WOULD you believe it if we said that the Serena is finally fun? Us either until our media drive to Kuantan, Pahang.
It can be hard to picture Nissan’s iconic multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) as anything but a family-mover so imagine our surprise when we found the new Serena e-Power (C28) to be so much more.
So ingrained is the seven-seater’s design and reputation that you probably wouldn’t think twice if a powertrain change would make much difference.
That much was true for those of us who’ve at the time yet to drive the machine before the start of our drive eastward.
Covering the distance wasn’t an issue but we weren’t sure, given the experience with its predecessors, if navigating the winding roads of both Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (DASH) and Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway in a family-oriented MPV would be that exciting.
Not that the design is any telling either. The sixth-generation 2026 Serena’s aesthetics does come with subtle updates but nothing out of the ordinary.
Its front has a sportier V-Motion grille and tri-projector LED headlights while a redesigned front bumper with air curtains acts as airflow management around the front wheels.
At the back are revised boomerang-style taillights, LED fog lamps and the familiar split-opening tailgate.
Running on 16-inch wheels, the MPV will be offered in monotone Diamond Black as well as three two-tone options of Turquoise Blue, Brilliant White and Dark Metal Gray that contrasts its black roof.
Everything is status quo up until you factor in the Serena’s e-Power system. It is at this point the MPV plays to a slightly different tune than what you’d be accustomed with.
No, it hasn’t lost its main identity as a people carrier and as we said fun wasn’t exactly what came to mind when we first laid our eyes on the updated MPV either.
But make no mistake this isn’t the MPV of yesteryear.
As the main catalyst for this transition, the inclusion of the new e-Power system gives the Serena a somewhat electric vehicle-like (EV) characteristic with the benefits of a hybrid powertrain.
That is after all the beauty of Nissan’s e-Power system which Malaysians got to first experience with the Kicks e-Power compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) launched a year ago.
What you get is a rather smooth and quiet drive experience (also possibly due in part to the MPV’s Noise, Vibration, and Harshness or NVH proofing) with decent torque and a fantastic fuel range.
The second generation e-Power system found in the Serena consists of a 1.76kWh lithium-ion battery and a 1.4-litre three-cylinder engine that powers an EM57 motor.
The combination produces 163PS and 315Nm, while allowing the MPV to achieve up to 1,000km on a full 52-litre tank.
In ways, the next gen e-Power system is both quieter and more powerful than the one found in the Kicks which uses a 1.2-litre engine and a larger 2.06kWh battery to deliver up to 900km of range which churning out 129PS and 280Nm of torque.
Many also noted that the inclusion of the powertrain supersedes the performance of the C27 model’s noisier 2.0 litre S-Hybrid engine that only delivers up to 150PS and 200Nm of torque, in addition to an estimated 820km of range.
It is for this reason that Nissan in Malaysia says the S-Hybrid setup will not be making its return to the Serena moving forward.
An equally important performance-linked element lies in the MPV’s new platform configuration.
To maximize the C28’s potential, the front portion of the MPV’s platform has adopted the tunings of the X-Trail - basically appropriating the front part of the X-Trail’s platform itself.
Alongside the new powertrain and around an additional 40kg of extra weight over the C27, the Serena e-Power not only gets a boost in performance both in power and maneuvering.
We still wouldn’t advise taking corners at very high speeds especially in a Serena but by comparison the MPV is a lot more planted and agile now.
This allows for a smooth acceleration and some very satisfying control around the bends.
Ensuring the Serena’s safety are Nissan’s 360-degree Safety Shield and ProPILOT features.
The 360-degree Safety Shield suite is made up of Intelligent Predictive Forward Collision Warning with Emergency Braking, a 360-degree camera system with moving object detection, Blind Spot Warning with Intervention, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Intelligent Driver Alertness, High-Beam Assist and Lane Departure Warning with Intervention.
ProPILOT on the other hand combines Intelligent Cruise Control, Intelligent Lane Intervention and Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention.
All three systems can be activated at the press of a button on the multi-function steering wheel.
Expanding on the MPV’s cabin interactivity points are a 12.3-inch TFT digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch centre infotainment display that accommodates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There’s also a 14-inch ceiling-mounted rear entertainment display that caters to the second and third row passengers, and tray tables at the convenience of second row passengers.
So far at least the pre-production Serena e-Power has proven to be an improvement over its predecessors in ways we never thought it needed to be.
Embodying the true essence of being multi-purpose the MPV is very versatile.
Its comfort features, fuel economy, and newfound smooth-agile drive experience makes the C28 is very easy to recommend.
Priced between an estimated RM160,000 and RM180,000, the Serena e-Power is slated for a March launch.
