2009 Nissan Quest

Inside, testers say the Quest is comfortable enough, although not as well appointed as the class-leading 2009 Honda Odyssey (Base MSRP: $26,355 to $41,005) or the luxurious Toyota Sienna (*est. $24,540 to $37,865). One exception is the Quest's bulging center control stack; some testers find it crowds the legroom in the front seat.

Critics say the Quest's 235-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 provides plenty of power, and they have no complaints about its five-speed automatic transmission. Testers say the Quest handles well -- more like a car than most other minivans. But the Quest has safety concerns. It is one of only two minivans (along with the Toyota Sienna) to earn a rating of "poor" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in rear crashes. The Quest's headrests aren't positioned correctly to protect a tall person, the IIHS found.

The Quest has another glaring safety flaw, experts say. Unlike most other minivans, it doesn't include Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on all models. Studies show that ESC is vital for helping to avoid crashes, but the Quest includes it only on the highest 3.5 SE trim.

Experts criticize the Quest for not offering as many helpful standard features as other minivans. Nissan offers many features as extra-cost options, often as part of a package. For example, you can't get rear sonar (a safety feature that detects objects or children behind your wheels when you're backing up) on the base Quest 3.5. You can add it to the step-up Quest 3.5 S, but only as part of a $1,400 option package that also includes aluminum wheels and extra power adjustments for the driver's seat.

Unlike other minivans, foldaway seats are an extra-cost option on every Quest -- $350 extra, or $750 on the highest 3.5 SE trim. LATCH connectors for child seats are included in this option package (they come standard on other minivans). As with other minivans, the Quest's second-row seats are captain's chairs, but reviews note that the Quest's third-row bench isn't split for separate folding like other models. Unlike the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, the seven-passenger Quest offers no eighth-seat option.

Entertainment features are a similar story. For $750 you can add one backseat DVD screen to the base Quest 3.5 or 3.5 S. But the step-up Quest 3.5 SL charges $1,800 extra for one DVD screen, as part of a Bluetooth phone package -- and you must buy the $350 foldaway seat package first. The top-level 3.5 SE offers two backseat DVD screens as part of a $2,150 package (you must buy the $750 foldaway seat package also).

Fuel economy is about the same as other minivans -- 16 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg combined. But you'll pay more for gas if you buy the Quest. Nissan recommends premium fuel, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates the Quest has the highest annual fuel cost of any minivan.

Most reviews of the Nissan Quest repeat the same mantra -- it's stylish, and it handles well. But very few bother to dig deeper and unearth any real criticisms of the Quest, not even the flaw that the best experts say is most glaring: its failure to include electronic stability control as a standard feature on all models. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety points that out, as does ConsumerReports.org in its comprehensive and factual report. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides additional valuable safety information. Reviews at Cars.com and CanadianDriver.com compare the Quest directly against other minivans. ConsumerGuide.com and J.D. Power and Associates don't, but their rating systems make it possible for the reader to compare different minivans. Reviews at Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds.com and Auto123.com either compare the Quest with other minivans less extensively or not at all.