SINGAPORE – For a country known to be obsessed with robotics and technology, Japan seems far from the bleeding edge of automotive technologies these days.

When it comes to electrification and autonomous driving, its carmakers seem to be in no hurry to match whatever is coming out from China or Europe.

Instead, as the updated Nissan Serena shows, Japanese carmakers prefer to quietly evolve their offerings, holding back until the technologies are thoroughly proven.

The Serena has just been updated for 2026.

On the outside, the most obvious visual change is the front-end design. The oversized radiator grille now consists of angular lines arranged to form a V below the Nissan emblem, rather than the horizontally orientated layout before. The design is also applied to the alloy wheels.

The exterior colour choices have been refreshed with new options. This includes the sparkly brown shade on the test car, two shades of blue and a fourth one called Aqua Mint.

New in the car is the appearance of a blue button on the steering wheel. This activates the ProPilot Assist 1.0, which is a “semi-autonomous” driver assistance system. The Serena is the first official imported Nissan to have this feature.

As you can guess from the name, Nissan already has a more advanced version of the technology available. Elsewhere in the world, it offers the ProPilot Assist 2.0, which allows hands-free driving on the expressway, while the 1.0 system in Singapore requires the driver’s hands to be holding the wheel.