By Tim Plouff

Approximately 10 years ago, a minivan took up residence in one of our garage’s portals. After sampling several minivans while on vacation and during work projects, it had become apparent that a minivan’s numerous virtues best suited our active lifestyle.

What other vehicle can comfortably ferry six adults and their gear to Boston for a weekend hockey tournament and then haul six sheets of 4X8 plywood inside on Monday? What other vehicle can adeptly handle the vulgarities of winter travel, without worry or protest, and then pull a trailer full of kayaks, canoes and bicycles, plus a full load of camping gear all summer?

One van led to a second van and then a third, each offering more amenities and comfort than the previous rendition. And each van was asked to do more than the last one, both in comfort and work. No other platform is as versatile as a minivan.

Since minivan sales peaked at 1.4 million units in 2000, it has become popular to criticize this venerable family wagon as an outdated, un-cool, soccer-mom kind of car that “hip” people should avoid. Sadly, many buyers have left their minivans at the dealership and gone home in a brawny SUV that looked “cool” but could barely perform a fraction of the tasks that their former minivan could, all while returning 25-percent less fuel economy. Clearly, a severe case of fashion over function.

But signs are appearing that there is new life and respectability returning to the lamented minivan. And, the action is not all on the domestic front where the minivan idea originated, but in the halls of the builders that are rapidly consuming the traditional Big Three’s market share.

Chrysler has long dominated the minivan category and is demonstrating some sales gains again this year. However, the three Asian-based manufacturers named Toyota, Honda and Nissan have built new assembly plants in the USA and are crafting their latest minivan offerings right here.

The Honda Odyssey is recognized as the class leader in the segment if not in sales then in overall design and quality. The Toyota Sienna is a close second. Nissan’s Quest, the largest of the minivans, is closing in on its rivals while pursuing a different look inside and out.

Price discounts and incentives play a large part in Chrysler’s sales dominance. There are no incentives on the Toyota, Honda or Nissan minivans.

This doesn’t mean that there are no deals to be found on the Asian-labeled vans as both Toyota and Honda dealers are slashing asking prices on their hot-selling vans in order to achieve lofty sales goals. Nissan retailers also have applied some marketing incentives in an effort to increase Quest sales.

Built in Canton, Miss., the Quest has turned out to be a bit more different than some customers have expected. With a rounded exterior shape that conjures up images of Toyota’s previous Previa van, the Quest has an avant-garde interior design that pushes the styling envelope in a segment where conservative appearances have traditionally ruled. Some unusual fixture arrangements and very uncommon color selections have attracted more new buyers to the Quest than previously sought the former Quest van. Yet conquest sales from the rival offerings have lagged behind expectations.

Nissan has worked diligently to resolve some initial production problems that caused sales to start slowly. The first vans were all specked-out as high-end model units, the most profitable products. But the bulk of new van sales are still entry-level and mid-priced models. Nissan reacted to this gaffe by lowering prices and adding a new “base” model Quest that starts around $23,500 nicely equipped. Sales have accelerated.

The Canton plant also suffered from some early teething issues as production was quickly ramped up for all of the Nissan branded trucks that rolled out one right after the other. Nissan’s dynamic boss, Carlos Goshn, immediately addressed the plant’s maladies and added more support staff and engineers from Japan. Subsequent production has been trouble-free and quality scores have increased markedly.

Aesthetically, the Quest might appear to be different just for the sake of being different. Yet it’s hard to ignore the van’s many virtues.

All of the Quest’s doors are larger than its rivals, improving ingress and egress. The seats — large, leather clad, heated and powered units in my SE — are adult sized buckets that conveniently accommodate seven adults. The third-row seat folds away into a deep rear well, like most rivals, but it doesn’t split to fold like recent offerings do.

The oversize second-row seats come with folding armrests and three inches of fore and aft travel. They also fold flat to increase load capacity even thought they don’t recline completely into the floor like Chrysler’s system. Still, you needn’t remove them to haul big cargoes like 4X8 sheets of plywood so there is no back strain there.

The upscale interior design features multi-hued materials with distinctive leather hides complementing the modern layout. A large, vertically mounted, oval-shaped center pod houses the HVAC controls, audio functions and other miscellaneous buttons. A bank of idiot lights and smaller gauges rests smack dab in the top center of the dash. The jury is still out for me on the viability of this location for your essential reporting stations. I’m old school and like my tachometer, gas gauge and speedometer right in front of me, not somewhere else on the horizon where my eyes have to wander. That said, the lower control pod proved to be quite convenient to use and makes a good deal of sense once you become accustomed to it.

Space allocation is impressive. Slots, cubbyholes and storage bins abound. Power rear vent windows swing out. Front windows power up and down with one-touch of the door-mounted button. Each side door glides open with the assistance of an electric motor. The rear hatch powers up and down to the amazement of unsuspecting bystanders.

The driver’s seat has memory functions and power pedals so you and your partner don’t fight over who messed up the settings. If you insist, you can even get not one but two DVD screens to lull the rear occupants into a sense of serenity. Like Nissan says: “Everything you need, nothing you don’t.”

The ride is traditional minivan stable yet composed when pressed, relaxed when not. Visibility is good to all corners. Rear riders each get their own sunroof panel with the Skyview option. The VQ 3.5-liter V-6 is just delightful. It delivers abundant power whenever you need it, sounds good when working, and still produces respectable fuel economy via the efficient and smooth five-speed automatic transmission. I consistently averaged 23 mpg and I wasn’t bashful about applying the throttle.

Nissan sold more cars and trucks in America last year than ever before. This year’s pace is showing double-digit growth. It should be evident that something is working very well at Nissan.

Don’t overlook the Quest. There is more here than meets the eye.