2007 Nissan Quest 3.5 SE Road Test

Minivans, to some, are the first on the list when searching for a new vehicle; to others, they're the very last thing which people want to look

(Photo: Kevin Corrigan, Auto123.com)

at. Love them or hate them, we all have to admit that they can be quite a useful vehicle to own.

Where do I stand? Well let's just say that there isn't one parked in my driveway now that I've returned my tester back to Nissan.

That said, could I possibly now be swayed after sampling Nissan's Quest 3.5 SE?

Well I certainly think that the vehicle's name is perfect for a Minivan. After all, just about every manufacturer out there is on a quest to sell their people carriers to those who need the size and space of a vehicle like this. The trouble is, these can be a hard bunch of people to please.

Minivan buyers range widely, from those who genuinely like the look of a small commercial van with windows, to those whose work requirements often call for a vehicle with a little more cargo capacity.

Then of course, there are the parents of our young hockey hopefuls. Just visit any arena parking lot and you'll see every make of minivan known to man. The reason for this is simple. Load a normal-sized car with two or three young Gretzkys, a couple of their mates, and a bunch of hockey

(Photo: Kevin Corrigan, Auto123.com)

bags, which are often larger than their owners and... "Wait a minute!" You're not going to be able to, as it won't all fit.

So the need for space drives the market, but what comes after that?

Many manufacturers produce reasonably priced, if rather plain minivans. After all, a large number of their buyers are often young families trying to work within tight budget restraints.

But what if this is not the case? What if you need the space, but you also yearn for bit of luxury?

Well, until Jaguar, BMW and their ilk start producing minivans, I think that Nissan might just have the answer.

The 2007 Nissan Quest 3.5 SE seems perfectly suited to the task as it has all, if not more luxury features than their top-of-the-line Maxima, all wrapped up nicely in a decent-sized minivan.

Back in 2003, Nissan set out to win over the crowd who needed a minivan but hated the idea of one. They aimed the original version at customers who were bored with the typical minivan. This vehicle was not well accepted, as many deemed it to be 'a little too funky". The 2007 model has now been redesigned to be more "mainstream" and should please

(Photo: Kevin Corrigan, Auto123.com)

most of the critics of the former version.

The much hated avant-garde dashboard design is now gone and the instrument panel has been placed behind the steering wheel, where most people expect to see it.

Naturally, as Nissan is renowned for their forward thinking, they have left a little of the original's flair inside the vehicle. The surfaces of the slightly different looking seats are now made of perforated leather, rather than embossed, and are extremely comfortable.

I did mention luxury, didn't I? Twin sunroofs, and Nissan's great Skyview system, dual zone auto climate control, power adjustable pedals, Bluetooth, Homelink, and a Bose 10-speaker audio system are just a few of the features on offer. My tester also boasted two rear 8-inch DVD screens, one for each row of seats, and plenty of rear-mounted controls that should keep the kids happy.