New year, new wheels. The 2017 Nissan Armada Platinum 4WD is the first car to be reviewed on TMC this year. The newly redesigned SUV offers both drivers and passengers a chance to be comfortable and find some edge.
Touring Bull Run on a winter day. The Armada easily handles curves, going off road and steep hills. Source: Victoria Mason
I cannot tell you how excited I was to drive this particular vehicle. The Nissan Armada has been on my list for a while. With a redesign I was ready to do a little jig in my driveway when it arrived.
Source: Victoria Mason
Exterior
First off, it is beautiful. Everyone commented on how gorgeous it is on the outside. The ‘Mocha Almond’ exterior paint color is soothing and attractive. The 20-inch alloy wheels with monochromatic rims make a statement by being understated. Paired with the chrome trim on the outside the Armada shows off both substance and style. I could not get enough of the chrome trimmed vents and how light the doors felt when I opened them. The dark painted roof and side rails are both convenient and attractive. Automatic headlights that are far-reaching and a power liftgate only add to those elements. The clearance on the Armada is high. This was another comment I heard often. “You can totally take this one off-road! Look at that clearance!” Yes, you can.
See the Armada drive in this video
Climb In
On the inside of the 2017 Nissan Armada is where I felt my heart flutter. The tan leather interior is soft and pairs well with the wood grain and chrome accents that punctuate the dashboard and centerstack.
In many SUV’s I find that the console storage is not only wide, but tall and bulky. I want storage, but I don’t want to feel blocked off from the rest of the passengers. You don’t in the Armada. It has ample storage in the middle which sits low and doesn’t obstruct the driver.
Heated seats and steering wheel (in second row too on Platinum) offer luxury along with the family entertainment system located on the back of each front seat. Wireless headphones and a remote make it easy for second row passengers to enjoy the show without disturbing the front or third row. The Bose 13-speaker premium audio system can rattle some windows while the cabin remains quiet on whatever type of road you are traveling.
Source: Victoria Mason
The Nissan Armada offers both bench style or captain’s chair for the second row. The seats are fast and easy enough to move (a step up from previous models) that even the smallest passengers can manage them. I like the idea of the captain style seats on this 7-8 passenger SUV. It opens up some additional space for storage in the second row with a console and leg room for the third row (16.5 cubic feet). For us, that would be the only way the Armada would work with our family and lifestyle. And do we want it to work.
While the third row isn’t as roomy as some of its competitors, our kids ranging from elementary to middle school age, found it comfortable. The seats were wide enough for an adult and my husband at 6′ sat in the third row with no problem because the width of the leg room is there. Now, if we could just raise those seats in the third row up a bit it would rival the third row of an Expedition. The addition of outlets in the back is also a plus as is the 60/40 split.
Source: Victoria Mason
The Drive
The Armada is no longer built on the Nissan Titan truck platform. For 2017 it is on the Infiniti QX80 platform, which makes the Armada feel less like a truck when you drive it. The addition of the new 390-horsepower V8 engine more than makes up for it. At lights the Armada just wanted to go. Leaving my neighborhood each day was fun as you are required to stop going uphill. Whether it was time to turn left and cross two lanes of traffic or simply turn right and head North the Armada was ready and quickly picked up speed while maintaining a smooth and quiet ride.
I found braking to be a bit soft, but I am used to that with my 2005 Pathfinder and compensated accordingly. When it came to making sharp turns and being responsive the Nissan Armada took me by surprise. It navigates easier than I expected and I did not have issues with parking it. The front and rear sonar around view monitor (AVM) with moving object detection (MOD) made parking lots a breeze in a way many bigger vehicles feel cumbersome.
In addition to being a comfortable, quiet, smooth ride loaded with robust power the 2017 Nissan Armada also felt safe without feeling weighed down. A blind-spot monitoring system, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking for both frontal and rear collisions are included in the Platinum package (as tested) and optional in the other trim levels.
In the End
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Both my husband and I took a long, hard look at the Nissan Armada. We sat in it a while. Drove it numerous places and just studied it. We are on the hunt for our next family vehicle. We loved the Armada back in 2005 when we bought our Pathfinder, but felt the it was too big for our needs as a family of three. Now a family of five we like its price tag versus bigger SUV’s that are about 10K more as well as its comforts. It is very comparable to an Infiniti QX80 but without the hefty price tag.
However, the storage in the back is modest compared to competitors. That’s our biggest concern right next to that third row. If we weren’t lugging around three kids worth of sporting equipment or taking long road trips it would be perfect for me and the staging supplies I tote around. Indeed, it is perfect for a family of four or five who likes to travel and the rails on the roof are a nice addition for creating extra storage.
Gas mileage on the Nissan Armada is about 13 mpg city and 18 mpg on the highway with a combined of 15 mpg. Base models start at $44,900 with the reviewed Platinum Armada priced at $60,985. That’s a great price for all that you are getting with this vehicle. It turns heads, rides well and offers comfort and luxury that rivals the other competitors in its class. If you are looking for powerful SUV that has boththe look and feel of elegance then the Armada is a spectacular pick.
*Disclosure: TMC was not paid for this post. Cars are for review purposes only and opinions are 100% my own.
These are good looking rides! The interior is far from what I expected too.
Yes, Nissan has basically given you an Infiniti but at the Nissan price.