Nissan's Quest For Minivan Relevance Continues

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Nissan has released this teaser of the forthcoming 2012 Quest minivan at a company microsite aimed at drumming up interest until the model goes on sale in “early 2011.” And boy, does it ever have its work cut out.

Sales of the last iteration of the Quest (3rd generation) started strong, moving 46,430 units in its first year on the market, and 40,357 in 2005. Since then, it’s sales have been on a crash course with oblivion, dropping to 31,905 in 2006, 28,590 in 2007, 18,252 in 2008, and a miserable 8,437 last year. In fact, things got so bad for the Mississippi-built 3rd-gen Quest, that Nissan canceled the 2010 model-year altogether (a move which also allowed Nissan to build commercial vehicles at its Mississippi plant). The fourth-gen Quest, previewed here, will be built in Japan on the JDM Nissan Elgrand platform, and imported to the US. But will it bring minivan buyers back to Nissan at the old 50k units-per-annum levels?

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Dave M. Dave M. on Apr 22, 2010

    Gen I and II were perfectly sized. Why not go back to that footprint for IV?

  • Accs Accs on Apr 22, 2010

    Hmmm... I remember when this came out originally.. Had a interesting Orange like baseball interior color and or material. That's back when the Altima was brand new.. and was stealing customers of the Accord and Camry left and right (now Altima has gone stale). The suspension bottoming out.. is an issue I've seen on Odys (being that they have a independent suspension.) I believe Sienna has the beam out back.. looks much STRONGER with the awd attached out back. I personally don't see the point of a indep sus in a van designed to carry.. not where as its supposed to be used to provide improved handling. But maybe.. there are increases with rear packaging, that just cant be done with a twist beam. I'm only surmising.. haven't studied the rear ends at length.-- I do notice when they DO bottom out. As far as design goes.. Its decent and yet Nissan. But their core customer in their ads is the younger milfy mom.. "who wants a stylish vehicle" -- condescending much?. NOW... As far as the premium gas goes.. The van probably has the 3.5ltr motor (due to its weight / PORKER size), which is probably tuned for better power... needing the premium gas. Ya could prob tune the 3.5 for lower octane. . . But I view these issues.. as almost non-issues. The front clip they have shown... looks like a pig. Not like the iconic design of recent, doesn't even show a lineage to other vehicles, (GT-R / Maxima), and I thought everyone was supposed to be doing corporate fascias? But that's just me.

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    • Accs Accs on Apr 23, 2010

      carcurmudgeon: I happen to know why --- surmise highly why GM and FORD got out of the market. There was a huge race.. to put in dual POWER sliding doors.. on the vans. Chrysler had them first. Ford was putting them on the Windstar. GM was still dealing with the 90s dustbuster garbage and retrofitting THEM with a new front clip and manual sliding doors. LONGEST longest story short.. Domestics (FORD / GM) got out of the game cause they couldn't compete against Chrysler (and its vans) and or couldn't retool fast enough to be profitable AND the KOREANS got out.. probably because they could probably do a better cheaper job than either the Domestics or the Japanese. They all bet on crossovers / SUVS / CUVS... --- large / fuckin' pointless / obsolete and HEAVY vehicles, because they couldn't get the packaging right on the smaller and more efficient vehicles they had. Ford does have something that GM doesnt... THE C-max and or S-Max and or S Max Galaxy. That is until GM brings over the Orlando.. and badges the shit out of that. Think.. SLIGHTLY raised European Focus / Mondeo, with about 2' extra and a taller beltline and roof. And umm... the right size is PORTLY = Sienna / Ody. As far as efficient and doing its job.. Have you ever heard of the b.s ads for the Highlander with the 4cycl? Its a running joke. Ya dont put a 4cycl in that, because of it s weight, a 6 will only do, just like you cant expect efficiency out of the Crosstour (first Honda not to offer a 4cycl for ITS weight), and you cant get anything LESS than the 3.5/3.7ltr 6 in the Quest.. again, for its weight.) Jeez.. is there a pattern here?

  • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Apr 22, 2010

    I would have considered this animal if it was here already, but I just got an 09 Sedona for much less $$. By the way, am I the only one who thinks that Quest nose resembles a Kia Forte? In any case, I like the clean lines.

  • Mtypex Mtypex on Apr 23, 2010

    I, for one, would like to congratulate Nissan's design department on their new, cleaner exterior lines. Of course, now the pricing needs to come in line - they still have the most oddball requirements for purchasing package/options you don't need, at least for Japanese automakers this side of Mazda. Or, as Ferris Bueller might put it, what's the point? Honda Ody will do everything you need.

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