sportier.
Young working woman's view: I cherish utility and the Dodge and Chrysler vans with the Stow and Go are my favorites. They come well loaded, have adequate power even when loaded, and are well priced. I especially liked the Town and Country from Chrysler that had the available power lift gate, power side doors, and crisp handling. The option list for these Chrysler vans borders on rivaling War and Peace in number of pages. You have to decide on so many option packages that it is best to come well prepared. The flexible-fuel 3.3-liter is not as handy as the larger 3.8-liter V6.
The Verdict:
The question we asked was why did the Freestar provide so little evidence it was the best van. It appears to be well situated with the largest engine, lots of options, safety features in abundance, and looks good. Basically, what we found was that it did just did not feel as useful as the others. The beautiful interior is not as creatively done and the engine is more truck like in noise level and reaction. The rear seat folds into the floor but does not split, and the touch isn't as good as the others. Mind you this is a good van, it just is not as useful or as inventive as the others. A couple of years ago this would have been the best van around, but since 1999 the competition has surged and Ford has put a lot more energy into other areas from our viewpoint with a new sedan, hybrid SUV, and GT supercar all competiting for attention.
The Chrysler/Dodge vans had the most useful interior features and the quietest ride, but suffers from concerns over quality control. Although we feel these concerns have been addressed, it is difficult to change the public's impression. Furthermore, these vans are not as easy to maneuver and we felt the need for more power. There is no question they are the most family friendly.
Nissan's Quest is just plain unique. If you like the powerful engine, spacious interior, and different interior set-up you can get a good deal. We felt that it was not nearly as easy to live with on a daily basis as the other vans and the gas mileage was not as good.
Toyota's Sienna was guilty of being the best mini-van for our needs. Outside of the very heavy second row seats, the Sienna provided exceptional gas mileage, a spunky engine, and a comfortable, if not sporty, ride. It was by far the easiest to live with on a daily basis.
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