Nissan Serena back in town with more features
Novan Iman Santosa Jakarta
Automobile enthusiasts surely remember a smart multipurpose van (MPV) during the late 1990s that looked like it was one step ahead of everything else on the market, without much competition to face.
The Nissan Serena was first introduced in 1996, although it was only around for two years.
Last Thursday, PT Nissan Motor Indonesia launched its new Serena, powered by the Neo QR20DE -- an inline, 2,000 cc, four- cylinder engine utilizing double overhead camshaft technology.
Its performance is already proven, as Nissan also uses the same engine to power its popular X-Trail sports utility vehicle (SUV), which is able to unleash a maximum 147 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and a maximum torque of 198 Newton meters.
The new Serena looks more like an MPV, with a longer hood than its predecessor, which was more like a van.
With a sales target of 300 units per month, the new Serena goes for Rp 230 million (US$25,500) for the standard version, and Rp 275 million for the Highway Star model, which has added features.
Fog lights, side mirrors with turn signals, electric sliding door and roof spoiler are available only for the upper-end Highway Star -- the standard model comes with a manual sliding door.
A medium-upper range MPV, the Serena is equipped with active safety features: an anti-lock braking system, electronic brake- force distribution and brake assist.
The Serena is designed with a reinforced body and specially designed inner roof to protect passengers' heads -- features that may offer peace of mind in the event of an unavoidable collision.
Every seat has a safety belt, while both the front and rear- seat cabins are equipped with dual supplemental restraint system air bags to protect all occupants.
For additional safety, the halogen headlights are fitted with complex surface reflectors, which provide a larger area of coverage and greater luminosity.
The standard Serena is also equipped with an under-carriage mirror to the rear, while the Highway Star model has a rear camera for easier and safer parking in tight spaces.
Both models have a spacious cabin with a seating capacity of seven, although a maximum of six passengers would be more comfortable, especially in the Highway Star.
The seats can be rearranged easily into 10 configurations, depending on necessity, as the mid-row seats are individually fitted, flanking a narrow aisle to the rear seats. The mid-row seats can also be turned to face the rear for more intimate conversation.
The Serena comes in four colors: aqua blue, solid black, diamond silver and champagne silver. For an additional Rp 2 million, the Highway Star buyer can opt for a two-tone color scheme of champagne silver for the upper body and sparkling silver for the lower body.
Its competitors are the Honda Stream, priced at between Rp 196 million and Rp 241 million, the Chevrolet Zafira from Rp 184 million to Rp 230 million, and the Ford Everest from Rp 218 million to Rp 332 million.
In the higher price range, the KIA Sedona, on offer from Rp 242 million to Rp 262 million, and the Toyota Previa for Rp 444 million to Rp 460 million will vie with the Nissan Serena for a stretch of the road.