One thing I don't think is mentioned enough is the build quality of the Armada compared to some of its competitors. Everything nice and solid and put together extremely well. No creaks, cracks, rattles, pops, or other noises. Other vehicles have all kinds of pops and rattles coming from the dash and other areas. Makes the Armada interior feel a class above even if by the looks it does look somewhat dated.
I just spent 11 days and 4K miles in an Armada doing a giant loop around the west with all of its parks. I loved the power of the engine, comfort during long road trips and I thought for $52k is a steal.
@@chezzyperson3339 man I have to agree with you on that one! But it is a bit long in the tooth. The interior updates were essential, but it’s definitely time for a completely new set up. Pano roof, more tech focus etc.
@@scott8238 the head unit is finally with “current” times. I like the vehicle very much, but let’s be honest an real here the vehicle is 10 years old or so, it’s only so much you can do with that platform. I’m very tech savvy.. this vehicle would be great to have the pro pilot, pano roof, heads up display fully digital Custer etc, larger rear seat entertainment tv. The list goes on ,but I do like the fact that it has a naturally aspirated engine.
The kind of discounts Nissan offers on Armada in US makes it a no brainer to buy one if you in market for a solid built SUV that doesn't look like a truck with it's bed covered like that Tahoe, Expedition and Yukon.
The cylinder deactivation is worst of all bad ideas and causes most problems for GM. Why I want an Armada or a Toyota is because they’re old school, simple and bulletproof. The engine is phenomenal.
Great video! Lots of info. I stumbled into a nissan dealer today to kill time, drove an Armada and absolutely loved the experience! Now all i have to do is convince my wife to trade her new 22 4Runner limited in..
I'm hoping (and thinking) that the QX80 will get a pretty extensive interior redesign soon. This interior is definitely more up-to-date now, and I can't see them letting that continue to be the case for that long because now there really is no reason to pick the QX80 over the Armada. They made the investment to update the electronics/wiring to add the newer infotainment hardware, I can't imagine them not utilizing that investment in the QX80. I however don't see this platform trio getting a ground-up redesign, I think maybe it'll see major updates and some modernization. To say the competition is so fresh, it's really not THAT far behind.
Just sold our 2019 Platinum Armada for a 2022 Pathfinder (Platinum) for the exact reasons Alex mentions. The 2019 was out of date in 2015 quite honestly inside with very dated technology. When you jump into the new Pathfinder, it's immediatley noticeable how much the tech has changed in a couple of years. Since we don't need the towing capability, it was an easy decision to switch. Also, over the life of us owning the Armada, we never averaged over 14.8mpg.
I drove the Infiniti version of this several years ago, and it drives just as nicely as the Mercedes gl. If the priority is on how a vehicle drives, this wins hands down. Super smooth, very roomy, great sounding v8. And now they updated the infotainment, which was the worst part of the suv.
If they called this the Nissan Patrol, as its called around the world, they would sell so many more. The armada has a bad rep form its first gen and people here dont know that this is the Patrol, an incredible truck, not an armada of the past.
Because this is just a rebadged Y62 Patrol and the Patrol has the 7 speed for now. This is made in Japan on the same assembly line as the patrol and has no relationship to the titan.
Alex as always a great review. I actually use you and the TFL guys information and knowledge to lean on what to buy. As for this Armada one thing that was lacking in both the Armada and QX80 was Great looking vehicle. Whats totally missing is how the rear seats fold. I have 3 kids in car seats and I cant buy this vehicle. As you would have to take the car seat out every single time to get kid to rear seat as they only fold over and dont slide. Sad that the pathfinder has the tech to have car seat installed and access to the rear, yet the vehicle built for large families does not. Here is hoping that the redesign has this in mind. Thanks for all the time you spend in your videos, you truly do help thousands of people and I always tell my friends if they are looking for a vehicle, look at your videos. IF YOU DONT HAVE MORE THAN 3 CAR SEATS ITS A LOVELY VEHICLE
@@rexxxxxxxxx no it does not captain or bench. That's why it was disappointing and I moved onto the Expedition with anchors and tether a in every seat :) Hope that helps. Armada is beautiful just not practical for 3 kids or larger families in car seats
I'm happy you said it, I haven't seen pulled leather since 90s Lexus products. Its strange that Nissan didn't give this the nine speed the the Titan recorded to help fuel economy. Not a bad vehicle that just needs a couple tweaks to really help it. Nine speed would help fuel economy which is the one real negative. I do love Nissans 5.6L V8. Gem of an engine
I had a 2019 Titan with the 7 speed transmission and a 2021 with a 9 speed and to be honest I thought I’d get better mpg on the 9 speed and didn’t at all…
If this had a solid rear axle like the land cruiser it would be a no brainer as a half price alternative to the cruiser but as it is it really only competes with people/boat hauler SUV's. I guess they didn't see the explosion of off-roading coming when they built this.
both are the same vehicle (ifs in the front and rear), just the Patrol has more equipment and central coolbox in the console (just like the land cruisers) ... seems like the only real difference is the rear bumper
I had a 2020 SL for a rental a few weeks back. Besides the dated infotainment system I liked it way more than I thought I would. Great isolation from the road and that V8 sounds really good. With the 2021 updates I’d spend my money on it. Give it a diesel with 28mpg highway and I’d go right now and pick one up. It was just me in the car doing 74mph and I was just hitting 18mpg. Definitely the worst point of the entire vehicle.
@@slscamg the Japanese are not bringing diesels to North America because of the particulate filters. They won't pass emission without them here. So if you want 3-row diesel it is an old VW Toureg, Mercedes GL, or Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade.
Cost. Thats why the Land Cruiser was always more expensive. Essentially, they removed all of the off-road kit to get the price down... and lets be honest, the soccer moms driving these rigs will NOT be taking them off road.
@@dedreandixon4620 Agreed. Unfortunately even the LC on the States side is essentially a mall crawler version of the LC in Australia. Now that the LC is out of US I guess there is no hope of seeing lockers on Armada ever.
Lots of talk about the 8500# towing capacity across all reviews. This is very appealing to me, however I wonder how realistic that is considering the tongue weight of something that heavy.
Alex, Due to the chip shortage, I have to ask if all the GM V8 SUVs are shipping with cylinder de-activation these days. Speaking of chip shortages, isn't it time the USA and Canada closed a few superfluous potato chip factories and opened a few more silicone chip factories?
I wonder if that's the screen they're putting in the new qx60. You're right, just making the infotainment modern makes a world of difference. I wonder why infiniti didnt do that with the model they just released (qx55? I can never remember their names).
Because the QX55 is just a variant of the QX50, which was designed and debuted before the new Nissan/Infiniti parts bin was put into play. It was also delayed by a year. But yes, the screen in the updated Armada is most likely the same screen that will be in the new QX60 looking at the spy and teaser pics. Hopefully it has a nicer, more premium UI design.
The QX60 will be the make-or-break car for Infiniti. They better do a good job on that car, like how Nissan made big improvements in their most recent cars.
@@garrettw99 I agree, it is. But even the new Pathfinder is a more luxurious rig than the current QX60, so it has a very solid base to build upon. Essentially they just need to bring it with feature content and take it up a notch on materials quality and interior design. I also hope at some point it will offer a more powerful powertrain. But I also believe the QX60 will still be a transition product for Infiniti and the true "New Infiniti" will be revealed once they start rolling out their electrified models.
@@dedreandixon4620 very good points. And if the platform shadings holds true for the next QX60, it’ll share the same platform with the new Pathfinder. It’s definitely a less comfortable and more firm suspension than the old platform, but it isn’t a marshmallow anymore that causes passengers to become carsick. I wish they would make more Nissan EVs. They only have the LEAF and the upcoming Ariya. We have enough luxury EVs.
Needs a 9 speed. I will say though, if you're worried about the MPG, reliability will make spending money on gas worth it. These things are bulletproof.
I don’t think a lot of people are really “worry about mpg” it’s just the left-wing virtue signaling that makes me wanna puke. Assigning a warped “morality” into a Vehicle purchase. And it’s bullet proof because it doesn’t have some stupid twin turbo engine in it
@@MeliorIlle No actually not everyone does people are driving a lot less with work from home and people make more money than they did the last time there was a panic. If you can afford a $90,000 6000 pound SUV that can do it all then you had better be budgeting for gas as well. Biden will not be president forever and gas will go back down eventually. if that upsets you than you are an evil disgusting person.
@@Ryan2022 You're speaking for yourself, not the majority population. If people didn't care about MPG and gas prices, we would still be using 4 speed automatics and V8 engines in everything. Reality made us choose otherwise. You shouldn't argue a counterpoint only using your experience, it makes you look silly.
@@MeliorIlle That’s actually not true and that’s one of the Dangerous anti-choice left wing talking points that needs to be smashed. If people want fuel efficient cars, which a lot of people do, the manufacturers will make them. if people want large SUVs capable of towing I would rather not deal with TwinTurbo motors than the market will build them as well. That’s what I want manufacturers to have the ability to make vehicles that people want without Joe Biden trying to force everyone into a vehicle that he likes. I don’t particularly have any need or want for a Honda Civic in my life and you shouldn’t be telling everyone else that that’s what they should drive just because you might like a Honda Civic.
How much better of QX80 Hydraulic suspension comparing with Armada’s airbag suspension when towing? If it’s the only difference, I don’t care about the interior and exterior
I'm not sure that "shopping on a budget" is really a thing with full size SUVs. There are people who like to pinch pennies, but every customer I have (Chevy salesman) looking at Tahoes can afford whatever trim level they want. That being said I like the updates to the Armada but it badly needs a full on re-design.
This is a very nice SUV and Chevy GMC Cadillac have absolutely nothing to worry about with this SUV which will probably accounts for under 5% of full-size SUV sales sales
It looks a little Range Rover-ish on the outside. It is more boxy and traditional looking.. And that is a good thing.. The front wind shield is more upright - less sporty and raked back.. Which is again a good thing. This all improves visibility and room and comfort. Nice job Nissan.. I also like the more traditional dashboard (and gauges) design. Not sure where Nissan is on reliability these days, but If Nissan can deliver on reliability, they really have something good here.
Is Nissan taking Australia for joke? Why is the updated in interior from the Armarda not in the current Patrol? The dorky interior is basically the only thing holding this vehicle back.
Armada all the way...5 years trouble-free experience, knock on wood! Great engine, tows very well, price is right and its very capable offroad. I do wish that it was a couple of inches shorter/narrower/lower and 600 lbs lighter. Handling is ...well...not the best, gas mileage is poor. You cant cheat physics, boys. Nissan will do well to use aluminum and alloys in some parts in the frame and body to save some weight. Drop it down by an inch for handling and just internal space better...I think the Mada is a winner, but it could be even better if it lost some weight...
I think I would look at the Tahoe/Yukon first, and the Armada if I was looking at a budget option. The Sequoia’s only positive trait is being reliable. I might as well buy a first gen Sequoia instead of a new one. I’d rather have a car that may require a few more repairs than pay a ton for gas. Gas is inevitable, and repairs are not.
Driving on his windy roads would be tedious with a body on frame. But you have a good point, this is one of the only other vehicles he could have considered since his car had to be short enough to make u-turns.
Just test drove the Armada Platinum last night and the amount of vibration on the wheel and noise in cabin is ridiculous for the sticker price. The Tahoe drove way better overall. I currentyl have a 2018 Nissan Rouge and that drives better then Armada. Also test drove the Pathfinder and that one also drove better and more functional then the Armada. PS i have owned Nissans for 10+ years
I think Alex buys what makes sense to him. And the Durango represented the value and use proposition for him. The Nissan Armada is definitely getting dated, but it means it is all paid for and Nissan makes money on this vehicle. Like the old Frontier, that tooling was paid for eons ago. The new Frontier looks quite good, but Toyota and others make a strong case. The New Tundra is looking good too. The Titan has a harder road ahead as far as a desired truck. The Armada maybe primed for a Hybrid to help some, if not improve some performance. Mostly for the city mileage if anything else not that the highway mileage is anything to brag about. But most of the big platform vehicles are not models of economy. Not their primary mission. I think things will change before long for more efficiency. It needs too. Just not picking on Nissan either.
It's not terrible but it's no where near the top. The Tahoe/Expedition are kings, the jeep may just take the title from them, this is the next best, and Toyota isn't even trying.
Any suggestions on 2021 Armada SL vs 2021 Sequoia TRD? In terms of reliability, safety, functional and overall as a family vehicle to have. I know Sequoia redesign is in the works in 22/23 but wanted to get any feedback on these 2021 year / models. Also I've read Nissan has previous transmission issues on certain models so not sure how in terms of longevity they would be reliable in comparison to Toyota Sequoia TRD.
I think the Nissan transmission issues stem from their CVT transmissions. The Armada and the Titan never had the CVT. However, I think that CVT really did a lot of damage to Nissan's brand, which is why the Armada is such a good value -- especially used.
@@ACZcamsChannelwithNoName, No, If you do not focus on the ''dated' interior so much, the qx80 is a much better car, I think the qx80 has a better interior than the armada and isn't that dated compared to a Lexus lx, there isn't as much as extended leather everywhere in the armada as in the qx80 and a lot of things the Infiniti has, the Nissan doesn't, especially the design and the quilted saddle brown leather you cant get on armada but on infiniti
What? A Palisade is completely differnt kind of vehicle, this is a Body on Frame vehicle designed for towing and offroad. The Palisade is a Unibody construction, designed primarily for on road use. Unless you do serious towing and offroad work, then yes, I wouldn't buy the Armarda... but if you do...
The Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and the Cadillac Escalade account for 50% of all large SUV sales in the US. GM makes 340,000 of them every year and exports about 80,000 to 31 countries. They’re made in GM’s plant in Arlington, Texas, which is said to be the most profitable assembly plant in the world. We estimate they generate $20 billion in revenue for GM and about $4 billion in profits. Autoline Daily.
@@uploadtime1780 considering share parts with 1,000,000 annual sales of Silverado/Sierra they are inexpensive to fix with many going 300,000 miles towing a trailer.
@@normt430 hey I appreciate the reply, seriously. I have had many domestic cars and while that holds true I just find myself in a predicament at times. A) take time which is a limited resource for me to do the repair myself or B) get irritated that I have to pay a shop 3-5x what it would cost me do to myself. I own 4 cars and two motorcycles currently (Enduro and street). I also drive a lot of miles I mention the car count to say that my daily driver is a 2016 mazda6. As I write this it has 88614 miles on the odo.. I have done brakes, oil, tires and battery not a single other thing. My 2013 Nissan Xterra just rolled 110k and same situation. My Fords, Chevys (only owned one Dodge) have needed considerably more week to keep them going and I just don't have the time of ambition to do the work myself but would still do so in most instances as I know how, have the tools and like the challenge I put on it within a time constraint. Point is it's not he cost of the parts it's the time or cost of the repair (not part) that irritateds me and the Japan built cars typically outperform American made. They don't have the life expectancy built in like American manufacturers do on their parts. I DO concentrate on American made in almost all other aspects of my daily life including replacement parts on the autoes when needed.
@@uploadtime1780 you'll find American made Japanese cars today are some of the worst with major flaws. There is a reason no Japanese auto company can make it 90-days without repairs except Mitsubishi in a recent J.D. Power Initial Quality study in the Top 10. "...when it comes to long-term reliability in particular, Buick has absolutely decimated their supposedly more fashionable family member. While most older Cadillacs rival old Kias when it comes to long-term quality, Buick is ranked #1 in our study when it comes to one important metric. Length of ownership. For active brands, the oldest trade-in on average in our study covering nearly 1,300,000 vehicles is not a Lexus or a Mercedes, it's a Buick. The reason is while a lot of premium brands try to pursue greatness to an audience that tends to have a more fickle and transient nature towards car ownership, Buick has been able to focus on what I would call 'fine'-ness towards a more conservative audience that simply looks for a car that can comfortably do the job. If you ask an owner of an older Buick what they think of their car, the answer you're likely to receive is someone in the realm of, "It's fine". There really isn't a lot of love for an older car that is created for conservative tastes. But for those who consider cars to be little more than a comfortable intermission between going here and there, Buick has fulfilled that reasonable expectation better than nearly everyone else...." thedrive
And it’s bigger. More power. Body on frame. Nicer on the inside and so many other things. They don’t really compete. And the new pathfinder will have a traditional 9 speed automatic transmission
I guess you dont realize the Pathfinder has a 9 speed ZF now..They Discontinued the CVT for 2022..Prolly should be up to date before you post incorrect stuff there bud.
Alex, get some looser fitting pants. I will return to watching when that happens. Im sure people on this comments sections would know what I am talking about. #lookatmypackage
"... Stepping up to the Infiniti doesn't actually buy you real tree."
My favorite line of the review!
One thing I don't think is mentioned enough is the build quality of the Armada compared to some of its competitors. Everything nice and solid and put together extremely well. No creaks, cracks, rattles, pops, or other noises. Other vehicles have all kinds of pops and rattles coming from the dash and other areas. Makes the Armada interior feel a class above even if by the looks it does look somewhat dated.
Probably because is still made in... Japan. VIN number starting with the letter J.
Made in Japan…
I still love how the door panel looks like a soft leather sofa.
I just spent 11 days and 4K miles in an Armada doing a giant loop around the west with all of its parks. I loved the power of the engine, comfort during long road trips and I thought for $52k is a steal.
Which trim did you buy for $52000? does that includes all taxes and fees?
Also new or used?
thank you
The Armada makes for a great truck. It has a proven powertrain, great build quality and reliability to boot.
This vehicle need to stay a naturally aspirated v8 it’s a dying breed I’m happy Nissan is saving them!
I like it, but it’s wayyy pass the time for a ground up redesign inside out for both models. 🤷🏿♂️
Maybe not a redesign but the fuel economy is horrible.
@@chezzyperson3339 man I have to agree with you on that one! But it is a bit long in the tooth. The interior updates were essential, but it’s definitely time for a completely new set up. Pano roof, more tech focus etc.
@@slscamg it definitely needs more fuel mpg I agree
The current set up still works great especially with the revision, I just test drove one and it actually still ahead of its time. Why change it?
@@scott8238 the head unit is finally with “current” times. I like the vehicle very much, but let’s be honest an real here the vehicle is 10 years old or so, it’s only so much you can do with that platform. I’m very tech savvy.. this vehicle would be great to have the pro pilot, pano roof, heads up display fully digital Custer etc, larger rear seat entertainment tv. The list goes on ,but I do like the fact that it has a naturally aspirated engine.
I can't believe Alex didn't have the song Super Stylin', by Groove Armada displayed on the infotainment screen.
My dream Nissan SUV! Amazing job Alex.
The kind of discounts Nissan offers on Armada in US makes it a no brainer to buy one if you in market for a solid built SUV that doesn't look like a truck with it's bed covered like that Tahoe, Expedition and Yukon.
True car or somewhere else to find these discounts?
The cylinder deactivation is worst of all bad ideas and causes most problems for GM. Why I want an Armada or a Toyota is because they’re old school, simple and bulletproof. The engine is phenomenal.
Great video! Lots of info.
I stumbled into a nissan dealer today to kill time, drove an Armada and absolutely loved the experience!
Now all i have to do is convince my wife to trade her new 22 4Runner limited in..
Another solid review, Alex.
I'm hoping (and thinking) that the QX80 will get a pretty extensive interior redesign soon. This interior is definitely more up-to-date now, and I can't see them letting that continue to be the case for that long because now there really is no reason to pick the QX80 over the Armada. They made the investment to update the electronics/wiring to add the newer infotainment hardware, I can't imagine them not utilizing that investment in the QX80. I however don't see this platform trio getting a ground-up redesign, I think maybe it'll see major updates and some modernization. To say the competition is so fresh, it's really not THAT far behind.
Back in the 90s we went straight from a baby seat to the normal car seat.
Just sold our 2019 Platinum Armada for a 2022 Pathfinder (Platinum) for the exact reasons Alex mentions. The 2019 was out of date in 2015 quite honestly inside with very dated technology. When you jump into the new Pathfinder, it's immediatley noticeable how much the tech has changed in a couple of years. Since we don't need the towing capability, it was an easy decision to switch. Also, over the life of us owning the Armada, we never averaged over 14.8mpg.
I drove the Infiniti version of this several years ago, and it drives just as nicely as the Mercedes gl. If the priority is on how a vehicle drives, this wins hands down. Super smooth, very roomy, great sounding v8. And now they updated the infotainment, which was the worst part of the suv.
Armada all the way for me
Thoroughly enjoyed the bonus trunk comfort index graphic at 10:15
I enjoyed the 8:30 better
If they called this the Nissan Patrol, as its called around the world, they would sell so many more. The armada has a bad rep form its first gen and people here dont know that this is the Patrol, an incredible truck, not an armada of the past.
10:15 this is not the time to go in the trunk , seems to be the preferred edit button of our host .
I don’t get why they kept the 7spd on this but the Titan gets a 9spd.
Because this is just a rebadged Y62 Patrol and the Patrol has the 7 speed for now. This is made in Japan on the same assembly line as the patrol and has no relationship to the titan.
@@blegi1245 Not true, the Armada and Titan share the F-Alpha platform.
@@trent7080 Navara and Terra also share the same platform on paper.
@@trent7080 The old Armada use to share the F alpha platform but it 2016 it is now Patrol based.
@@scott8238 All body on frame Nissans use the F-Alpha platform.
Alex as always a great review. I actually use you and the TFL guys information and knowledge to lean on what to buy. As for this Armada one thing that was lacking in both the Armada and QX80 was Great looking vehicle. Whats totally missing is how the rear seats fold. I have 3 kids in car seats and I cant buy this vehicle. As you would have to take the car seat out every single time to get kid to rear seat as they only fold over and dont slide. Sad that the pathfinder has the tech to have car seat installed and access to the rear, yet the vehicle built for large families does not. Here is hoping that the redesign has this in mind. Thanks for all the time you spend in your videos, you truly do help thousands of people and I always tell my friends if they are looking for a vehicle, look at your videos. IF YOU DONT HAVE MORE THAN 3 CAR SEATS ITS A LOVELY VEHICLE
Does it provide a bench 2nd row and can install 3 narrow car seats in 2nd row? So that you don’t need to access 3rd row if you don’t need 3rd row
@@rexxxxxxxxx no it does not captain or bench. That's why it was disappointing and I moved onto the Expedition with anchors and tether a in every seat :) Hope that helps. Armada is beautiful just not practical for 3 kids or larger families in car seats
I'm happy you said it, I haven't seen pulled leather since 90s Lexus products. Its strange that Nissan didn't give this the nine speed the the Titan recorded to help fuel economy. Not a bad vehicle that just needs a couple tweaks to really help it. Nine speed would help fuel economy which is the one real negative. I do love Nissans 5.6L V8. Gem of an engine
I had a 2019 Titan with the 7 speed transmission and a 2021 with a 9 speed and to be honest I thought I’d get better mpg on the 9 speed and didn’t at all…
When the least expensive in the segment is 10-20k beyond me. Feels bad :/
If this had a solid rear axle like the land cruiser it would be a no brainer as a half price alternative to the cruiser but as it is it really only competes with people/boat hauler SUV's. I guess they didn't see the explosion of off-roading coming when they built this.
Crazy how just having Apple Car Play or Android Auto just changes everything
I like the comparison segment. Sometimes we just don't know what we're looking for.
Rumor has it that the 3.5L Twin Turbo V6 Hybrid coming to the next Tundra, Sequioa and Lexus LX will have 480 HP and 642 lb. ft of torque
one helluva rumor..
Outstanding review and comparisons
What is missing in this vehicle is a pair of turbos atop that V8, I bet you could tow a house if you wanted... great review Alex
i think the patrol uses a different suspension, armada has a more comfy suspension
both are the same vehicle (ifs in the front and rear), just the Patrol has more equipment and central coolbox in the console (just like the land cruisers) ... seems like the only real difference is the rear bumper
I had a 2020 SL for a rental a few weeks back. Besides the dated infotainment system I liked it way more than I thought I would. Great isolation from the road and that V8 sounds really good. With the 2021 updates I’d spend my money on it. Give it a diesel with 28mpg highway and I’d go right now and pick one up. It was just me in the car doing 74mph and I was just hitting 18mpg. Definitely the worst point of the entire vehicle.
The Tahoe 3.0T diesel has gotten 35 mpg by some CZcams reviewers. That is about double this!
@@normt430 yes and I love the idea. Just would love the idea built by a Japanese company in Japan even more 😂
@@slscamg the Japanese are not bringing diesels to North America because of the particulate filters. They won't pass emission without them here. So if you want 3-row diesel it is an old VW Toureg, Mercedes GL, or Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade.
@@normt430 right and what 20k more? How much fuel does that buy?
@@uploadtime1780 figure it would cut your fuel bill almost in half if you spend allot of time at highway speeds.
I don't understand why Nissan doesn't give the Armada the off road chops like they do down under with Patrol.
Cost. Thats why the Land Cruiser was always more expensive. Essentially, they removed all of the off-road kit to get the price down... and lets be honest, the soccer moms driving these rigs will NOT be taking them off road.
@@dedreandixon4620 Agreed. Unfortunately even the LC on the States side is essentially a mall crawler version of the LC in Australia. Now that the LC is out of US I guess there is no hope of seeing lockers on Armada ever.
I would love a Pro-4X version
No vehicle on the road should get mpg in the teens……..unless it’s a truck. Ok, this is a truck 🤣
No car or truck should be getting mpg in the teens these days... at least not for 99% or regular consumers.
Really? I thought it was a SUV.
@@ACZcamsChannelwithNoName i mean it has a similar chassis to the Titan
@@XLTBlarg shut up
Good review & great Armada.
The Land Cruiser became shorter than the Pathfinder😂😂🤪
2022 Pathfinder? Yes.
I would have gotten that over the Durango you bought.
He stated in his Durango video that the unibody design worked better for his needs.
I read the tile as Nissan's boat, hauling three row SUV. Thought Nissan made a boat on the road that can somehow haul a three row SUV
😁
But they also make boats.
It's good that we still have a n/a V8 option on Armada SUV
Great Nissan.
Buy this over the Expy. I drove the Expy from TX to FL and back. It had garbage suspension, interior, rattles, and bouncy ride.
Lots of talk about the 8500# towing capacity across all reviews. This is very appealing to me, however I wonder how realistic that is considering the tongue weight of something that heavy.
Alex, Due to the chip shortage, I have to ask if all the GM V8 SUVs are shipping with cylinder de-activation these days. Speaking of chip shortages, isn't it time the USA and Canada closed a few superfluous potato chip factories and opened a few more silicone chip factories?
TSMC (one of the largest chip fabricators) is opening a huge new fab in Arizona
Less potato, more silicone!!!
GM V8s are now not including auto start stop. Not sure about the cylinder deactivation though
@@garrettw99 BOTH! 😆
I wonder if that's the screen they're putting in the new qx60. You're right, just making the infotainment modern makes a world of difference. I wonder why infiniti didnt do that with the model they just released (qx55? I can never remember their names).
Because the QX55 is just a variant of the QX50, which was designed and debuted before the new Nissan/Infiniti parts bin was put into play. It was also delayed by a year. But yes, the screen in the updated Armada is most likely the same screen that will be in the new QX60 looking at the spy and teaser pics. Hopefully it has a nicer, more premium UI design.
The QX60 will be the make-or-break car for Infiniti. They better do a good job on that car, like how Nissan made big improvements in their most recent cars.
@@garrettw99 I agree, it is. But even the new Pathfinder is a more luxurious rig than the current QX60, so it has a very solid base to build upon. Essentially they just need to bring it with feature content and take it up a notch on materials quality and interior design. I also hope at some point it will offer a more powerful powertrain. But I also believe the QX60 will still be a transition product for Infiniti and the true "New Infiniti" will be revealed once they start rolling out their electrified models.
@@dedreandixon4620 very good points. And if the platform shadings holds true for the next QX60, it’ll share the same platform with the new Pathfinder. It’s definitely a less comfortable and more firm suspension than the old platform, but it isn’t a marshmallow anymore that causes passengers to become carsick.
I wish they would make more Nissan EVs. They only have the LEAF and the upcoming Ariya. We have enough luxury EVs.
@@dedreandixon4620 well well well, Alex just posted a video on the QX60. Looks nice and has no CVT. Basically a nicer Pathfinder
Needs a 9 speed. I will say though, if you're worried about the MPG, reliability will make spending money on gas worth it. These things are bulletproof.
I don’t think a lot of people are really “worry about mpg” it’s just the left-wing virtue signaling that makes me wanna puke. Assigning a warped “morality” into a
Vehicle purchase. And it’s bullet proof because it doesn’t have some stupid twin turbo engine in it
@@Ryan2022 Everyone worries about MPG when gas rises to 4 bucks a gallon.
@@MeliorIlle No actually not everyone does people are driving a lot less with work from home and people make more money than they did the last time there was a panic. If you can afford a $90,000 6000 pound SUV that can do it all then you had better be budgeting for gas as well. Biden will not be president forever and gas will go back down eventually. if that upsets you than you are an evil disgusting person.
@@Ryan2022 You're speaking for yourself, not the majority population. If people didn't care about MPG and gas prices, we would still be using 4 speed automatics and V8 engines in everything. Reality made us choose otherwise. You shouldn't argue a counterpoint only using your experience, it makes you look silly.
@@MeliorIlle That’s actually not true and that’s one of the Dangerous anti-choice left wing talking points that needs to be smashed. If people want fuel efficient cars, which a lot of people do, the manufacturers will make them. if people want large SUVs capable of towing I would rather not deal with TwinTurbo motors than the market will build them as well. That’s what I want manufacturers to have the ability to make vehicles that people want without Joe Biden trying to force everyone into a vehicle that he likes. I don’t particularly have any need or want for a Honda Civic in my life and you shouldn’t be telling everyone else that that’s what they should drive just because you might like a Honda Civic.
I'm interest to buy this 2021 Armada in 2024.
How much better of QX80 Hydraulic suspension comparing with Armada’s airbag suspension when towing? If it’s the only difference, I don’t care about the interior and exterior
Umm, what is that wierd animation starting at the 10:15 mark?
Hahaha I didn’t even notice that until you pointed that out
Is this generation of Armada made in the USA or is just a Patrol with a larger rear bumper made in Japan ?
I'm not sure that "shopping on a budget" is really a thing with full size SUVs. There are people who like to pinch pennies, but every customer I have (Chevy salesman) looking at Tahoes can afford whatever trim level they want. That being said I like the updates to the Armada but it badly needs a full on re-design.
This is a very nice SUV and Chevy GMC Cadillac have absolutely nothing to worry about with this SUV which will probably accounts for under 5% of full-size SUV sales sales
It looks a little Range Rover-ish on the outside. It is more boxy and traditional looking.. And that is a good thing.. The front wind shield is more upright - less sporty and raked back.. Which is again a good thing. This all improves visibility and room and comfort. Nice job Nissan.. I also like the more traditional dashboard (and gauges) design. Not sure where Nissan is on reliability these days, but If Nissan can deliver on reliability, they really have something good here.
At least the PATROL will come in a NISMO version , will the ARMADA ?
My Colorado V6 pickup only got 15mpg real world so aV8 be fine
holy cow really? My F-150 w/ 5.0 gets at least 17 in the city and over 21 on the highway.
Pathfinder is nice enough. Unless you want towing
Alhamdulillah in my experience owning nissan/infiniti, they are more reliable than the toyota/lexus.
I am undecided between this and the Sequoia
Excellent report
10:15 wtf lol
Hate the Chevy styling? Check out the GMC Yukon, which I think has some of the best styling in the class. Agree?
Let me correct you, the Infiniti does come with real wood trim.
Direct injection only= carbon buildup, why can’t Nissan put Toyota‘a D-4S system in to ensure longevity of the engine?
A properly design DI engine does not need band-aids. See GM Ecotec on how to do it!
@@normt430 Dual injection is the way to go
@@jtomtl no, direct injection has been proven to work fine by it's self.
Yup. My 2015 GMC Sierra with the 6.2 liter engine (with DI) is still pulling as good as new with 120K+ miles on the odo.
I have never had a good experience with my Nissans. The vehicles or customer service.
Is Nissan taking Australia for joke? Why is the updated in interior from the Armarda not in the current Patrol? The dorky interior is basically the only thing holding this vehicle back.
How is the ride compared to the QX80?
Nice documentary
Was waiting for this review.
GREAT ARMADA.
Armada all the way...5 years trouble-free experience, knock on wood! Great engine, tows very well, price is right and its very capable offroad. I do wish that it was a couple of inches shorter/narrower/lower and 600 lbs lighter. Handling is ...well...not the best, gas mileage is poor. You cant cheat physics, boys. Nissan will do well to use aluminum and alloys in some parts in the frame and body to save some weight. Drop it down by an inch for handling and just internal space better...I think the Mada is a winner, but it could be even better if it lost some weight...
I think I would look at the Tahoe/Yukon first, and the Armada if I was looking at a budget option. The Sequoia’s only positive trait is being reliable. I might as well buy a first gen Sequoia instead of a new one.
I’d rather have a car that may require a few more repairs than pay a ton for gas. Gas is inevitable, and repairs are not.
nice but I'l pick the infiniti qx56
Nissan will be best choice for long term lasting relationship😉👍
Did Nissan explain why this engine was not paired with the new 9 speed as is the new Titan?
I think it’s because of the frame they used
Still have those cheap stop/star button
Alex, why didn't you consider this Nissan as your next tow vehicle instead of buying the same Dodge truck a second time?
In his Durango video he states that the unibody design fits his needs better than a traditional body on frame suv.
Driving on his windy roads would be tedious with a body on frame. But you have a good point, this is one of the only other vehicles he could have considered since his car had to be short enough to make u-turns.
reminds me of a lexus lx or something
Armada all day and then some....
Just test drove the Armada Platinum last night and the amount of vibration on the wheel and noise in cabin is ridiculous for the sticker price. The Tahoe drove way better overall.
I currentyl have a 2018 Nissan Rouge and that drives better then Armada.
Also test drove the Pathfinder and that one also drove better and more functional then the Armada.
PS i have owned Nissans for 10+ years
Nissan needs more hybrids.
I think Alex buys what makes sense to him. And the Durango represented the value and use proposition for him. The Nissan Armada is definitely getting dated, but it means it is all paid for and Nissan makes money on this vehicle. Like the old Frontier, that tooling was paid for eons ago. The new Frontier looks quite good, but Toyota and others make a strong case. The New Tundra is looking good too. The Titan has a harder road ahead as far as a desired truck. The Armada maybe primed for a Hybrid to help some, if not improve some performance. Mostly for the city mileage if anything else not that the highway mileage is anything to brag about. But most of the big platform vehicles are not models of economy. Not their primary mission. I think things will change before long for more efficiency. It needs too. Just not picking on Nissan either.
10:13 Video Editing mistake?
It's not terrible but it's no where near the top. The Tahoe/Expedition are kings, the jeep may just take the title from them, this is the next best, and Toyota isn't even trying.
Unfortunately Toyota doesn’t have to try because people will blindly buy whatever they sell them.
@@insainllama Like Apple or Samsung?
Any suggestions on 2021 Armada SL vs 2021 Sequoia TRD? In terms of reliability, safety, functional and overall as a family vehicle to have. I know Sequoia redesign is in the works in 22/23 but wanted to get any feedback on these 2021 year / models. Also I've read Nissan has previous transmission issues on certain models so not sure how in terms of longevity they would be reliable in comparison to Toyota Sequoia TRD.
I think the Nissan transmission issues stem from their CVT transmissions. The Armada and the Titan never had the CVT. However, I think that CVT really did a lot of damage to Nissan's brand, which is why the Armada is such a good value -- especially used.
Alex r u sure you're 6'?
Armada
Plus it takes regular gas
I have to disagree with him that the armada is more attractive than the qx80, I think the qx80 just looks so much more luxurious
Why, because it has the Infiniti badge?
@@ACZcamsChannelwithNoName, No, If you do not focus on the ''dated' interior so much, the qx80 is a much better car, I think the qx80 has a better interior than the armada and isn't that dated compared to a Lexus lx, there isn't as much as extended leather everywhere in the armada as in the qx80 and a lot of things the Infiniti has, the Nissan doesn't, especially the design and the quilted saddle brown leather you cant get on armada but on infiniti
Timing chains issues
Looks super dated inside and out. How is the usable space inside compared to the larger crossovers like the Atlas & Palisade?
What? A Palisade is completely differnt kind of vehicle, this is a Body on Frame vehicle designed for towing and offroad. The Palisade is a Unibody construction, designed primarily for on road use. Unless you do serious towing and offroad work, then yes, I wouldn't buy the Armarda... but if you do...
The Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and the Cadillac Escalade account for 50% of all large SUV sales in the US. GM makes 340,000 of them every year and exports about 80,000 to 31 countries. They’re made in GM’s plant in Arlington, Texas, which is said to be the most profitable assembly plant in the world. We estimate they generate $20 billion in revenue for GM and about $4 billion in profits. Autoline Daily.
Ok so when they hit 100k how are they running? My experience hasn't been very good with gm/Chevy personally.
@@uploadtime1780 considering share parts with 1,000,000 annual sales of Silverado/Sierra they are inexpensive to fix with many going 300,000 miles towing a trailer.
@@normt430 hey I appreciate the reply, seriously. I have had many domestic cars and while that holds true I just find myself in a predicament at times. A) take time which is a limited resource for me to do the repair myself or B) get irritated that I have to pay a shop 3-5x what it would cost me do to myself. I own 4 cars and two motorcycles currently (Enduro and street). I also drive a lot of miles I mention the car count to say that my daily driver is a 2016 mazda6. As I write this it has 88614 miles on the odo.. I have done brakes, oil, tires and battery not a single other thing. My 2013 Nissan Xterra just rolled 110k and same situation. My Fords, Chevys (only owned one Dodge) have needed considerably more week to keep them going and I just don't have the time of ambition to do the work myself but would still do so in most instances as I know how, have the tools and like the challenge I put on it within a time constraint.
Point is it's not he cost of the parts it's the time or cost of the repair (not part) that irritateds me and the Japan built cars typically outperform American made. They don't have the life expectancy built in like American manufacturers do on their parts. I DO concentrate on American made in almost all other aspects of my daily life including replacement parts on the autoes when needed.
@@uploadtime1780 you'll find American made Japanese cars today are some of the worst with major flaws. There is a reason no Japanese auto company can make it 90-days without repairs except Mitsubishi in a recent J.D. Power Initial Quality study in the Top 10.
"...when it comes to long-term reliability in particular, Buick has absolutely decimated their supposedly more fashionable family member. While most older Cadillacs rival old Kias when it comes to long-term quality, Buick is ranked #1 in our study when it comes to one important metric.
Length of ownership. For active brands, the oldest trade-in on average in our study covering nearly 1,300,000 vehicles is not a Lexus or a Mercedes, it's a Buick. The reason is while a lot of premium brands try to pursue greatness to an audience that tends to have a more fickle and transient nature towards car ownership, Buick has been able to focus on what I would call 'fine'-ness towards a more conservative audience that simply looks for a car that can comfortably do the job.
If you ask an owner of an older Buick what they think of their car, the answer you're likely to receive is someone in the realm of, "It's fine". There really isn't a lot of love for an older car that is created for conservative tastes. But for those who consider cars to be little more than a comfortable intermission between going here and there, Buick has fulfilled that reasonable expectation better than nearly everyone else...." thedrive
I wonder what's the difference between the jeep grand Cherokee l and the wagoneer??
Wagoneer is body on frame and the grand Cherokee L is unibody.
Modem? That split screen is a down grade in every new car
Like it!
I actually had no idea the Armada was still a thing.
They will sell about five thousand of these in America. You just don't see these at all but tons of the QX80.
This looks old and outdated.
Wrong there. They sell about 4x that number.
Year sold
2018 32,650
2019 32,044
2020 19,638
2021 22,815
That gathered leather pattern on the door...yikes. Makes it look worn and old when its brand new
The reason you would get an Armada over the Pathfinder is getting a better standard transmission over a JUNKCO CVT.
And why would you wanna tow with a Pathfinder CVT?
And it’s bigger. More power. Body on frame. Nicer on the inside and so many other things. They don’t really compete. And the new pathfinder will have a traditional 9 speed automatic transmission
I guess you dont realize the Pathfinder has a 9 speed ZF now..They Discontinued the CVT for 2022..Prolly should be up to date before you post incorrect stuff there bud.
No more cvt in the new Pathfinder
@@donkedic1 The new 2022 Pathfinder does NOT have a CVT. Do your research.
Still using gathered leather! Why, why, why?
Alex, get some looser fitting pants. I will return to watching when that happens. Im sure people on this comments sections would know what I am talking about. #lookatmypackage
i’d like car reviewers took a shot of the underneath of vehicles especially when they are body on frame kind. 🤭