This is the first of a few posts that I will try and highlight the differences between the E51 and E52 Elgrand models. As an owner of an E52 and a keen participant in the Elgrand facebook groups and forums, I have come across alot of posts that make comments about the E52 being 'just an estate car' or 'a Vauxhall Zafira on steroids' or that its 'lost the spirit of what an Elgrand is'. Its very hard to find much information about the E52 so its also very difficult to show if these comments are accurate or not.
I have managed to get my hands on information from Japan that highlights some of the differences. For this post I will focus on the changes to the size of the Elgrand.
Introduced in 2010, the E52 Elgrand made a significant departure from the previous model, opting for a front wheel drive setup instead of the E51's rear wheel drive. This was a very clever change from Nissan as it allowed them to change the dimensions of the car for better performance and aerodynamics without compromising too heavily on space.
The following picture shows an outline of both the E52 (in red) and the E51 (in blue) to highlight how they compare. If you look at the overall stance, the E52 is lower and longer on the side profile, and it is also wider from the front view.
The following picture highlights how the two have changed some of the internal setup. From the picture below it looks like the front passengers have similar space between the two models, whereas the rear passengers in the E52 have less headroom.
The overall interior and exterior dimensions for the E51 and E52 are as follows.
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E52
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E51
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Drive train
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FF
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FR
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Exterior Length (mm)
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4915
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4835
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Exterior Width (mm)
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1850
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1815
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Exterior Height (mm)
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1815
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1910
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Interior Length (mm)
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3020
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2920
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Interior Width (mm)
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1580
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1665
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Interior Height (mm)
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1275
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1325
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Wheelbase (mm)
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3000
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2950
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Weight (kg)
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2020
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2160
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From these figures it seems that the interior height has been reduced by 50mm, width by 85mm and length increased by 100mm. Lets take a look at more details for the interior space.
E51 detailed dimensions:
E52 detailed dimensions:
For the front passengers in the newer E52, they have a seat that is 5mm smaller than the E51 but have 10-15mm more headroom. The distance between the steering wheel and the seat is similar as the E52 is 480 or 495mm depending on spec vs 490mm in the E51.
The middle seats are very different between the two cars with the E52 opting for 2 more luxurious arm chairs, and the E51 choosing the 3 seater bench. Headroom for the 2nd row of passengers is a little lower than the E51, losing 25mm but also the seat is much bigger at 510mm vs 450-485mm in the older car. The E51 row of 3 seats is 1350mm wide, and the E52 two armchairs take up 1310mm so the new chairs have definitely chosen to seat just two passengers in more comfort.
The 3rd row in the E52 is the 3 seater bench and if we compare it to the middle seat bench in the E51 then it has shrunk considerably, it is 1180mm vs 1350mm. The depth of the seat seems similar between the two cars 3rd row of seat positions, and lastly the E52 does have a smaller headroom in the rear of 945/950mm vs 990/1020mm.
The very rear seats in the E51 are above the rear wheels and so have a wider space, whereas in the E52 they lose some of the width to sit between the two wheel arches. This has placed a compromise on the rear bench seat and would make it less appealing to 3 adults for long journeys.
Looking at the seating arrangement it would appear that Nissan opted to elevate the middle row of seats to be a more comfortable luxury place to travel in over the older design.
Summary
It seems that the E52 design has attempted to push a more comfortable drive for the front 2 rows of passengers, while still providing a 3rd row of seats for when you need them. Often the use of the 3rd row would be for children in a large family or for occasional use, so for many the smaller space isn't an issue. The move to a more aerodynamic design has improved performance and efficiency and that has come with a compromise, which in this case is the rear seats and boot being trimmed down. The older E51 model does offer more space especially if you need to drive 7 adults around, or if you need to move big items. Although interestingly much newer E52 Elgrands allow the rear bench to be rolled forward to provide a bigger boot when required.
Personally, I bought an E52 to travel with my family in comfort and luxury. I always had estate cars and as my children grew up the seats in estates aren't that roomy for long drives. The E52 boot has enough room for us, and with the rear seats flat it provides a much bigger cargo space than any estate on the market. We dream of one day having a camper van, so I might end up trading it in for an E51 in a few years for that very purpose.
Nissan advertised the Elgrands for many years with a slogan of first class travel, often showing private jets in the Japanese TV adverts. I believe that the E52 builds on that premise over the previous models, and so the spirit of the Elgrand seems alive and well.
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