New 2023 Nissan Armada ( Overview ). HIGHS
– Comfy ride, impressive towing, plenty of available luxe.
LOWS
– Thirsty powertrain, outdated interior styling bits, wanders at highway speeds.
VERDICT
– Nissan’s biggest roams the earth with an impressive powertrain, but its power and capability come at a cost.
The Armada certainly looks the part of a modern full-size SUV. But its recent updates can’t fully mask that this is still a trucky, body-on-frame SUV. The sonorous V8 and its associated capability are nice, but overall the Armada lacks the refinement we’ve come to expect in this class. Other large SUVs have a broader range of talents.
– Pros
High-quality, appealing interior
Smooth V8 engine delivers ample power
Quiet interior at highway speeds
Many standard safety features
– Cons
V8’s poor fuel economy
Third-row seating isn’t particularly spacious
High cargo floor makes loading difficult
Infotainment interface feels dated
– What’s new
No significant changes for 2023
Part of the second Armada generation introduced for 2017
Just about the only SUVs that you can get these days that are still truck-based are the big ones, and that includes the 2023 Nissan Armada. The three-row SUV competes against other giants like the Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon, and Jeep Wagoneer. Its solid backbone and powerful V8 engine give it more capability and presence than the smaller Nissan Pathfinder, as evidenced by its 8,500-pound maximum tow rating. The Pathfinder can only manage 6,000 pounds. But the Armada does come with compromises.
