The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

Middle age is a creeping sensation. Suddenly, staying out late doesn’t appeal so much as an early bedtime. The body spreads faster than a lava flow. And that little sedan doesn’t seem to have enough room.

A minivan does, but it has got to be entertaining, like the car you’re giving up. So Nissan, which does a lot of the engineering on this van, has always pushed for a car-like feel, something that’s more true now that it got a makeover for the ’99 model year.

The design is familiar, yet the body panels are all new. Trying to find the changes in cars or vans these days is tricky, given the subtlety of most redesigns. The biggest clue on the Quest is the left-side sliding door, freshly styled Infiniti J30-like grille and new door handles. You also might note its added length, 4.6 inches stem to stern, and its additional 1.2 inches in width.

Certainly, it doesn’t stand apart from the pack, but it’s clean, crisp and contemporary. Overall, the size of this vehicle slots it neatly between the regular Caravan and Grand Caravan in length.

What makes the vehicle car-like is the gutsy 3.3-liter single-overhead-cam V-6, good for 170 horsepower and 200 foot-pounds of torque. It has much more oomph than the 3.0-liter six in last year’s model. But then, the old engine offered up a mere 151 horsepower.

Anyway, the engine sounds great and, coming from a company that makes the sporty 240SX and Nissan Maxima, you expect a good time. But the suspension is more interested in a nice ride than sporty moves. If the engine says The Rolling Stones, the suspension says The Carpenters.

But it is more car-like than most minivans, needing only a Maxima-like suspension tuning to make it the one an enthusiast would seek out. The SE version, which comes with a rear stabilizer bar, is the sportiest of the iterations. There are also base GXE and top-drawer GLE. In the meantime, this is a comfy place to spread out, with a comfortable ride and good noise insulation. The steering is nicely balanced, with some road feel.

Inside, the styling is new as well, although it will feel familiar to past Quest or Villager buyers. A rotary knob on the left controls the lights, while on the right is an array of buttons for flashers, wipers and defogger. The main stereo is located just below the air-conditioning vents but above the climate controls. The CD changer is located at the bottom center of the instrument panel, a surprisingly convenient place.

The dash is typical in its Japanese efficiency and ease of use. Less appealing was the shiny hard plastic that made up a large part of the interior. Obviously, designers were striving for a different look. If you like it, enjoy it. But it most certainly will scratch easily and will wear those scratches proudly.

But the shiny plastic was the only downside to this van, which offers an amazing amount of seating flexibility. Second-row seats can be removed while the third row slides forward. This is true whet her you order bucket seats or bench seats. But be advised since you’re approaching middle age: Get some help lifting out the seats. Nissan claims there are 66 different seating arrangements with the bucket seat option, 24 with the bench.

But the content of this vehicle is quite high. Standard GXE amenities include: power windows, power locks, keyless entry, security system, air conditioning, AM/FM/cassette audio system, privacy glass, luggage rack, anti-lock brakes and rear window wiper/washer. Stepping up to the SE means 16-inch alloy wheels and performance tires, handling suspension, rear stabilizer bar, black-on-white instrumentation, second-row captain’s chairs, front and rear air conditioning, rear audio and climate controls. Popping for the GLE brings leather, six-way power driver’s seat with two-position memory, four-way power passenger’s seat, automatic climate control, aluminum alloy wheels, six-disc in-dash CD changer, rear climate controls, rear audio control s, and inte grated garage door opener.

Prices were unavailable for the test vehicle, which is scheduled to go on sale early in October.

With 135.6 cubic feet of cargo space, a size that’s not too big and not too small, a zippy engine and a nice ride, this van will make crusing into middle age a more tolerable experience.

1999 Nissan Quest

Engine: 3.3-liter single overhead-cam V6

Rating: 170 horsepower, 200 foot-pounds of torque

Transmission: four-speed automatic

Tires: P225/60R16 (SE, GLE)

Standard: power windows, power locks, keyless entry, security system, air conditioning, AM/FM/ cassette audio system, privacy glass, luggage rack, anti-lock brakes, rear window wiper/washer

Price: Not available at test time

EPA rating: 17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway

Test rating: 19 mpg

Fuel requirement: Regular unleaded