Nissan Presage
The eight-seat Presage is not only the largest in its class, it's poised to be the best equipped as well.

What's New?
You'd think that the increasingly common sight of MPVs or Multi-Purpose Vehicles on local roads was indicative of generally healthy birth rates, since all that space would be suitable for a sizeable brood. The fact is how often have you seen an MPV fully laden with kids, in-laws and a boot full of booty from an afternoon at Ikea? Almost never, which begs the question of why you need all that space in the first place since most of it only gets used occasionally?

The answer? It's simply nice to have. There's a lot to be said about the calming effects of travelling around in what is essentially a mobile living room, especially when you're caught in the inevitable traffic snarl. Enter then the new Nissan Presage, or to give it its full name, the Nissan Presage Highway Star. Nissan's been a bit late in entering the burgeoning local MPV market but they've gone about it in a big way. For starters, Nissan claims that the Presage seats eight, but to be honest, it is best keep to seven if all your passengers want to last a lengthy journey without any outbreaks of violence.

That said, the Presage is still a sizeable beast but sedan-like styling and a rakish roof and shoulder line help to disguise some of the bulk. The left rear door can be opened electrically and by remote control too, a handy feature to have, especially when it happens to be raining.

Inside you get plenty of space, the seating arrangement is 2-2-3 rather than the usual 2-3-2 layout found in most MPVs. The centre row consists of two large, comfortable armchairs that can be locked together to form an, admittedly narrow, three-seat bench. It is this feature that gives Nissan reason to claim that the Presage seats eight but as we've said, it's best to limit headcount to seven. The middle seats also slide and tilt forward at the touch of a button, easing access to the rear bench.

The rear row can be folded flat, liberating plenty of room for the easy transportation of big, bulky items and the rear tailgate has a split opening, facilitating the loading of small items. Up front, you get the usual amenities, all grouped together in a funky-looking centre console. These include a neat, integrated stereo and a special 'Plasmacluster' climate control system that 'cleans' the air as it cools it. Similarly, the instruments are grouped in a centrally mounted binnacle.

How It Performs
The Presage shares the Cefiro's platform and you therefore get the same accomplished ride. Bumps and ruts are authoritatively dispensed with and there's very little tyre or suspension noise. The big Nissan is most at home on the highways where it is nothing less than cosseting.

MPVs need big, grunty engines and the Presage's 2.5-litre four cylinder powerplant does the job superbly, churning out 245Nm of torque - a class leading figure. Even with a four-speed automatic, acceleration from standstill is commendably brisk.

As its Highway Star suffix suggests, the Presage is more at home on the expressways than on twisty roads. Try to be overly enthusiastic and the ready squealing from the tyres will act to quickly dampen that sentiment.

How It Stacks Up
The Presage kicks off at $106,000 with COE which, given its sheer size and passenger pampering ability, is an absolute bargain. It might not exactly endear itself to the boy racer in each of us, but, should you actually one day need to carry seven people a fair distance and in great comfort, you won't have to look much further than to the Presage.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Nissan Presage ENGINE Engine: 2,488cc 16V in-line four Max Power: 163bhp @ 5,200rpm Max Torque: 245Nm @ 3,600rpm TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic TOP SPEED 182 kmh 0-100km/h 12.3s