Nissan Serena e-Power Highway Star Prestige 7-Seater review: Excelling where it counts

I imagine that in the dreamlands of many other 28-year petrolheads, work days end with a spring in their step as they make their way to the carpark — where a lightweight two-door coupe, or indeed, a hot hatch awaits. (To be clear, I am no exception on most days.)

Yet perched high on a Nappa leather-covered throne in this boxy seven-seater, weaving silently through the blotchy stop-and-go of 7:00pm traffic — and on my way to pick my family up for dinner — everything feels… right.

And complete. It's a hyper-specific moment — no doubt exacerbated by a particular day's state of fatigue. Still, I can't imagine I'd be happier behind the wheel of something else.

Let's call a spade a spade, and a Serena a Serena. This is a machine unambiguous about its purpose of ferrying people around with as much space and comfort as possible. In an MPV, function — not form — takes the front seat.

Still, that's not to say that the people-moving playbook cannot contain varying textures and flavours.

As Nissan's latest take on the hybrid seven-seater template shows, it's all in the details.

While the new Serena e-POWER hasn't shedded its minivan-silhouette, its completely redesigned face — less ostentatious than before — has done wonders in elevating its overall design

Stylish substance

Other carmakers have taken it upon themselves to disguise the van-like shape with crossover-skewing elements, while chrome-splattered grilles are becoming a bit passe. In fact, the latter is exactly what you'd find on the previous generation Serena e-POWER. 

Instead, this new Serena drops any pretences and embraces its minivan identity with open arms: Without curved edges, or an overdose of shimmery bits up front.

In its current interpretation of the firm's now-signature 'V-Motion' grille, black is ostensibly the dominant aesthetic — as is the idea of horizontal lines — with the application of chrome elements done in measured seamlessness with the car's new head lights.

Calling any minivan sexy would be far-fetched, but the Serena e-POWER is as sleek as they come nowadays.

While Nissan hasn't really shouted about any 'reductive design language' being employed, the car nails it down quite well with its singular slab-sidedness and deference to simpler lines. 

Oasis of serenity

As you'd expect, those proportions mean that space inside is outstanding no matter where you find yourself seated.

You won't find sunroofs even on this range-topping 7-Seater Highway Star Prestige trim, but the sheer size of the windows, even back in the third row, gives the cabin a soothing sense of airiness that is amplified by just how much headroom there is front to rear.

Accessing that last row of seats is dead-easy, too. Though an eight-seater is available, this seven-seater is the one to go for with its extra versatility and bumped up spec list.

In this configuration, those individual captain's chairs in the second can be slid not just forwards and backwards, but also sideways, to create either a centre aisle or pockets at the side for passengers to slip through.

The space, however, is to be expected. Instead, where the new Serena impresses is with its significantly-improved cabin design — which is a reflection of a carmaker that has grown increasingly confident in the style, quality and design of its interiors.

Those who have appreciated the sophistication Nissan brought to the X-Trail e-POWER will certainly be won over by the progression the new Serena has taken over its predecessor.

It's an intriguing mix that dives deeper into the digitalisation (unsurprisingly), yet necessitates the physical touch that modern carmakers are increasingly shying away from. The new Serena loves buttons (whether it's to activate One-Pedal driving, or to adjust the media) — so much that even your gears all have their own individual ones.

At the same time, the reflection of current trends is clear. On a seemingly uninterrupted panel lie your twin 12.3-inch digital driver's display and infotainment touchscreen (supporting both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly) in staggered heights.

Beneath the latter, too, is a snazzy touch panel that mixes physical knobs with touch-sensitive controls for adjusting your A/C functions.

Besides evoking sensations of serenity, the Serena's cabin looks and feel expensive (although the hard plastics will admittedly show themselves quite quickly as you venture downwards).

A black matte wood trim covers the dash; a subtle dose of ambient lighting lines the sliding doors. It's all measured, and muted — and promises to wear well on the senses.

At one point I start to wonder where the seat ventilation and reclining buttons for the second row are — but then I'm thrown back into reality again: Those are features typically reserved for MPVs of an even higher order, such as the Toyota Vellfire Hybrid (or the Serena's larger brother — no longer on sale here — the Elgrand). Yet such is the elevated expectation the Serena manages to evoke.

Amidst these points of excellence, it's a shame that there is one ergonomic misstep: A weirdly-moulded central column that protrudes into the space for the driver's left leg.

Still, it's a minor niggle. Elsewhere, the new Serena e-POWER builds on the clever touches that gave its predecessor the extra edge in convenience.

It's not just your second, but third row passengers, for instance, that get their own tray-tables and USB-C charging ports, while tri-zone air-conditioning and window shades are now offered.

The undeniable highlight, however? The retention of its dual-tailgate opening, which allows for only the glass pane to be swing up in tighter spaces.

Extra (e-)power and sophistication

On the move, the Serena is smooth and effortless — and sprightlier off the line than you might expect from something shaped like a pinched shipping container.

Such qualities are only achievable by a hybrid drivetrain, although the sort of petrol-electric mix found here is once again filtered through Nissan's unique take. 

The 1.4-litre figure average observers will pick up at first is a bit misleading to the less initiated.

The Serena, like all other e-POWER models, is powered purely by an electric motor, which is — in turn — fed by said 1.4-litre engine that functions as a power generator for an onboard battery.

Still, that's not to say it isn't important. Where the previous Serena only got a 1.2 litre unit, this 1.4-litre one is newly developed for extra refinement and power, and can recharge the car's onboard battery faster. Importantly, its electric motor is also now more powerful — producing a good 29bhp more than before.

The sum of these upgrades is an air of ease when you're out on the road. 120kW (161bhp) and 315Nm of torque are not insubstantial, even for a 1.8-tonne MPV, and while both natural instinct and the laws of physics are quick to remind you not to floor the Serena around bends, its ability to weave its way around slower traffic without kicking up too much of a fuss or ruckus is still appreciable.

There are other integral parts to this equation, of course — the elevated driving position; nicely damped suspension; fantastic all-round visibility; as well as generally light steering, which weights up nicely when at higher speeds.

A good suite of safety nannies — including Intelligent Cruise Control, Blind Spot Assist, and Lane Departure Warning — promise to make the drive even better for more anxious drivers.

But yet another portion helps to make the drive relaxing: The Serena's body is narrower than one might expect, with its short bonnet further aiding the ease of placing it on the road. It's surprisingly manoeuvrable around U-turns and multi-storey car parks.

Furthermore, the phlegmy drone from its predecessor, as promised, has been largely reduced too. Whether coasting between traffic lights, or on Lane 1 of the KPE, you remain quite well-shielded from both noise from the generator and the road. 

The big question, of course, is how easy the new Serena e-POWER will be on the wallet when it comes to the weekly petrol-station run. We managed a fuel consumption figure of around 15.8km/L after more than 200km — which isn't outstanding today against other hybrid MPVs, but is still a commendable figure considering its size (and the fact that all three rows were actually filled half the time we had the car). 

As good as modern mid-sized MPVs come 

Ultimately, too, it's hard to pin the car's less-than-stellar fuel consumption against its other subtly shining qualities. 

Significantly polished up over the previous car, the new Serena e-POWER excels where it counts — in terms of space, equipment, modernity and style. (It's also worth noting that although direct Japanese competitors exist, it stands alone on one crucial front for now: With the promise of the full authorised dealer experience.) 

MPVs may not be for everyone, but they are certainly for many. In answering the people-moving call to arms with more silence and subtlety than before, the Serena e-POWER has loudly staked its place in the game more assertively.  

What we like

• Subdued styling
• Nippy and refined drivetrain
• Expensive-looking interior
• Spacious seating for seven
• Nifty features, including separate tailgate glass and third-row tray tables
• Surprisingly easy to manoeuvre for something its size

What we dislike

• Unabashed van-like silhouette may not be to everyone's fancy
• Fuel efficiency falls short of direct competitors
• Central column eats into space for driver's left foot

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This article was first published in sgCarMart.