2025 Nissan Armada First Drive Review: More Capable, More Luxurious

The all-new 2025 Nissan Armada enters its third era with new styling, a brand new engine, and the addition of an off-road succesful Professional-4X trim. This three-row SUV has seating for as much as eight individuals in a roomy inside that now contains extra front-row and third-row legroom and elevated cargo capability. That is the flagship SUV within the Nissan lineup, sitting above the extra inexpensive however nonetheless well-equipped Pathfinder.

The Armada has lengthy been a considerably ignored SUV, missing most of the options that made the globally out there Nissan Patrol so common. Nissan corrects that problem within the new Armada with an improved array of off-road options and applied sciences for extra adventurous household life. The brand new Armada does away with the V8 engine, providing a 425-horsepower V6 as a substitute. We had an opportunity to pattern the brand new Armada at a primary drive occasion, not too long ago; this is what we thought.

First Drive occasions present our preliminary impressions of a car in a restricted surroundings beneath sure time constraints. Keep watch over CarBuzz for our complete Take a look at Drive assessment which is able to observe quickly.

What’s Modified For This Mannequin Yr

As an all-new era of the Armada, there’s not a lot that hasn’t modified this yr. Along with the brand new Professional-4X trim and bigger dimensions, there’s additionally a brand new engine. Gone is the outdated V8 and its seven-speed automated transmission. As a replacement is a twin-turbocharged 3.5-iter V6 that delivers extra horsepower and extra torque. It’s paired with a 9-speed automated with paddle shifters.

This complete overhaul of the Nissan Armada goals to maintain it aggressive with the likes of the Chevy Tahoe and Toyota Sequoia. Along with an off-road trim, there’s additionally the brand new Platinum Reserve trim for many who desire a extra luxurious expertise. New trims and new options make the Armada an entirely new possibility within the phase.

Exterior: Large, Lovely, Consideration-Grabber

One factor that hasn’t modified is the Armada’s daring styling. There’s a number of chrome up entrance with a floating roof impact, and an LED mild strip that runs the complete width of the tailgate. The Professional-4X will get its personal distinctive off-road model with totally different entrance and rear bumpers to enhance its method and departure angles. A wide range of wheel designs can be found, together with a putting 22-inch set. The rear wiper is now considerably hidden for a much less cluttered rear design. It’s an up to date Armada, with a extra fashionable look, nevertheless it doesn’t lose a little bit of its imposing presence within the course of.

Inside: Float Alongside In Zero Gravity

The inside of the Armada has room for as much as eight individuals throughout three rows, however out there second-row captain’s chairs take seating right down to seven. This can be a actually spacious SUV with a again row that simply accommodates three adults. The highest Platinum Reserve is outright luxurious with quilted leather-based seats and 12-way energy entrance seats which are heated and ventilated with therapeutic massage. It’s a pretty and comfy house, whether or not you are heading out for a household street journey or ready for the youngsters to complete soccer apply.

Infotainment: A Matched Pair Of Screens

There’s a 12-speaker Klipsch audio system on all however the base SV rim with commonplace wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, six USB-C ports, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. Prime trims get a fair bigger 14.3-inch touchscreen together with Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity and a wi-fi charging pad. That enormous commonplace display dimension makes the system straightforward to make use of with key commonplace options. The household will admire the abundance of charging ports, and audiophiles will love the Klipsch audio system that was designed particularly for the Armada.

Powertrain & Driving: Energy On And Off The Pavement

The outdated V8 engine and seven-speed automated are gone, and a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 and nine-speed automated has been put of their place. This would possibly look like a adverse, however with 425 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, it comes out forward of the V8 engine. There’s a alternative of rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive on all trims aside from the Professional-4X, which is four-wheel drive solely.

In comparison with the prior era of the Armada, efficiency is noticeably stronger. Acceleration as much as freeway speeds shouldn’t be a problem with the brand new transmission guaranteeing easy energy supply even with a heavy foot on the fuel. This isn’t a small car, however it’s simply in a position to get out of its personal approach.

Trip and Dealing with: Street Journey Prepared

The experience is easy and quiet, even within the off-road Professional-4X. Particularly when outfitted with the brand new air suspension on the highest two trims, it is a well-mannered SUV regardless of its dimension. It’s straightforward to hold on a dialog, even with these within the third row, and street and wind noise usually are not intrusive. It is a great alternative for these household street journeys.

Professional-4X Trim: When You Need To Get Soiled

This new trim is designed for off-road efficiency. It options an digital locking rear differential, air suspension, 20-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, steel skid plates, and higher method and departure angles. There’s additionally 9.6 inches of floor clearance and a alternative of eight drive modes to deal with each sort of terrain. We’re wanting ahead to the chance to check the Professional-4X in its pure habitat because the package and specs appear promising.

Verdict & Pricing: A Properly-Priced Lineup For Each Household

Obtainable in a alternative of 4 rear-wheel drive trims, pricing ranges from $56,520 to $76,990, not together with $2,010 vacation spot. Consumers can add four-wheel drive to any trim for an extra $3,000. The four-wheel-drive-only Professional-4X is priced at $73,740. This could possibly be a problem for modest budgets, particularly on the prime quality, however remains to be good worth for the big selection of facilities included at that degree.

The 2025 Nissan Armada takes what was a considerably dated SUV and makes it extra aggressive. It appears to be like extra fashionable and has extra options together with boasting a roomy and comfy inside good for household life. The brand new Platinum Reserve delivers a real premium expertise whereas the Professional-4X provides off-road fans their very own possibility. It’s a fully-featured SUV with one thing for each household.