CARGAZING Nissan’s Fresh Armada Newly Designed SUV Based on Same Platform as Luxurious QX80 By Derek Price and for that matter, drives — like CARGAZING.COM nothing else on the road. n recent years, the Infiniti QX80 has topped my list of dream SUVs for road trips. What was tested? It’s so spacious, so quiet and 2017 Nissan Armada 4x4 Iso sumptuously smooth that it makes Platinum ($59,990). Options: a Cadillac Escalade shod with 22-inch wheels feel like a dump truck in None. Price as tested (including comparison, so I can’t think of any $995 destination charge): $60,985 SUV I’d rather drive on the highway. Wheelbase: 121.1 in. The QX80 is just that good, assuming Length: 208.9 in. you want an old-school, cotton-candy luxury ride like I do. Width: 79.9 in. Well, now the big Infiniti has some Height: 75.8 in. fresh competition from its corporate Engine: 5.6-liter Endurance V8 cousins at Nissan. The new 2017 (390 hp, 394 ft. lbs.) Nissan Armada rides on the same platform, drives with almost the PHOTOS COURTESY OF NISSAN ARMADA Transmission: Seven-speed same panache and even shares Based on the same architecture as the Infiniti QX80, the new Nissan Armada is a spacious, powerful, off- automatic much of the same styling with the road-capable SUV that starts around $44,000. Fuel economy: 14 city, 19 QX80, all while starting at a highway dramatically lower price. Powered by a deep-throated but Longtime Nissan fans will note that the Toyota Land Cruiser and the The new Armada starts at $44,400, buttery-smooth 5.6-liter V8, the this new Armada is no longer based on Range Rover. It seems Nissan has which is not only a far cry from the Armada makes 390 horsepower, the Titan pickup truck’s underpinnings. found a way to offer a big, do-it-all RATINGS QX80’s $63,250 base price but also letting Nissan claim best-in-class Instead, it’s built around the legendary, vehicle for a fraction of the entry cost Style: 4 very competitive with full-size SUV bragging rights. Interestingly, it’s also tough-as-nails Patrol off-roader that of those luxury models. Performance: 9 stalwarts like the Chevy Tahoe a bit less horsepower than this same Nissan sells globally. While I’ll admit it’s completely ($47,000) and Ford Expedition engine makes in the QX80, which is The new design is roomier and subjective, the biggest downside I see Price: 10 ($46,225). tuned to burn premium fuel. much more comfortable to drive than in the Armada is the way it looks. I Handling: 7 the previous generation and still can’t pin down one singular thing Ride: 9 allows for some serious off-road that bothers me about it, but I suspect Comfort: 10 capability when needed. that it’s trying to combine too many Quality: 9 I drove the Armada both on-road styling tricks at once — off-road bits, and off, and it managed to shine truck-like bits, luxury bits — and Overall: 9 equally well in both settings. ends up smearing them together On the highway, it’s brilliantly inelegantly into one vehicle. In the Video review composed as it smooths over the end, it looks like it came from an 2017 Nissan Armada bumps without making you feel unfortunate gene pool. overly isolated from the road. Wind Not everyone agrees. Innovative bit.ly/17armada and road noise are impressively cars, just like innovative art, can be absent, a factor I’ve always loved incredibly polarizing at first. about its Infiniti cousin. In fact, despite my reservations It also manages to traverse steep about this particular design, I’m hills and loose dirt with ease, thrilled that Nissan isn’t following the something I wasn’t expecting from well-beaten path of lookalike, cookie- a vehicle that feels so nice on the cutter SUVs and crossovers that are pavement. Most SUVs make you cluttering up our highways with their choose one or the other — either go- inoffensiveness. Too many of them are Why buy it? anywhere capability or a comfortable hard to tell apart these days, making An all-new generation of this ride on the street — but the Armada you ask yourself, “Is that a Hyundai or three-row SUV makes it a manages to do both jobs better than a Honda? A Chevy or a Subaru?” capable off-roader with a soft, any vehicle I’ve seen in this price class. You never have to ask that about The new Armada’s cabin is roomier and better designed than the pre- In fact, the closest vehicles it the new Nissans. Like the new comfortable, quiet highway ride. vious, Titan-based generation. It’s remarkably quiet and smooth over compares with in capability and Maxima sedan and gorgeous Murano It’s a rare combination, especially pavement. comfort both start around $85,000: crossover, the fresh Armada looks — in this price range. CARGAZING PHOTOS COURTESY OF NISSAN ARMADA Based on the same architecture as the Infiniti QX80, the new Nissan Armada is a spacious, powerful, off-road-capable SUV that starts around $44,000. Nissan’s Fresh Armada Newly Designed SUV Based on Same Platform as Luxurious QX80 By Derek Price CARGAZING.COM n recent years, the Infiniti QX80 has topped my list of Idream SUVs for road trips. It’s so spacious, so quiet and so the Toyota Land Cruiser and the sumptuously smooth that it makes Range Rover. It seems Nissan has a Cadillac Escalade shod with found a way to offer a big, do-it-all 22-inch wheels feel like a dump vehicle for a fraction of the entry truck in comparison, so I can’t cost of those luxury models. think of any SUV I’d rather drive While I’ll admit it’s completely on the highway. The QX80 is just subjective, the biggest downside I that good, assuming you want an see in the Armada is the way it old-school, cotton-candy luxury looks. I can’t pin down one ride like I do. singular thing that bothers me Well, now the big Infiniti has about it, but I suspect that it’s some fresh competition from its trying to combine too many corporate cousins at Nissan. The styling tricks at once — off-road new 2017 Nissan Armada rides on bits, truck-like bits, luxury bits — the same platform, drives with and ends up smearing them almost the same panache and together inelegantly into one even shares much of the same vehicle. In the end, it looks like it styling with the QX80, all while came from an unfortunate gene starting at a dramatically lower pool. price. Not everyone agrees. Innovative The new Armada starts at cars, just like innovative art, can $44,400, which is not only a far cry be incredibly polarizing at first. from the QX80’s $63,250 base price but also very competitive with full- In fact, despite my reservations size SUV stalwarts like the Chevy about this particular design, I’m Tahoe ($47,000) and Ford thrilled that Nissan isn’t following Expedition ($46,225). the well-beaten path of lookalike, Powered by a deep-throated but The new Armada’s cabin is roomier and better designed than the previous, Titan-based generation. It’s cookie-cutter SUVs and crossovers buttery-smooth 5.6-liter V8, the remarkably quiet and smooth over pavement. that are cluttering up our high- Armada makes 390 horsepower, ways with their inoffensiveness. letting Nissan claim best-in-class nails Patrol off-roader that Nissan On the highway, it’s brilliantly a vehicle that feels so nice on the Too many of them are hard to tell bragging rights. Interestingly, it’s sells globally. composed as it smooths over the pavement. Most SUVs make you apart these days, making you ask also a bit less horsepower than this The new design is roomier and bumps without making you feel choose one or the other — either yourself, “Is that a Hyundai or a same engine makes in the QX80, much more comfortable to drive overly isolated from the road. go-anywhere capability or a com- Honda? A Chevy or a Subaru?” which is tuned to burn premium than the previous generation and Wind and road noise are fortable ride on the street — but You never have to ask that about fuel. still allows for some serious off- impressively absent, a factor I’ve the Armada manages to do both the new Nissans. Like the new Longtime Nissan fans will note road capability when needed. always loved about its Infiniti jobs better than any vehicle I’ve Maxima sedan and gorgeous that this new Armada is no longer I drove the Armada both cousin. seen in this price class. Murano crossover, the fresh based on the Titan pickup truck’s on-road and off, and it managed It also manages to traverse steep In fact, the closest vehicles it Armada looks — and for that underpinnings. Instead, it’s built to shine equally well in both hills and loose dirt with ease, compares with in capability and matter, drives — like nothing around the legendary, tough-as- settings. something I wasn’t expecting from comfort both start around $85,000: else on the road. A CLOSER LOOK AT A GLANCE: FACTS, FIGURES AND RATINGS What was tested? RATINGS Video review Why buy it? 2017 Nissan Armada 4x4 Platinum ($59,990). Options: None. Style: 4 2017 Nissan Armada An all-new generation of Price as tested (including $995 destination charge): $60,985 Performance: 9 bit.ly/17armada this three-row SUV makes it Wheelbase: 121.1 in.