The fifth-gen Nissan Serena (C27) has been on sale since 2016 in Japan and was once the best-selling MPV there. Even though it was given a facelift in 2019 and featured some interesting tech underneath, its position was usurped by the Toyota Voxy in 2020.

Nissan knows the Serena is due for a full model change and after 5 years, it looks like the next-generation model will arrive in October 2021. This is according to a scoop by Best Car Web.

Based on the rendering as seen in the cover photo provided by the Japanese media, the next-gen Serena won’t be looking so serene. In fact, it could resemble its bigger brother, the Elgrand with its large grille flanked by a pair of slim stacking headlamps. One of those might be housing the DRLs.

While the front shows a very striking design, the familiar tall, practical looks, which has been a trademark for the Serena since the second-generation back in 1999, could be retained based on the rendering.

The current powertrains of the Serena also might be carried over into the next generation. These are the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder MR20DD engine that is used on the S-Hybrid and the 1.2-litre 3-cylinder HR12DE e-Power engine.

According to the same insider, the next-gen Serena could receive a power boost for the e-Power engine; up to 140 PS from the 136 PS in its current form.

Besides the powertrain upgrade, the next-gen Serena could also gain an improved ProPilot 2.0 autonomous driving system. The ProPilot system was a revolutionary technology at the time and the Serena was touted as the first Japanese vehicle to be provided with an autonomous driving aid.

Will the next-gen Serena be able to take back its number one position in the Japanese MPV market? We’ll have to wait and see but if you’re looking for a brand-new MPV, then perhaps you can check our review on the Serena S-Hybrid or see how it stacks up against the Toyota Voxy in our comparison.