IF you are looking for a spacious family multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) with high levels of safety and fuel economy, the latest facelifted Nissan Serena S-HYBRID should be on your shopping list.
Distributed by Edaran Tan Chong Motor, the Serena is available in two variants of Highway Star and Premium Highway Star, priced from RM149,888 and RM162,888 respectively.
The Serena will be making an appearance at the 2022 CarSifu Auto Show at Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur from Oct 5-9.
The long-time popular MPV retains its elegant presence and gets cosmetic changes which embodies confidence and enhance the upmarket aura.
These include Redesigned Dual Projector LED Headlamps, and a new V-motion Front Grille with a majestic and sophisticated chrome pattern.
Also included are a Redesigned LED tail lights, Redesigned Front Bumper with integrated Fog Lamps and Daytime Running Lights with Gloss Black Finishing.
Soundproofing liners have been added to the rear wheel housing to suppress NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) levels to deliver a quieter, more serene experience for all passengers.
As safety has been an important factor in Nissan vehicles, the automaker has developed a range of Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies that can help make motoring safer by assisting the driver.
These technologies make up the 360° Safety Shield to give complete all-round protection.
The new Serena’s 360° Safety Shield has enhanced Active Safety with an extensive range of systems that improve the driver’s awareness of the surroundings as well as take action to prevent a collision.
The five new systems added are Intelligent Predictive Forward Collision Warning & Intelligent Forward Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
The Intelligent Predictive Forward Collision Warning & Intelligent Forward Emergency Braking systems has a radar unit in the front of the MPV to measure the distances of vehicles ahead.
If a collision is imminent and the driver does not respond correctly by braking or slowing down when alerted, the system will automatically apply Automatic Emergency Braking.
Also helping the driver’s awareness of the surroundings is the Intelligent Around View Monitor with Intelligent Moving Object Detection that shows a simulated image of an overhead view of the vehicle, allowing the driver to see what is on all sides.
The sensors can also detect moving objects and will alert the driver to exercise caution.
The Lane Departure Warning system will alert the driver if the vehicle starts to drift out of its lane dangerously while the Intelligent Driver Alertness system monitors the driver for drowsiness or fatigue and suggests a short break from driving.
Aside from front and side airbags, the Serena also features full-length curtain airbags along the sides for added rear passenger protection.
Meanwhile, the Nissan S-HYBRID tech continues to power the Serena’s drivetrain and incorporates an Energy Control (ECO) electric motor which controls the idle-stop system.
It also provides torque assistance on moving off as well as reducing fuel consumption, enabling Serena owners to receive some of the benefits of a hybrid powertrain without the associated high costs.
The hybrid drivetrain is paired with the Nissan XTRONIC CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with Adaptive Shift Control to coordinate control between 2.0-litre CVTC (Continuously-variable Valve Timing Control) 4-cylinder engine to deliver optimised fuel savings.
Classified as an Energy Efficient Vehicle with a fuel consumption of 14.2km per litre, the Serena promises a driving distance of up to 852km on full tank of fuel.
In addition to the Dual Back Door concept unique to the Serena that provides convenient and faster access to the ample cargo area at tight rear space opening, the MPV also gets the Hands-Free Dual Power Sliding Doors that can be opened automatically by a foot placed under the side of the vehicle.
The Serena also comes with seven USB ports as well as 13 versatile seat configurations for up to seven persons on board.
Comfortable Captain Seats are installed in the second row and these come with individual armrests and extra-long slide adjustment.
Those at the front and second rows also enjoy superior comfort in the Zero Gravity Seats that are proven to reduce fatigue due to their neutral posture position inspired by NASA studies.
Quality materials are used in the Serena with the Premium Highway Star variant receiving combination Nappa leather that is quilted for the premium look and feel.
Entertainment comes from a six-speaker infotainment system managed from a new advanced 9-inch full-colour touchscreen that also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Premium Highway Star variant gets an 11.6-inch LCD panel that folds down from the ceiling.
Tan Chong Motor Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer Daniel Ho said the Serena S-HYBRID was among the first hybrid models to be assembled in Malaysia and it is still the only locally-assembled hybrid MPV.
“This new generation of Serena has a very extensive list of features that give it a premium image – without the premium price. Now, to make it even better value for money, it comes with added safety features and fresh styling in line with the latest Nissan design language,” Ho said.
“More than 45,000 units have been sold nationwide to date, and in 2021, it was the best-selling Non-National Mid-size MPV in the country,” said Ho.
Keyword: CarSifu Auto Show 2022: Nissan