Nissan Serena S-Hybrid

Nissan Serena S Hybrid Overview

The Nissan Serena S hybrid is a 4-door, 7-seater multipurpose vehicle (MPV) locally assembled in Malaysia. Introduced in May 2018, the two variants on offer are the 2.0-Litre Highway Star and the 2.0-Litre Premium Highway Star Package.

Started out life as a minivan joining alongside the iconic Nissan Venette back in 1991, the Nissan Serena has come a long way with the introduction of its fifth generation. The popular Japanese MPV certainly lived up to its name as the people carrier, as few other MPVs can compete with what the Nissan Serena S Hybrid has got to offer.

Priced starting from RM140,226 (without SST), the Nissan Serena S Hybrid is competitively priced alongside its rivals in Malaysia. Comparable MPVs include the Toyota Innova and the Kia Grand Carnival, both offering a similar proposition in terms of pricing, practicality and performance. Alternatively, compact MPVs like the Toyota Avanza, Perodua Aruz and the Mitsubishi Xpander can certainly give the Nissan Serena S hybrid a run for its money with a little compromise in terms of practicality.

Nissan Serena S Hybrid Design

The Nissan Serena S Hybrid, like many other MPVs, is designed with practicality in mind. Inevitably, certain design aspect of the car has to be compromised, the disproportionately tall roof for example. A spacious and practical interior also translate into a narrow and boxy shaped car, not the most pleasing design to the eye.

That being said, Nissan has done a fairly decent job in hiding the awkward shape with a few design touches, like the dual tone paint finish available on the premium variant for that floating roof affect, the V-motion strut grill accentuating the global signature Nissan design language and the S-shaped LED tail lamp paired with dual layer LED projector headlamp for that modern touch.

Nissan Serena S Hybrid Dimension

The overall size is best described as adequate, while it is not the longest nor the widest amongst its rival, it certainly is the tallest with its unnecessarily high roofline.

Serena S Hybrid Interior

The interior is where the Nissan Serena S Hybrid excels. You are immediately greeted by the vast interior space, commanding driver seating position and a low window line, accentuating the huge windscreen and the tall side window glasses. The spacious 7-seater features optional two-tone truffle brown/chestnut combination leather seat, making the interior looks and feels a touch more premium compared to its predecessor. Second row captain seats with dual armrest adds to the premium feel in the cabin and the third row sliding seat with tip-up to fold function provides the flexibility in cargo space utilization.

Nissan Serena S Hybrid Features

The Nissan Serena S Hybrid is equipped with a sweep Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility safety feature. The intelligent around view monitor(i-AMV) provides a 360-degree bird’s eye view of the vehicle for easier navigation. The Intelligent Moving Object Detection (i-MOD) detects and alert the driver of moving objects surrounding the vehicle for better situational awareness. The Intelligent Driver Alert (i-DA) helps alert potential driver fatigue and last but not least the 6 airbags for that all-round protection.

Nissan has also introduced innovative technology unique to the Nissan Serena S Hybrid, like the hand-free dual power sliding door. Just like hand-free powered boot, a simple quick kick below the door opens or closes the power sliding door. Parents with toddler will most definitely appreciate this feature. Available also is the dual back door for easy access into the cargo space for smaller item when parked in tight spaces. Passenger getting out from the 3^rd row is easier with the addition of the power sliding door control switch.

The Nissan Serena S Hybrid also comes as standard a leather wrapped steering wheel with Advanced Drive Assist Display (ADAD) and cruise control switches, a 7-inch Full Colour Advanced Drive Assist Display, a 6.75-inch Clarion Advanced Display Audio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Intelligent Key with Push Start Ignition.

Nissan Serena S Hybrid Driving performance

Engine

The 2.0-litre naturally aspirated, 4-cylinder hybrid engine produces 150 PS at 6000 RPM and 200NM of torque at 4400 RPM. The S-Hybrid system is mounted with an upgraded Eco Motor that controls the idling stop system and provides additional torque-assist in start-up acceleration. With a 0 to 100km/h time of 14.1 seconds, clearly the Nissan Serena S Hybrid is not designed with performance in mind. Instead, as the variant name suggests, it is a highway cruiser designed to carry people with ease and comfort in mind.

Transmission

The engine drives the front wheels through a CVT with adaptive shift control. Although improvements have been made to make the CVT better, its inherent issues like the rubber band effect (delay in power delivery) and the tendency to hang at higher RPM making a loud whiny noise is still very much apparent in CVTs like the one in the Nissan Serena S Hybrid.

Nissan Serena S Hybrid Ride comfort

The Nissan Serena S Hybrid is fitted with a new stiffer front and rear suspension mounting with improved performance valve in its shock absorber to deliver a more stable and comfortable ride. But with its narrow body and high center of gravity, the suspension can only deal with so much until the law of physics takes over. Like any other MPVs, the Nissan is not designed with handling and performance in mind and when it comes to tackling corner, body roll is apparent, and it is not ideal being a passenger at the back when on a winding road.

Nissan Serena S Hybrid Fuel consumption

Official reported fuel consumption of the Nissan Serena S Hybrid is rated at 14.2 Km/L or 7L/100Km, bearing in mind that this is a 7-seater MPV weighing in at just a little under 1,700kg. It is classified as an Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) in Malaysia.

Nissan Serena S Hybrid Conclusion

For its intended purposes, the Nissan Serena S hybrid excels in its intended purpose. Being a people carrier, few other MPVs can compete with what the Nissan has to offer. You can hardly go wrong with the Nissan Serena S Hybrid if you are in the market for a car of this class, with its spacious interior, modern design and practical layout, it is the very definition of a multi-purpose vehicle.