The is a

minivan Minivan (sometimes called simply a van) is a car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows . The equivalent classification in Europe is MPV (multi-p ...

manufactured by

Nissan is a Japanese multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the ''Nissan'' and ''Infiniti'' brands, and formerly the ''Datsun'' brand, with in-house ...

, joining the slightly larger Vanette. The car was engineered by Nissan's Aichi Manufacturing Division and launched in 1991 as a compact passenger van, and it grew larger with each generation over the years. Earlier versions were

front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout A front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout (FR), also called Système Panhard is a powertrain layout with an engine in front and rear-wheel-drive, connected via a drive shaft. This arrangement, with the engine straddling the front axle, was the t ...

with a

live axle A beam axle, rigid axle, or solid axle is a dependent suspension design in which a set of wheels is connected laterally by a single beam or shaft. Beam axles were once commonly used at the rear wheels of a vehicle, but historically, they have a ...

mounted on

leaf spring A leaf spring is a simple form of spring (device), spring commonly used for suspension (vehicle), suspension in wheeled vehicles. Originally called a ''laminated'' or ''carriage spring'', and sometimes referred to as a semi-elliptical spring, e ...

s, while the following generations are

front-wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of internal combustion engine, engine and transmission (mechanics), transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel-drive vehicles feature ...

or 4WD. The Serena is designed to comply with Japanese vehicle class, which means its external dimensions are restricted to 4.7 meters in length and 1.7 meters in width. It slots below the larger

Nissan Elgrand The is a minivan manufactured by Nissan Shatai for Nissan since 1997, available in three generations, with model codes E50 (1997–2002), E51 (2002–2010), and E52 (2010–present). The E50 Elgrand was also configured and produced as a ligh ...

in Japan as a smaller, cheaper alternative. Competitors include the Toyota Noah, the Honda Stepwgn, and the

Mitsubishi Delica The is a range of vans and pickup trucks designed and built by the Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors since 1968. It was originally based on a cabover van and pickup truck introduced the previous year, also called the Delica, its name a c ...

. Its name is from the Latin word ''" serēnus"'', meaning "clear, tranquil, pleasant". The Serena was rebadged and marketed by

Suzuki is a Japanese multinational mobility manufacturer headquartered in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka. It manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a va ...

as the between 2007 and 2022. The Serena based Landy was discontinued and replaced by an all-new version that is based on the Toyota Noah starting in 2022, when the fourth generation Noah was released. As with the larger Elgrand,

Autech is a division of Nissan Motorsports & Customizing focused on Car tuning, tuning and converting Nissan cars. Autech was a subsidiary company of Nissan from its establishment in 1986 to 2022, when it was merged with Nismo. History Autech was foun ...

offers a tuned, modified version of the Serena. __TOC__

First generation (C23; 1991)

Models were manufactured in Japan from 1991 onwards, and many were imported into Australasia and the United Kingdom. Nissan produced many different trim levels - FX, SX etc. Full-Auto (full-time) 4WD versions were also produced providing greater stability and better handling. The naturally aspirated 2.3 L diesel was never manufactured for the Japanese market and its seating arrangement and interior fittings are not the same as the 2.0 L petrol (SR20DE), 2.0 L diesel

CD20 B-lymphocyte antigen CD20 or CD20 is B lymphocyte cell-surface molecule. It is a 33-37 kDa non-glycosylated protein. CD20 is expressed on the surface of B-cells from the pre-B phase, the expression is lost in terminally differentiated plasm ...

and turbo-diesel CD20T models manufactured in Japan for the local market. It was exclusive to Japanese Nissan dealerships called '' Nissan Bluebird Store''. Throughout its production the C23 model underwent several facelifts although the interior design and body largely remained unchanged, for example, addition of airbags and bench seats for the second and third rows. Each facelift model can be identified by front grille design which was updated in 1994 and 1997. In European markets, the C23 Serena had 1.6 or 2.0 L petrols, or 2.3 L diesel engines LD23. Trim levels were LX, SLX, SGX and SGXi. ''

Auto Express ''Auto Express'' is a weekly motoring magazine sold in the United Kingdom published by Carwow Group. The editor is Paul Barker. History and profile Launched in September 1988, its 1,000th issue was published on 20 February 2008. Its only w ...

'' once named the Serena as the slowest passenger car in the benchmark 0-60 mph (later became 62 mph) test, with the 2.3 L diesel version (added in the mid 1990s) taking 27.8 seconds to reach that speed. Until around 2002, the most common petrol engine was the SR20DE, accompanied by the 1.6-litre GA16DE. A variety of other engines were used over the years, including diesels specifically the

(for the commercial van version), CD20T 1,973 cc Diesel Turbo, and the CD20ET. File:Nissan Serena C23 152.JPG, Nissan Serena Cargo VX (Japan) File:Nissan Serena C23 003.JPG, Nissan Serena FX (first facelift, Japan) File:Nissan Serena C23 (front).jpg, Nissan Serena (first facelift, Indonesia) File:Nissan Serena C23 (rear).jpg, Nissan Serena (first facelift, Indonesia) ;Serena Highway Star File:Nissan Serena C23 007.JPG, Nissan Serena Highway Star (second facelift, Japan) File:Nissan Serena C23 006.JPG, Nissan Serena Highway Star (second facelift, Japan)

Europe

The Nissan Vanette was a series of small vans manufactured in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

by Nissan alongside the European market Serena models. The van was produced in two versions, the Vanette E, which shared the basic body shell with the Nissan Serena people carrier, differing only in not having rear windows and passenger seats, and the Vanette Cargo, which was longer and had a higher roof line from behind the front seats. In June 1998, LDV Group entered into an agreement with Nissan to sell a rebranded version of the Vanette Cargo. This was named the LDV Cub and was sold alongside the Vanette in Britain. The model was discontinued in 2001 and replaced by a rebadged version of the

Renault Trafic The Renault Trafic (pronounced as "traffic") is a light commercial van produced by the French automaker Renault since 1980. It has also been marketed as the Fiat Talento, the Nissan NV300, the Nissan Primastar and the Mitsubishi Express. Unti ...

called the Nissan Primastar, which is produced in

Luton Luton () is a town and borough in Bedfordshire, England. The borough had a population of 225,262 at the 2021 census. Luton is on the River Lea, about north-west of London. The town's foundation dates to the sixth century as a Saxon settleme ...

, England and

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

, Spain. File:Nissan Serena front 20071004.jpg, Nissan Serena (facelift, Germany) File:Nissan Serena rear 20071004.jpg, Nissan Serena (facelift, Germany) File:1995 Nissan Vanette Cargo Diesel 2.3 Front.jpg, Nissan Vanette Cargo (pre-facelift) File:1995 Nissan Vanette Cargo Diesel 2.3 Rear.jpg, Nissan Vanette Cargo (pre-facelift) File:2001 Nissan Vanette E 2.4.jpg, Nissan Vanette E (facelift) File:2001 LDV Cub Diesel 2.3 Front.jpg, LDV Cub File:2001 LDV Cub Diesel 2.3 Rear.jpg, LDV Cub rear

Reputation

The Nissan Serena Mk1 is said to have an

image An image or picture is a visual representation. An image can be Two-dimensional space, two-dimensional, such as a drawing, painting, or photograph, or Three-dimensional space, three-dimensional, such as a carving or sculpture. Images may be di ...

problem by some, in particular ''

Fifth Gear ''Fifth Gear'' is a British motoring television magazine series which has been broadcast since 2002. Originally shown on Channel 5 from 2002 to 2011 (and branded as ''5th Gear'' until 2005), it began as a continuation of the original version ...

'' presenter

Quentin Willson Quentin Willson (born 23 July 1957) is an English television presenter and producer, motoring journalist, author and former car dealer. He was a presenter of the motoring programmes '' Britain's Worst Driver'', '' Fifth Gear'', and the original ...

, who remarked in a 1997 '' Top Gear'' episode that ''"...the Nissan Serena was about as seductive as a

skip Skip or Skips may refer to: Acronyms * SKIP (Skeletal muscle and kidney enriched inositol phosphatase), a human gene * Simple Key-Management for Internet Protocol * SKIP of New York (Sick Kids need Involved People), a non-profit agency aiding ...

and as desirable as an old shoe."'' By 2000, the Nissan Serena was described as the worst new car sale on Britain, by ''Top Gears ''Buyers Guide'', with "absolutely nothing to recommend it for". Although the Nissan Serena handles better than most people expect it to (due to its mid-mounted engine), its power-to-weight ratio is particularly poor, as shown by the 0–100 km/h averages listed below. For those wanting performance cars, the only models with marginally acceptable acceleration are powered by the SR20DE engine, but all models are acceptable for the target family-car user, as shown by sales figures.

Nissan Largo

Largo was the model name used for a Nissan passenger van based on the C23 Serena between 1992 and 1998. Unlike the previous Largo, which was essentially a widened C22

Nissan Vanette The is a cabover van and pickup truck produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan Motors, Nissan from 1978 until 2011. The first two generations were engineered by Nissan's Aichi Kokuki, Aichi Manufacturing Division for private, personal ownership, ...

, the W30 Largo was a totally rebodied, wider Serena with more equipment such as four-wheel-drive. It was exclusive to '' Nissan Satio Store'' locations as a large load carrying vehicle next to the Sunny. The Largo was available with either a 2.4-litre petrol or a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, both mid engined (under the front seats). File:Nissan Largo 1993.jpg, W30 Nissan Largo (pre-facelift) File:Nissan Largo 003.JPG, W30 Nissan Largo SX-G Plus (facelift) File:Nissan-Largo-3rd-rear.jpg, W30 Nissan Largo (facelift) File:Nissan Largo 001.JPG, W30 Nissan Largo Highway Star (facelift) File:Nissan Largo Highway-star Touring front.jpg, W30 Nissan Largo Highway Star Touring File:Nissan Largo Highway-star Touring rear.jpg, W30 Nissan Largo Highway Star Touring

Second generation (C24; 1999)

The second-generation Serena was launched in Japan in June 1999, ditched the

rear-wheel drive Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-whee ...

layout in favour of

construction. These versions had a facelift with a wider variety of engines and colours. From December 2001 onwards (the time of the facelift) the Serena used the QR20DE and QR25DE. The pre-facelift C24 Serenas all have a 2.0 L engine, with the optional 2.5 L engine becoming available from 2002. With the partnership between Nissan and Renault having been implemented, Nissan MPVs were withdrawn from Europe where Renault products, like the

Renault Espace The Renault Espace () is a series of automobiles manufactured by Renault since 1984. For its first five generations, the Espace was a multi-purpose vehicle/MPV (M-segment), but it has been redesigned as a mid-size crossover SUV for its sixth ge ...

and

Renault Scénic The Renault Scénic (), also spelled without the acute accent as Scenic, especially in languages other than French, is a car which was produced by Automotive industry in France, French car manufacturer Renault, the first to be labelled as a com ...

were sold and better accepted. Indonesian-market cars use the 2.0 L '' QR20DE'' inline-four

petrol Gasoline (North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When formul ...

engine. The trims available in Indonesia are Comfort Touring, Highway Star, and

. The Comfort Touring trim-level does not come equipped with electric sliding door and reverse camera, while the Highway Star and the

do. The C24 Serena was also manufactured by ''Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd'' in

Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

. ;Serena Highway Star ;Serena Rider

Taiwanese version

In Taiwan, a lengthened version of the Serena C24 has been manufactured by Yulon under the Nissan label. The Taiwanese Serena is longer than the original, all behind the C-pillar. The Taiwanese version was in production until 2012 and only available with the 2.5-litre QR25DE engine joined to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

Chinese version

In the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, the Serena Mk. II was sold by Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile in the form of the Taiwanese Yulon version while being rebadged to Yuxuan or Yumsun under the Dongfeng brand. Another restyled, rebadged, and renamed version called the '' Dongfeng Succe'' and is also produced by their subsidiary Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile.

Third generation (C25; 2005)

The third generation debuted in Japan in May 2005. This model was officially sold in Japan and Hong Kong, and also sold through parallel imports in Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, the Serena C25 was the best selling

in Japan. This model was also sold as the Suzuki Landy in Japan, a practice that is continued with the fourth and fifth generation Serena. The third generation was discontinued in Japan in late 2010 and in Hong Kong in 2011.

Gallery

Fourth generation (C26; 2010)

The 2011 Nissan Serena was released in late November 2010 to the Japanese market, equipped with a new 2.0-litre MR20DD direct injection inline-four petrol engine. This model was sold in Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia. In August 2012, Nissan added their newly developed simple hybrid system called Smart Simple Hybrid or S-HYBRID. The Nissan Serena C26 S-HYBRID has its regeneration capacity and output power of the Eco Motor, which is an alternator that is used for Nissan's Serena having an idling stop mechanism and capable of restarting an engine, upgraded. Nissan added a lead sub-battery in the engine room for extended energy regeneration capacity. The Serena has a fuel economy of 15.2 km/L (approx 35.8 mpg) under the JC08 test mode. In Indonesia, the C26 Serena was locally assembled and went on sale in January 2013. The Autech version of the Highway Star trim was added in September 2013. The facelift version of the C26 Serena was launched on 13 March 2015. In Malaysia, Tan Chong launched Nissan Serena S-Hybrid in July 2013 being fully imported from Japan and only available in one trim level: Highway Star. In November 2014, the facelift version was launched, being locally assembled in Malaysia and available in two trim levels: Highway Star and Premium Highway Star. In July 2016, Impul versions were made available.

Gallery

Fifth generation (C27; 2016)

Nissan unveiled the fifth generation Serena on 6 July 2016, and sales began in Japan on 24 August 2016. The all-new Serena received the ProPilot technology, which does

lane centering In road-transport terminology, lane centering, also known as lane centering assist, lane assist, auto steer or autosteer, is an advanced driver-assistance system that keeps a road vehicle centered in the lane, relieving the driver of the task of ...

. The system is designed for highway use, and will only be used in single-lane traffic as a means to keep a car between the lines of a lane on the highway. Nissan's system is operational at speeds between and , and is designed to hold the vehicle in the middle of a lane by reading markers and controlling steering. Propilot can follow curves, and it automatically controls the distance between the vehicle ahead. The Serena e-Power went on sale in February 2018. It is a series hybrid with no plug-in capability powered by the HR12DE

straight-three engine A straight-three engine (also called an inline-triple or inline-three) is a three-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft. Less common than straight-four engine, straight-three engines have nonethel ...

. The C27 Serena debuted in Hong Kong in 2017. In Malaysia, the C27 Nissan Serena S-Hybrid was launched on 14 May 2018 as a 7-seater locally assembled MPV and available in two trim levels: Highway Star and Premium Highway Star. In Singapore, an e-Power powered C27 Nissan Serena was displayed during the 2019 Singapore Motor Show. In Indonesia, the C27 Serena was launched on 19 February 2019 and is fully imported from Japan. 2016 Nissan Serena X hybrid (pre-facelift, rear).jpg, 2016 Nissan Serena X (C27; pre-facelift, Hong Kong) 2016 Nissan Serena Highway Star VIP (front).jpg, 2016 Nissan Serena Highway Star VIP (C27; pre-facelift, Hong Kong) 2016 Nissan Serena Highway Star VIP (rear).jpg, 2016 Nissan Serena Highway Star VIP (C27; pre-facelift, Hong Kong) NISSAN SERENA C27 04.jpg, Nissan Serena interior

Facelift

The C27 Serena received a facelift in Japan on 1 August 2019 with redesigned front grille, front and rear bumpers, and omnidirectional driving support. In Malaysia, the facelifted C27 Serena S-Hybrid was launched on 6 July 2022. In Thailand, the facelifted C27 Serena S-Hybrid was launched on 28 November 2024. 2019-2022 Nissan Serena e-Power XV.jpg, 2019 Nissan Serena e-Power XV (HFC27; facelift, Japan) 2019-2022 Nissan Serena e-Power XV rear.jpg, 2021 Nissan Serena e-Power XV (HFC27; facelift, Japan) 2019-2022 Nissan Serena Highway Star V.jpg, 2019 Nissan Serena Highway Star V (GFC27; facelift, Japan) 2021 Nissan Serena e-POWER Highway Star G in Brilliant White Pearl and Diamond Black, rear right.jpg, Nissan Serena e-Power Highway Star V (HFC27; facelift, Japan)

Specifications

Engines

Transmission

Sixth generation (C28; 2022)

The sixth-generation Serena was unveiled on 28 November 2022. File:Nissan SERENA e-POWER XV (6AA-GC28) rear.jpg, 2022 Nissan Serena e-Power XV (GC28, Japan) File:Nissan Serena (C28) e-POWER LUXION.jpg, 2022 Nissan Serena e-Power Luxion (GFC28, Japan) File:Nissan Serena C28 e-Power Highway Star V rear.jpg, 2022 Nissan Serena e-Power Highway Star V (GFC28, Japan) File:Nissan Serena (C28) AUTECH.jpg, 2022 Nissan Serena e-Power Autech (GFC28, Japan) File:Nissan SERENA HighwaySTAR V (5BA-FC28) interior.jpg, Interior

Specifications

In Japan, the sixth-generation Serena is offered in four grades levels; X, XV, Highway Star V and Luxion. Two engine options were available; the carried-over 2.0-litre ''MR20DD'' petrol, and the newly-developed 1.4-litre ''HR14DDe'' e-Power. Seating capacity can be configured in either a 7- or 8-seater. While the X, XV and Highway Star V were returning grades from the previous generation, the Luxion grade was new for the sixth-generation. Based on the Highway Star V and only available as a 7-seater e-Power model, the Luxion is equipped with Nissan's ProPILOT 2.0 technology system, which features hands-free driving during highway speeds of or above. Other grades outside the Luxion were equipped with the older ProPILOT system. While e-Power models were initially front-wheel-drive at launch, an optional “e-4ORCE” four-wheel-drive option became available since September 2024 for all grades except the Luxion.

Export markets

Indonesia

The sixth-generation Serena was launched for the Indonesian market in July 2024 at the 31th Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show. A Japanese Luxion model was previously showcased in August 2023 at the previous year's GIIAS to mark its initial Indonesian debut. It is offered with a single variant returning from the previous generation; Highway Star. For the sixth-generation, the Indonesian market Serena is only available with the e-Power series hybrid powertrain.

Singapore

The sixth-generation Serena was launched in Singapore on 13 May 2024. It is only offered with e-Power petrol hybrid, with either Premium 8-seater variant and Highway Star Prestige 7-seater variants.

Thailand

The sixth-generation Serena was launched in Thailand on 24 March 2025. It is only offered with e-Power series hybrid powertrain, with a single Highway Star 7-seater variant.

Awards

Nissan Serena won Technology Award at 2023-2024 Japan car of the year. Nissan has announced that the Serena minivan has been awarded the Technology Car of the Year at the 2023-2024 Japan Car of the Year awards.

Sales

References

【2022年12月フルモデルチェンジ】日産セレナC28型の外装・内装の情報

External links

*Nissan page

* * {{LDV Group Serena Cars introduced in 1991 2000s cars 2010s cars 2020s cars Minivans Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Front-wheel-drive vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles Hybrid minivans Partial zero-emissions vehicles Vehicles with CVT transmission Vehicles with four-wheel steering Euro NCAP large MPVs