Nissan Rebadges Mazda5 MPV for Japan, Calls it the New Lafesta Highway Star

After preparing its customers with an announcement in January, Nissan today went ahead and introduced a re-badged version of the Mazda5 MPV (called Premacy in its home market) in the form of the new Lafesta Highway Star. The compact minivan is supplied to Nissan by Mazda on an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) basis, and will be sold exclusively in Japan.

Mazda5 gets facelifted for 2008

One of the most tidy-looking midi-MPV around, the Mazda5 will undergo a mid-life update to keep it fresh ahead for 2008 and beyond. The MRZ 2.0-litre petrol engine has been completely revised and now has drive-by-wire throttle and sequential variable valve timing (S-VT), much like the current (facelifted) Mazda6 2.0L. The auto ‘box will have an extra cog with the updating exercise making it a 5-