​TheDrive.com Very Impressed With New Nissan Armada​ 

Perhaps it is all those television shows that show U.S. Government officials riding in Suburbans and Tahoes because when Americans think of large SUVs, they likely think of those models or maybe the Ford Expedition. However, if you ask the same question to people in parts of the world where roads are iffy in quality, if present at all, they would likely mention the Land Rover Discovery, Toyota Land Cruiser, and the Nissan Patrol. The Nissan Patrol comes to the US in the form of the 2025 Armada. This Armada is entirely new for 2025, and the automotive website TheDrive.com tested it and came away impressed. Nissan of Lexington gives you the highlights. 

TheDrive.com points out that while the Patrol and past Armadas have shared similarities, they are essentially the same vehicle now. In their words, “The Armada is no less tough or capable than the Patrol, which has a stellar reputation in other parts of the world as a peer to the Land Cruiser.”

A fundamental element of the 2025 redesign is replacing the former V8 engine with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. It produces 425 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 516 lb-ft of torque at 3.600 rpm, representing 25 more horses and 103 lb-ft more torque than the former V8. It is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission, which delivers the power to either the rear or all four wheels. Maximum towing capacity is rated at 8,500 pounds, so it is little surprise when they tested an Armada Pro-4X pulling a 5,500-pound Airstream trailer, they found that power was never an issue and added: “I was also impressed by the downhill engine braking while loaded, a huge plus for anybody towing a big trailer for any amount of time.” 

Given its Patrol bones, it is unsurprising that they found the Pro-4X to be: “totally apt for whatever a real user will ever throw at it. The course we ran it on was a total slosh pit thanks to four inches of rain just a couple of days prior, but traction was still no big issue thanks to a locking rear differential and 33-inch Yokohama Geolandar all-terrains.” 

The 2025 Armada is significantly more potent than its predecessor, with 25% greater torsional rigidity and a 57% increase in lateral stiffness. TheDrive.com noticed this solidity in something as simple as the robust “thunk” when shutting a door. However, that stiffness also enables more precise tuning of the suspension, which improves the on-road ride. TheDrive.com noticed, stating the Platinum Reserve model “just coasts with four-corner adaptive air suspension and lets in almost zero road noise.” This is exactly what you want from the vehicle most likely to be chosen for long road trips. On that subject, it is worth pointing out that ProPilot Asst 2.1, which enables true hand- and feet-free driving on major U.S. highways, is available on the Platinum, Platinum Reserve, and SL models.  

The interior is all-new and boasts one of the most upscale presentations in the brand’s history. There are big screens for this big model, including dual 12.3-inch displays for the center touchscreen and driver’s gauge cluster for the SL and SV models. The Platinum, Platinum Reserve, and Pro-4X models upgrade to 14.3-inch displays for both. As TheDrive.com points out: “That sounds like a lot, and maybe it’s a bit much, but they’re short and wide rather than tall, so they don’t protrude into your field of vision. Plus, there are real buttons for most controls underneath the screens, right where they should be.” 

They also had great praise for the 12-speaker Klipsch Premium Audio System: “The sound quality is better than any factory car I’ve heard, including the Bentley Bentayga’s outrageous Naim sound system, a $9,150 option.” 

TheDrive.com acknowledges that it is always fun to drive top-level models with all the bells and whistles as they did with the new Armada. Still, they praise the bones that will be found across the Armada model line and are also anxious to drive the lower models. The 2025 Armada models are just now making their way into the Nissan of Lexington inventory, so if you are looking for the latest in full-size SUVs, come and test drive the  Armada that fits your budget.