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Nissan Quest miniâ€"van provides maximum performance An unlikely (at least to me) marâ€" riage between Ford and Nissan has resulted in the most serious chalâ€" lenger vet â€" the Mercury Villager _ Now everyone knows Chrysler invented the segment and they still own it. But the claimants to the throne as king of the minivan hill erow every six months it seems. _ By JIM ROBINSON Special to the Beaver How these things ever got called minivans is beyond me as they are maxi when it comes to filling your driveway â€" and meeting family needs. °n terms of sheer practicality, the Imnmv;m certainly has come to K. the fore as the vehicle of choice for most families in Ontario Stationwagons are pretty good, mind you and I own one. But when you have two kids and it means hauling playpens, baby seats and highchair around; you simply can‘t beat the convenience of throwing the whole mob into your minivan. | is U U **<§29‘| ° aR4%p Laugh In The Face iatsftextes® _ 1450 SPEERS RD. *T WE ARE A CUSTOMER FIRST DEALERSHIP! @ Vâ€"63.0 litre 153 horsepower engine @ Fourâ€"wheel Drive with Automatic front locking hubs @ Powerâ€"assisted brakes with Rearâ€"wheel ABS ®@ Steel sideâ€"door impact beams @ New 8â€"speaker, 130 Watts AM/FM stereo cassette ® Arr conditioning (CFCâ€"free) @ Cruise control and variable intermittent wipers @ Front double wishbone torsion bar suspension @ Rear 5â€"link coil spring suspension ® The Nissan Satisfaction Commitment Major Components Warrar 0 o'< a!b”.r“$ 8271177 5\5!A 7 ACT' There is no such thing as a stripped Quest, Nissan leaving the lower end to Chrysler. The "base" vehicle comes with all the standard equipment Nissan research found buyers want which includes factoryâ€" fitted stereo, air, power windows, antenna, locks etc. and a strong warranty package. The result is a minivan with an almost identical wheelbase to the Magicwagons, if a tad taller and with a longer, more wedgeâ€"shaped nose. Power is the ubiquitous Nissan 3.0â€"litre V6, in this guise producing 150 hp and driving through a fourâ€"speed electronic, automatic transaxle (the only transâ€" mission offered) to the front wheels. and Nissan Quest. Nissan provided the drivetrain and the styling via Gerry Hirshberg and his merry band at the Nissan Design Studio in Irvine, Calif. Ford provided the place to construct it (Avon Lake, Ohio), the people to build it, and Ford sourced all the pieces. includes wheels eight, delivery & taxes LEJTT t speERS RD * |" < > & Q.E.W AKESHORE AD Inâ€"house engine gives Hyundai Scoupe power boost The most outstanding feature is the ability to take out the middle row of seats (twoâ€"person bench or optional twin captain‘s chairs). The rear bench is set on rails and can be moved up and down the length of the cargo area, or just removed, so you can take a marvelously variable mix of people/cargo. Hirshberg used to be a famous rock star in another life, so sound systems are important to him. In the Villager and Quest, you can get a midâ€"seat stereo system and climate The thing that makes the Scoupe significant for Hyundai is that this car will feature their first inâ€"house engine. In 1984 Hyundai saw the need to develop their own engine and so vegan six years ol research, aevelopâ€" ment and testing. The project has cost Hyundai about $160 million and culâ€" minated in a 1.5 litre, 12â€"valve, fourâ€" cylinder engine that is offered in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions. The new naturally aspirated engine bumps the horsepower from 82 in the old engine to a much better 92, while the turbocharged version gives you 115 horsepower. The increase in power moves the new Scoupe up from a "sporty" car to a sports car. The car tested here features a fiveâ€" speed manual transmission matched with the turbocharged motor. The "Turbo Package," which can only be added to the upâ€"scale LS model, conâ€" sists of a turbo boost indicator, speâ€" 1991 and the totally new Elantra sedan in 1992. Well, the ball is still rolling because the ‘93 model year saw the introduction of a freshened Elantra and a totally new Scoupe model. By GRAEME FLETCHER Special to the Beaver | ince 1989 Hyundai has introâ€" S duced a new or significantly # restyled model every year. the Sonata debuted in 1989, it was folâ€" lowed by the second generation Excel in ‘90, the sporty Scoupe in 1993 Nissan Quest These Recent Tradeâ€"Ins! TUNED CERTIEED * GUARANTEED 5â€"speed, air tle car. Stk Auto., AM/FM, low km, clear car, ideal 2nd vehicle. Stk No. P93â€"143A 1991 NISSAN PATHFINDER 5 speed, 4x4, 4â€"door, burgun 511 s dy, one owner, well serviced Stk. No. 92â€"128A Automotive Over 30 Used Vehicles In Stock! d, air cond., clean Iitâ€" y Stk. No. 93â€"222A 5 1990 TOYOTA TERCEL 1989 TOYOTA TERCEL 1992 NISSAN 240 LF control system phone jacks for I had the use of a Villager for a week‘s vacation up north, and the Quest more recently for a run to London, Ont. to visit a great aunt. The stroller, playpen, pottie, and baby chair all went behind the rear seat. â€" an anxiety Metallica isn‘ rushhour traffic I should point out the dual lights in the tailgate are marvellous as vast impr design. t enough t« nsing to a rather loud 40AA) rpm at 120 km/h. I did have the opportunity to test an automatic version, the highway gearing is much better in this unit, although you do lose some perforâ€" mance. All models of the Scoupe feature MacPherson struts up front, indepenâ€" dent trailing arms in the back and sway bars at both ends. The result is a vast improvement over the original cial seat and cloth trim, a sport susâ€" pension, fog lights, leather wrapped steering wheel and gear shift knob and the obligatory "turbo" badging. Under the hood of the Scoupe is, as mentioned, a new turbocharged engine that produces 115 horsepower and 123 lbs./ft. of torque. To attain this sort of power Hyundai selected a Garrett Tâ€"15 compact turbo unit that both matched the engine‘s torque curve and featured a low inertia turâ€" bine. The latter ensures the turbo spins up to speed quickly and effiâ€" ciently which helps to eliminate turbo lag as well as providing smooth linear performance as the power increases. Under normal circumstances the engine responds well to throttle inputs, zipping through the 0 to 100 knvh test in a fraction over 9 seconds. The fiveâ€"speed manual transmission is a slick shifting affair that is well matched to the engine for the most part. 1 say for the most part because in Sth gear the engine churns away a rather busy 3000 rpm at 100 km/h, nsing to a rather loud 4000 rpm at 120 matitseD _ 1450 SPEERS RD. *T WE ARE A CUSTOMER FIRST DEALERSHIP! ADD TAXES & LCENSE TO ALL PRICES the enst $18,595 wh $6,995 8271177 including two earâ€" the kids in the back relieving idea if your cup of tea in & setâ€"up is tirm a predictable and 1991 FORD THUNDERBIRD LX 93â€" 1 /JA 100 km, all options ck, must be seen & s1 k. No. 93172A 1990 TOYOTA LE CAMRY 1984 PONTIAC FIERO 1988 NISSAN STANZA k. No. 93â€"134A Handling is not that much differâ€" ent from the standard Nissan Maxima and a world removed from the cubevans and pickups on which first generation Magicwagon imitaâ€" tors were fashioned. tains chairs of the Quest GXE as mom reads reports in the back seat, number one daughter reads a book, and number one son snoozes peaceâ€" fullv. up at night to unload all those accoutrements. My wife and the two kids in their safety seats went in the back along with luggage, kiddie books, teething rings and the everâ€"needed Eric Nagler tapes. It‘s kind of funny to be up front alone in the leatherâ€"swathed capâ€" Another notable difference is the quality of materials used to finish the interior. The leather is wonderâ€" ful, but the cloth is what most peoâ€" ple will order and it‘s grippy and stylish. The optional electric twoâ€" way sun roof is one of the largest I‘ve every encountered. I mentioned the 3.0â€"litre engine and it‘s no slouch. The transmission stable feel, yet compliant enough to provide a comfortable ride. The upâ€"graded sport suspension found on the Turbo models is quite a bit stiffer than the base version, but is none the less comfortable, When pushed the car maintoins a level attiâ€" tude in corners and displays good straight line stability at speed. The brakes, being front disc/rear drum, are superb. They are about the best nonâ€"ABS setâ€"up 1 have tested in a while. The pedal is exceptionally easy to modulate, meaning you can achieve maximum brake effort without fear of locking them up. 1 required a mere 106 feet to stop from 80 km/h. As well as a comprehensive exteriâ€" or makeâ€"over, the Scoupe features an improved and more functional interior that makes the most of the limited interior dimensions. floodlights when vou swins the mm V From the driver‘s perspective the e owner _ @| this one jeal s nicht to unload SLETT SPEERS RD * 4 <€ > c Q.E. W © $14,995 AKESHORE RD UVE $4,995 1993 Hyundai Scoupe LS/Turbo D V g the gate ill those 4 . 226 N.m (167 lb. ft.) @ 3600 rpm. A 3â€"speed automatic transaxle is stanâ€" dard. § V6 power is optional on the base Spirit teamed with either 3â€"speed or 4â€" speed automatic transaxles. The 3.0â€" Litre V6 engine is standard on Spirit ES, teamed with a 4â€"speed automatic transaxle. This multiâ€"point EFI SOHC engine develops 105 kW (141 bhp) net power @ 5000 rpm and net torque of Standard engine in the base Dodge Spirit is a 2.5â€"Litre EFI SOHC 4â€"cylinâ€" der engine with dual counterbalance shafts. Net power is 75 kW (100 bhp) @ 4400 rpm with net torque of 183 N.m (135 Ib. ft.) @ 2800 rpm. A 5â€" speed manual overdrive transaxle is standard and a 3â€"speed automatic optional. With driver safety in mind, Dodge Spirit offers the added protection of a standard driver‘s side air bag suppleâ€" mental restraint system and optional 4â€" wheel disc antiâ€"lock brakes (ABS) on both models. The new Spirit Gold Appearance Package features 14â€"inch aluminum road wheels with gold accents, p195/70R14 black sidewall allâ€"season tires, new bodyside and fascia mouldâ€" ings with gold accents, new gold decals and a new deck lid luggage rack. Various option packages as well as individual options are available for perâ€" sonal need or preference. Packages include: Power Convenience (power door locks and power windows); Overhead Convenience (overhead conâ€" sole and interior illumination). Individual options include: power door locks, a new AM/FM stereo radio with cassette player and graphic equalizer, a new AM/FM stereo radio with CD player and graphic equalizer (available ES model only), and a 6â€"way power driver‘s seat. New Spirit Gold package steering column and a Light Package including map reading lamp and an under hood lamp are also standard. includes an overdrive lockout butâ€" ton on the column shifter. In the thick of downtown traffic, or accelâ€" erating uphill with a full load, this feature is a boon. With the option performance package, you can also tow 3.500 lbs. Handling is superior to the last BMW I owned (honest!) and that all comes with antilock brakes and a truly supple, yet responsive, suspenâ€" sion using Nissan geometry borâ€" rowed from the Maxima. The XE base model has a list price of $22,290, and it goes up to $23,090 with ABS. The GXE base model with ABS, rear air and stereo, full power, trailer hitch and twin middle row seats is $26,590. The topline GXE, as tested here with full leather, twoâ€"way sunroof, premium sound system and autoâ€" matic headlight system is $30,290. My initial impressions of the origâ€" inal Scoupe were favorable â€" here was a sporty car that offered a high degree of dollar value in a truly affordable vehicle. The introduction of the second generation Scoupe conâ€" tinues the trend, to coin a much overused and rather hackneyed phrase, the 1993 Scoupe now has the sizzle to go with the steak. Personally speaking, my days of owning BMWs is long gone due as much to the cost of ownership as to my changing needs. However, with package of options, the Nissan Quest comes closest to the kind of vehicle I want to find in my driveway. tilt steering wheel, supportive seat and a nicely placed dead pedal combine to ensure a comfortable driving position. The instrument cluster is of the analog variety and as such makes picking up the relevant information easy, the exception being the row of LED‘s that form the turbo boost indiâ€" cator. This device is not very easy to see at the best of times nor is it bright enough to see during the day. The remainder of the driving controls are well placed and easy to use. Wednesday, February 24, 1993 (Continued from page 1)