Pros:
- Well mannered, large SUV.
- Nice looking exterior, comfortable interior.
- Real truck capability.
Cons:
- Clunky, slow infotainment.
- Poor gas mileage.
- No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Would we buy one? Yeah.
Vehicle Type: 4-Door, three-row, full-size SUV.
Price Range: The base Nissan Armada SUV starts at an MSRP of $48,895. Top-tier Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve trim pricing begins at $65,925. Pricing includes destination fees, but no optional equipment.
Powertrain: The only available drivetrain is a 390 horsepower, 5.6-liter V8 engine, which is backed up by a seven-speed automatic transmission. The Nissan Armada comes standard in rear-wheel drive, with optional four-wheel drive.
Competitors: Toyota Sequoia, Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon.
Overall Score: 7/10
Safety Features: 7/10
Standard safety features on the Nissan Armada include automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning. Optional features also available are lane-departure warning with lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and rear cross-traffic alert.
The Nissan Armada also received a four out of five star crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and has not yet been rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Value: 8/10
The Nissan Armada undercuts its closest competitors by around $2,000 in base trim, and offers good standard features at each trim level, making it a very compelling choice in the large SUV segment. The Nissan Armada SL is the consensus value pick with great included features, and a comparably reasonable starting price.
The Nissan Armada includes a 3 year/36,000 mile limited warranty and 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty. No scheduled maintenance package is included.
Tech Features: 6/10
Standard tech features on the Nissan Armada include a 8.0-inch touchscreen, running Nissan's proprietary NissanConnect infotainment system. That includes a navigation system, Bluetooth, and a Bose audio system with 13 speakers. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available and reviewers found the infotainment to be slower than the competition. Also standard are 5 USB ports, dual zone climate control, power-adjustable, heated front seats, and LED headlights.
SL trim and up include auto-dimming side mirrors, power liftgate, and rain-sensing wipers. Platinum trim Armadas come standard with heated and ventilated front seats, a rear seat entertainment system, second row heated seats, and a slick digital screen replacing the rearview mirror. Platinum Reserve makes the second row captain' chairs standard, and adds a slew of luxury fit and finish touches.
Practicality: 7/10
The Nissan Armada seats 8 people, and the third row seat has maybe the best in class rear seat legroom. The Nissan Armada can be equipped with second row captain's chairs and a center console. Some reviewers found the power-folding third row seat to be laughably slow. The Armada has similar storage space to other large SUVs with 16.4 cubic-feet of cargo area behind the third row bench, and up to 95 cubic-feet of cargo space with all seats folded down.
With 394 pound=foot of torque, the Armada also offers up to 8500 pounds of towing capacity. Combine that cargo and towing capacity with 9.1 inches of ground clearance, and the Nissan Armada makes for a decent off-road rig.
Styling & Design: 8/10
The Nissan Armada is better looking outside than it's luxury cousin the Infiniti QX80, which is a bit ostentatious. Standard 18-inch alloy wheels come on the base model, with a 20-inch wheel available. New for the model year, a 22-inch wheel is optional, or comes standard on the Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve. A chrome grille surround, trim, and accent piece give the Armada an understated, but high-end look.
Inside the Nissan Armada is similarly pleasant. The front seats are comfortable and the interior build quality is very good. The Armada Platinum Reserve trim level includes real luxury feel, with two-tone leather, matte wood trim, and quilted upholstery. Even in second-tier trim the interior gets leather upholstery. With this quality interior and stylish exterior styling, the Armada is underrated in its class.
Driving Experience: 7/10
Despite its lumbering size, reviewers found the Nissan Armada to be relatively nimble, with both good braking and decent handling for a full-size SUV. Reviewers found the Armada to be just as comfortable as many of the competition, while slightly more poised and precise.
The engine feels stout and predictable, though it is a little less powerful, and lacks the refinement of more modern powertrains in some competitors. Admittedly, the Nissan Armada won't win any drag races, but can quickly get to and easily maintain freeway speeds.
Fuel Efficiency: 6/10
In two-wheel drive trim, the Nissan Armada receives EPA estimated Fuel economy of 19 mpg highway, 14 city mpg, and 16 combined mpg.
When equipped with four-wheel drive, the Nissan Armada fuel economy drops by 1mpg across the board to 18 mpg hwy, 13 mpg city, and 15 combined mpg.
These numbers are similar to the Toyota Sequoia, but worse than the Chevrolet Tahoe, which can be equipped with a 10-speed automatic. Fuel economy
also lags behind the class-leading Ford Expedition, which has turbocharged V6, rather than a large displacement V8.
