The sixth-generation Nissan Serena has now finally made its official launch in Malaysia, following its preview last December, and now Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) has officially launched the MPV in five variants; prices are on-the-road, without insurance:
- X – RM154,800
- X Plus – RM159,800
- Highway Star – RM169,800
- Premium Highway Star – RM174,800
- Shiro Premium Highway Star – RM179,800
Locally assembled (CKD) in Serendah, Selangor, the C28 Serena is the first e-Power model to be assembled in Malaysia; the Nissan Kicks crossover that also gets the e-Power hybrid powertrain is fully imported from Thailand.
The powertrain of the C28 Serena is the most significant change from its predecessor, the C27-generation model; the model just launched in Malaysia is powered by a HR14DDe 1.4 litre naturally-aspirated inline-three petrol engine that outputs 98 PS and 123 Nm, which operates solely as a generator for the 1.77 kWh lithium-ion battery located under the floor between the front seats.
This 1.77 kWh battery feeds a 163 PS/315 Nm electric motor that drives the front wheels; its predecessor the C27 Serena was offered with an MR20DD 2.0 litre naturally aspirated inline-four petrol engine producing 150 PS and 200 Nm, driving the front wheels through a CVT. This is aided by a mild-hybrid configuration that brought a 2.6 PS/48 Nm motor serving as a starter-alternator, and for energy recuperation.
Drive modes offered in the C28 Serena include Eco, Standard and Sport, each differentiated by the level of regenerating braking on offer. This can be further augmented by engaging B mode on the transmission selector, or use the e-Pedal mode for the strongest brake energy regeneration, with one-pedal driving.
In terms of the chassis, the C28 Serena gets redeveloped, SUV-based front suspension, and includes a stabiliser that is 20% more rigid to better suppress body roll and lateral movements, and the 50% increased suspension member rigidity along with improved friction control and rigidity of the electric power steering system means drivers enjoy a 23% reduction in steering corrections compared to the C27 Serena.
Movements under braking have also been optimised to reduce pitch in the initial stage of deceleration when the driver is off-throttle, and the brake booster has also been tuned to offer gentle deceleration in the initial phase of brake operation. Together, these chassis refinements aim to reduce motion sickness, according to ETCM.
From launch, the C28 Serena brings the aforementioned specification, as well as tri-beam LED projector headlamps, LED daytime running lights, LED fog lamps, black Nappa leather upholstery, keyless entry and start with walk-away auto lock, six airbags and 16-inch wheels with 205/65 profile tyres.
Accommodation in the C28 features zero gravity-inspired seats, and the units in the front row in particular have longer seat cushions to offer increased contact area for better support, which in turn maintains the occupants’ body posture for reduced unwanted movement, and thus lower fatigue.
This is also aided by improved sound insulation, with the use of acoustic front windshield glass on the Highway Star, Premium Highway Star and Shiro Premium Highway Star.
For ease of access, the powered rear sliding doors have hands-free operation on both doors on the top three variants, and hands-free operation on the left sliding door on the X and X Plus. Powered tailgate operation is reserved for the top Shiro Premium Highway Star variant.
Inside, the C28 Serena for Malaysia gets a 2-2-2 seating configuration, with the aforementioned zero gravity-inspired seats located in the first two rows; the second row gets ISOFIX child seat anchors. This gets a middle pass-through to the third row with 50:50 split-folding and without ISOFIX, and these can be unlatched, folded and hooked to the sides to yield more cargo space.
There are up to 13 seating configurations, and all occupants get access to at least one USB-C charging port, says ETCM.
The C28 Serena cabin is refreshed with a dashboard featuring a pair of 12.3-inch displays in the three highest trim levels; one for driver instrumentation, and the other for the Nissan Connect touchscreen infotainment system. This supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and rear-seat passengers get access to a 14-inch entertainment monitor. In the X and X Plus, displays are seven- and nine-inch units.
Revised dashboard architecture brings a volume knob that is level with the air-conditioning vents, which are above the controls for the dual-zone climate system and push-button-style electronic gear selector. This has been re-oriented from the C27 cabin where the gearlever partly obstructed the storage cubby behind it, and the storage has now been relocated lower, and enlarged to house a wireless charging pad.
The open storage cubby is carried over from the C27 Serena, while the upper storage compartment on the top dash in the C27 is now more neatly integrated. Cupholders are located in front of the corner air-conditioning vents, in addition to other compartments located throughout the occupant cabin of the C28.
For driving assistance systems, the C28 Serena gets a suite of driving assistance systems comprised of forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, and driver attention monitoring.
The Nissan ProPILOT semi-autonomous driving suite is offered on the Highway Star, Premium Highway Star and Shiro Premium Highway Star variants, to which it brings intelligent cruise control (adaptive cruise control), intelligent lane intervention, and blind spot intervention. Also on are moving object detection and around view monitor. The X Plus and X variants substitute the moving object detection and around view monitor (360-degree camera) with a sole reverse camera.
Four exterior colours are offered for the C28 Serena in varying combinations, depending on variant, and these are Diamond Black, Turquoise Blue, Brilliant White and Dark Metal Grey, where the latter three are two-tone colour schemes paired with a black roof on the top two variants.
To recap, pricing for the 2026 C28 Nissan Serena e-Power is from RM154,800 for the X, up to RM179,800 for the top Shiro Premium Highway Star. Vehicle warranty coverage is five years or 100,000 km, while warranty coverage for the e-Power components (motor, battery, energy management) is eight years or 160,000 km.
The post 2026 Nissan Serena e-Power launched in Malaysia – 1.4L petrol, 163 PS/315 Nm motor; 5 variants fr RM155k appeared first on Paul Tan’s Automotive News.
