Nissan Serena J Impul Premium Highway Star (Two-tone colour) - It's All In The Space

Nissan Serena J Impul Premium Highway Star (Two-tone colour) - good looking, spacious and affordable - is it the most complete toaster-on-wheels?

The Nissan Serena (C27) has been around since 2018 and the variant that we have here has been in Malaysia since December 2018 but enough about the genesis of the Serena, how does it feel like as an urban family mover? 

Space:  Nissan Serena J Impul Premium Highway Star

The first thing you will notice when you enter the Serena is how much natural light permeates into the cabin and how airy it feels. It exudes a sense of space unlike any other MPV in the market currently. Depending on how much light you like in your cabin this could be a positive or negative for you but my family of three loved it. 

Comfort: Nissan Serena J Impul Premium Highway Star

The Serena excels in this area, the mocha-coloured diamond-quilted leather seats of the J Impul variant were comfortable and didn't transfer heat onto your rear end even when left parked under the hot sun for hours at a time. It also provided a nice color contrast with the color of the vehicle. I especially liked the white car and mocha seats color combo. The electric sliding doors that could be opened from inside and outside was also a welcome convenience. A centre console with some storage space for the driver is an addition that wouldn't be amiss in the Serena though. 

Looks: Nissan Serena J Impul Premium Highway Star

Beauty they say is in the eye of the beholder so while this area will remain highly subjective, I, for one, think the Serena is one of the better looking MPV's currently on our roads. The J Impul bodykit gives it a 'garang' front face and coupled with the 18-inch Impul Millennium alloys, this is one MPV that combines looks as well as practicality. The accessories package for the J Impul reportedly provides it with an additional 10% downforce for better stability. See, it's not just for the good looks! Form and function. 

Drive: Nissan Serena J Impul Premium Highway Star

The powerplant remains the same in the Nissan Serena J Impul. The trusty MR20DD 2.0 litre engine paired to an Xtronic CVT is given the task of powering the four wheels. It is assisted by an ECO electric motor that controls the Idling Stop and energy regeneration. All this simply means that it is powerful enough to carry your family and luggage, has enough torque for over-taking and is also more frugal than a conventional N/A MPV due to the electric motor. 

Wrap-up: Nissan Serena J Impul Premium Highway Star

The Nissan Serena performs all that is required of an MPV. It looks good, will ferry your family safely and comfortably, is fuel efficient and most importantly it's very SPACE-Y!  Priced from RM148,000++ it ticks all the boxes of a family mover. Go test-drive one.