Nissan Serena people mover revealed, but should the Kia Carnival be worried?

Nissan has announced a new generation of its Serena people mover for the Japanese market with electrified drivetrain options and a luxe Autech version.

Slightly smaller than the Elgrand that was sold here, though it’s no longer on sale locally, the Nissan Serena is the brand’s rival to the likes of the Mistubishi Delica at home in Japan, and looks like it aims to be a step up from the cloth-seated runabout family haulers.

As such, the new Serena comes with a standard specs list that's more impressive than would be expected of a small van. Across two drivetrain versions, one petrol and one hybrid, the Serena is sold in four variants (only the three lower are available without hybrid), while Nissan’s performance and customisation division Autech has created a more luxury-oriented version.

In petrol guise, with a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated MR20DD making 110kW and 200Nm, the Serena can be had in its base X spec, up to ‘Highway Star V’ spec.

And with Nissan’s e-Power drivetrain, there's a 1.4-litre petrol three-cylinder with a single electric motor totalling outputs of 120kW and 315Nm under the bonnet, while an additional top-spec grade called Luxion, turns the Serena into a luxury seven-seater instead of the standard eight.

Standard equipment and features across the range include Nissan’s ProPilot driving assistance system, which is upgraded to ProPilot 2.0 in the Luxion as a more active driver assistance feature.

Even the seats inside, Nissan says, have been designed to combat motion sickness through countering vehicle body movements, while the brand also claims outward visibility helps achieve the same task as the Serena claims the widest windshield in its class.

Finally, Nissan’s Autech division has created a top-spec version of the Serena with added styling in terms of interior wood panelling, leatherette seats, specific alloy wheels, and interior lighting.

Autech has also created specific versions of the Serena for uses such as wheelchair boarding or the addition of a rear bed space instead of the third row.

Pricing in Japan for the Serena starts at 2,768,700 yen for the petrol-engine X variant, or about AUD$30,000, while the top-spec Autech version costs 4,150,300 yen, or about AUD$45,000.

The announcement from Nissan regarding the new Serena is Japan specific, so don’t expect to hear anything from Nissan Australia about a new people mover soon, if at all.