Two of the hottest 2004 cars out there

Agent001 submitted on 8/6/2003 Auto Spies Photos Timestamp: 12:04:21 PM

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Two of the hottest 2004 cars out there

You'll never guess what they are!

To get your ad here, email Donald@autospies.com

Would you believe that two of the hottest 2004 vehicles are minivans?

Well it's true.

They're hard to find and there is very little negotiation on price (if any) that dealers are willing to do.

2004 Toyota Sienna Limited

Auto Spies perspective: If you took the Toyota badges off this you could not tell it from a Lexus. It’s the best Toyota product yet and it’s our choice for the best made minivan ever. Two features we love are the power side door windows, AWD version and the laser cruise control (on a minivan!)

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The all-new 2004 Sienna -- it has everything kids want and everything you need. It's larger, with more passenger room than ever. It's more versatile, with innovations like our reinvented and larger 60/40 Split & Stow 3rd Row TM seat and an available Front and Center TM second-row seat. And, with features like an available rear-seat DVD entertainment system, it's more fun, too. One thing that hasn't changed is Sienna's tradition of safety, with its available three-row side curtain airbags.

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The all-new 2004 Sienna is a true American minivan. A large percentage of its engineering design and development was done at the Toyota Technical Center (TTC) in Ann Arbor, Mich. A significant amount of its styling, was penned at Toyota's CALTY Design Studio in Newport Beach, Calif. At launch, more than 90 percent of Sienna's content will be sourced from North American suppliers. Finally, Sienna will be assembled, exclusively, on an all-new assembly line at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI) in Princeton.

"The Sienna has been improved, refined and enlarged in nearly every metric comparison," said Don Esmond, Toyota Division senior vice president and general manager. "The new Sienna will be defined by class-leading interior comfort, convenience, and flexibility that will meet the everyday driving needs of the American family."

The new Sienna rides on an all-new low-slung chassis with a wheelbase that is more than five inches longer than the current generation Sienna. Both its front and rear tracks are nearly four inches wider, yet its turning diameter is reduced by more than three feet, nearly one foot tighter than its closest competitor.

Inside, Sienna offers class-leading cargo volume behind the third row, as well as the most passenger volume among front drive minivans. In total, its interior volume has increased by nearly 45 cubic feet. Thanks to the extensive use of sound damping materials and best-in-class aerodynamics, Sienna's cabin will set a new standard in low NVH.

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Sienna's interior is as versatile and flexible as it is spacious and quiet. Sienna offers two distinctly different second-row seating options that are easy to adjust, tumble or remove. In its seven-passenger configuration, Sienna features second-row captains chairs with a passenger-side chair that can be moved side-to-side, offering either a bench or a bucket arrangement. In its eight-passenger configuration, Sienna features a second-row, three-way split/folding bench with a Front and Center™ middle seat that can be moved almost 13-inches closer to the front seat, making infants and toddlers in child-seats more accessible.

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Standard equipment on all models is a 60/40 Split & Stow 3rd Row™ bench seat that folds flat into the floor. Either side of the seat can be stowed separately with a low-effort, one-hand operation. With the entire rear seat stowed and the second row seats removed, four-by-eight foot sheets of plywood can be loaded flat onto Sienna's floor.

The new Sienna will deliver a substantial boost in power, fuel-efficiency, and refinement, thanks to an all-new 230-horsepower V6 engine and an all-new five-speed automatic transmission. Both the engine and the transmission will be built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia's powertrain production facility.

During internal testing, the compact and lightweight powertrain was capable of launching Sienna from zero-to-60 in 8.3 seconds. At 27 miles-per-gallon Sienna will have one of the highest highway mileage ratings in its class. The powertrain will be certified as a Level II Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV-II).

The current Sienna has been one of the top-rated minivans in both government and Insurance Institute crash testing. Major refinements in body design and components will further enhance Sienna's crash-worthiness. With standard four-wheel Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Sienna internal tests recorded best-in-class 60-to-zero braking performance in both wet and dry road conditions. Vehicle Stability Control with Traction Control and Brake Assist will be available as an option. Front side and side curtain SRS airbags covering all three seat rows will be standard equipment on the XLE Limited grade, and optional on all other grades.

The new Sienna will come in four model grades, CE, LE, XLE, and the new top-of-the-line XLE Limited. All four grades will be available in a 4x2 configuration. The LE, XLE, and XLE Limited will also offer all-wheel-drive. The CE and LE will be available in both seven- and eight-passenger configurations.

An array of convenience features will be available on the new Sienna. Among them are a DVD rear seat entertainment system with wireless headphones, navigation system with rear-view camera, rear seat audio, cruise control, 115-volt outlets, second and third row sunshades, and a JBL Synthesis AM/FM/cassette/six-CD changer with 10-speaker surround sound audio system.

"Bigger, bolder, and beautiful, the all-new Sienna will lay rightful claim to the mantel of best-in-class minivan," said Esmond. "And, with very affordable pricing it will set a new standard that will be hard to beat."

email Herve at: LeRouxH@Autonation.com

2004 Nissan Quest

2004 Nissan Quest Minivan “Breaks Out of the Box” With Revolutionary Styling, Innovative Features

Auto spies perspective: The BMW of minivans. Without question, the most innovative interior of ANY car on the market today. Not made as well inside as the Sienna but it’s sooo sexy, you’ll forget about that the minute you sit inside. One thing the Nissan folks won’t tell you is there will be an AWD version next year.

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The 2004 Nissan Quest is a revolutionary, category-redefining approach to the minivan – one that is about to reverse the long-held stereotypes about minivans and their drivers. Its all-new design elevates the traditional minivan strengths of safety features, functionality and utility with enhanced roominess, design innovation and technology, while adding the missing emotional elements of contemporary styling and a spirited, fun-to-drive personality.

The Quest has grown in size to be the among roomiest in the front-wheel drive minivan segment and provides such user-focused enhancements as flat-folding 2nd and 3rd row seats and the widest opening sliding doors in class. New safety features include the first North American application of the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System, and standard head curtain supplemental air bags to help protect 1st, 2nd and 3rd row outboard occupants from side-impact collisions.

Style is another key component of the new Quest, with both the dramatic, flowing exterior and "urban loft" themed interior designed to address consumer concerns about traditional minivans' conservative imagery. And, as expected from the company behind the award-winning new Nissan 350Z‘ sports car, the new Quest offers responsive acceleration and handling - from its standard 3.5-liter V6 engine and new 4-wheel independent suspension.

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Quest will be the first of four new vehicles scheduled to be assembled at Nissan's new $1.43 billion manufacturing facility in Canton, Miss.

"Minivans have always been a rational purchase decision, rather than an emotional one, but not anymore," said Bill Kirrane, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division. "The most impressive thing about the new Quest, even with all its great design and engineering advances, is its exciting personality and attention to personal style."
The new Quest is scheduled to go on sale at more than 1,100 Nissan dealers nationwide in July 2003 as a 2004 model.

Room For Innovation

With its long 124.0-inch wheelbase, 77.6-inch width and 67.3-inch front and rear track, the new Quest offers one of the largest interior volume of any current front-wheel drive minivan. Overall interior volume of 211.9 cubic feet, as well as ample cargo space behind the 2nd row seat and 3rd row seat are significantly improved over the previous generation Quest. Special attention was also paid to front seat dimensions, with first row shoulder room among the best in class.

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Quest's sliding door openings measure 33.8 inches, over four inches longer than the nearest competitor (2003 models) and over six inches longer than the previous generation Quest. The wide doors combine with a 2nd row seat "tip up" feature to address one of consumers most frequent complaints regarding current minivan designs – getting in and out of the 3rd row.

Another innovation that addresses owner dissatisfaction with current minivan designs is the Quest's new flat-folding seats. Quest advances the folding seat concept by applying this feature to both the 2nd and 3rd row seats, with the 3rd row folding flat.

The unique folding operation does not require the owner to remove the 2nd and 3rd row seats in order to create a fully usable storage area. The 2nd row seats fold down and drop forward to the floor. The 3rd row easily folds and rotates into a recess in the floor behind it.

"The result of our double row of folding seats is 'complete spontaneity' in how customers can use the interior of the 2004 Quest," said Kirrane. "There's no longer the need to plan ahead in removing seats prior to going shopping. Owners can purchase large or bulky items on a whim and be able to transport it home by simply folding down the seats."
The Quest also features spring-loaded retractable strikers (versus competitors’ fixed striker designs) for the 3rd row seat for added flexibility in carrying wide objects and the new Quest's ample length and width allows for carrying of standard 4x8 plywood sheets on the floor with the rear door closed.

Another Quest innovation is the available Skyview® roof, a series of four panoramic glass roof windows for the 2nd and 3rd rows that (along with the front sunroof) help enhance the use of natural light throughout the vehicle.
A full-length rear overhead console, available with the Skyview roof, offers increased functionality while creating an aircraft-like interior environment with personal reading lamps and air vents. The rear overhead console includes heating and cooling vents, reading lamps and also houses the Quest's available DVD Entertainment System's dual color display screens.

Exterior Styling and Interior Design That Break Out of the Box

True to the design originated on Nissan's boldly original Next Generation Quest Concept, which was shown at North American auto shows in 2002, the new Nissan Quest offers a highly expressive and distinctive appearance.
Designed by Nissan Design America, Inc. (NDA) in La Jolla, Calif., the Quest exterior is marked by an arching roofline that transitions seamlessly off of the A-pillar, a strong shoulder that adds dimension to the body sides, well-defined wheel forms that have a minimal gap with the tire sidewalls and a fluid gesture in the beltline that starts low off of the headlights and kicks up toward the rear of the vehicle.

"We wanted to avoid the anonymous box design that has become the industry standard in the minivan class," said Tom Semple, president, NDA. "We have accentuated the wheels, because Nissan is all about the driving, and pulled the sheet metal to the tires. The body is well balanced on the wheels and overall Quest has strong Nissan styling cues, such as in the grille design."

The Quest interior, again following the theme set out by the Next Generation Quest Concept, creates a sense of a modern, "urban loft" – a comfortable, open and inviting space for family and friends.

The interior's remarkable sense of openness comes from several design innovations, beginning up front with Quest's unique, low height instrument panel that departs from the typical "driver centric" concept to one of "social space." The new instrument panel layout utilizes a center-mounted instrument cluster with a 6.3-inch information display screen, an instrument panel-mounted transmission shifter lever and numerous storage compartments – including driver and passenger side lower instrument panel storage.

The designers also rethought the traditional minivan interior architecture, with the shape of the centralized control stack taking on the look and feel of a desk or table, and leaving ample legroom for driver and front passenger to easily turn around toward the rear of the Quest. It's a combination of design features that helps create an open feeling without increasing dimensions.

"There are always other driver distractions in a minivan so we wanted to make the driving environment simple but aesthetically pleasing, including the adoption of appealing, non-minivan-traditional colors and materials," said Semple. "We brought the controls close to the driver without limiting knee room as you turn to where the action is in the back of the van, while the seats themselves are more like furniture in look, feel and texture."

A Long List of Available Comfort and Convenience Equipment

The new Quest's expressive and distinctive interior also comes through in the high quality, luxurious feel and in the careful selection of standard and available equipment. Up front, Quest offers an available 8-way power driver's seat with adjustable lumbar support, available driver's seat memory system (seat position, foot pedal position and outside mirror position) and heated front seats.

Also offered are available leather-appointed interior, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, dual zone automatic temperature control for driver and front passenger, rear heating and air conditioning system, power front windows with one-touch auto up/down, a front overhead console with sunglasses holder and dual map lights, and a rear sonar system.
Eight cupholders, along with bottle holders/map pockets on each sliding door, offer flexibility and convenience for all passengers and also numerous storage bin areas.

A standard 150-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with eight speakers is offered, along with an available first-ever for the U.S. Bose®-developed audio system for the minivan in the segment – a 265-watt 10-speaker audio system. All audio systems also feature “dual media” capability (when equipped with rear audio controls), allowing rear passengers to use wireless or wired headphones for a different media source than what is played through the speakers.

Taking mobile technology to the next level is an available DVD Entertainment System with the option of one or two roof-mounted display screens. The system's DVD drive is located under the front passenger seat, oriented toward the driver, for ease of changing discs. Also offered is a DVD-based Nissan Navigation System with 7.0-inch color display.

A Focus on Safety

Safety is a particularly important part of the minivan purchase decision and the new 2004 Quest was developed with a strong focus on both active safety – through the responsive engine, suspension and braking technologies – and passive safety through a comprehensive set of passive restraint systems.

Standard safety equipment includes Zone Body construction with front and rear crushable zones and occupant zone, the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (which utilizes crash zone sensor and advanced occupant weight sensing capability to control front passenger air bag deployment).

Also standard are head curtain supplemental air bags to help protect 1st, 2nd and 3rd row outboard occupants in side-impact collisions and 3-point seat belts and height-adjustable head restraints for all seating positions. Available as an option are supplemental front seat side-impact air bags for thorax protection.

Every new Quest also includes the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren) child seat anchorage system and child safety rear door locks.

Nissan Driving Dynamics

Powering the new Quest is a standard 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 engine based on Nissan's VQ engine series, which was recently named one of Ward's Auto World magazine "10 Best Engines" for the ninth consecutive year. For use in the new Quest, the V6 produces 240 horsepower and 242 lb-ft of torque.

The engine design includes state-of-the-art design features as Continuous Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS), microfinished crankshaft and camshaft, molybdenum-coated pistons and sequential multi-point electronic fuel injection. The engines are assembled at Nissan's Decherd, Tenn. engine assembly facility.

The Quest engine is matched with a choice of 4-speed or 5-speed electronically controlled automatic transmissions with overdrive (transmission varies with model).

A Traction Control System (TCS) is standard and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) is also available on select Quest models.

Another element that is often overlooked in the minivan category is responsive handling and ride comfort. Utilizing Nissan's advanced FF-L (for Front engine, Front-wheel drive, Large) platform, also found on the Nissan Altima, new 2003 Murano crossover SUV and all-new 2004 Maxima, the new Quest features a 4-wheel independent suspension with an advanced rear multi-link suspension and front and rear stabilizer bars.

The Quest is offered with 16x6.5 wheels and 225/65R16 tires on 3.5 S and 3.5 SL models or 17x6.5 aluminum-alloy wheels and 225/60R17 tires on the 3.5 SE model. A sensor-type Tire Pressure Monitor System is standard on all 2004 Quests.

Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is standard, along with 4-wheel vented disc brakes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist (BA) and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD).

Three Well-Equipped Models

The 2004 Nissan Quest will be offered in three well-equipped models – Quest 3.5 S, 3.5 SL and 3.5 SE.
A number of options and packages are available on Quest, including a DVD Entertainment System (dual or single screen) with 7-inch color display screen; DVD navigation system with 7-inch color display screen.

Also offered is a Seat Package with 2nd row folding captains chairs and easy entry feature, 2nd row removable armrest covers, 3rd row flat-folding bench seat and 3-point seat belts (2nd and 3rd row); 3.5 S Upgrade Package with 16-inch alloy wheels and rear sonar system; 3.5 SL Upgrade Package with supplemental front seat side-impact air bags, heated front seats and rear sonar system; 3.5 SL Leather Package with leather trimmed interior and 4-way power front passenger seat.

"The new Quest challenges convention in the minivan class, bringing a new level of style, performance and innovation to a category that hasn't evolved much since its creation over 20 years ago," said Kirrane. "It's a minivan for people who might never have considered a minivan before – a multi-dimension vehicle for people with multi-dimensional lives."