FRANKLIN, TENN. — The Armada has been around since 2003, but its history stretches far beyond that, all the way to 1951. You see, in most markets outside of North America, Nissan made a name for itself with the Patrol. It was always a rugged and capable SUV, popular for its ability to conquer muddy trails in Africa to sand dunes in the Middle East. Nissan has been quiet about the fact that they are virtual twins, but with this 2025 Nissan Armada, they’re finally embracing it.
Makes sense. There’s a lot of heritage with the Patrol to lean into, not to mention slightly more off-road chops, like a more capable suspension and locking rear differential. The Armada has been through a few iterations, with this latest generation sticking around for a lengthy 10 years—yes, a whole decade. To say it was overdue for a makeover is an understatement, but good things come to those who wait, right?
The 2025 Armada is all-new, and it’s rather obvious. The previous-generation truck looked good when it was released, but it was getting long-in-the-tooth and the styling was certainly falling behind the competition. Personally, I never fell in love with the look, but this third-generation Armada gets it very right whether dressed in its fancy Platinum Reserve or new, off-road-ready Pro-4X threads.
The Platinum Reserve is the Armada’s top trim, with all the presence of a boulevard cruiser. It wouldn’t look out of place in Beverly Hills or parked in front of a swanky hotel in downtown Toronto. The chrome grille and accents add to the premium look, and the 22-inch wheels are equal parts striking and luxurious. The chrome window trim that kinks upwards towards the rear to meet an Armada logo adds a unique flair. The interior can trade blows with some luxury makes, with unique seat stitching, two-tone leather trim available in a few colours, and quality touch points throughout.
The Pro-4X exudes an entirely different persona. It’s rugged, capable, and ready to play in the mud. Finished in Alpine Green Metallic, a colour exclusive to this trim, the Armada Pro-4X means business, with black accents, an entirely different grille, a solid 9.6 inches of ground clearance, rugged-looking 20-inch wheels wrapped in knobby all-terrain tires, and a visible skid plate. The bumpers have been reshaped for better approach and departure angles, and there are red tow hooks and other red accents elsewhere. Inside, the Pro-4X maintains much of the luxury of the Platinum Reserve, but mixes in some rugged flair, particularly more red accents and and Pro-4X logos throughout. It’s great that Nissan is able to deliver two very unique flavours of the Armada, enough that they feel like they are made for two completely different buyers.
Like the Infiniti QX80, all Armadas have lost two cylinders for 2025. The V8 is no more, but don’t be too sad. The new kid in town is a 3.5 litre twin-turbo V6 churning out 425 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque—significantly more grunt than before. This more than one-ups the old V8, with 25 additional horsepower and a whopping 103 lb-ft of extra torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission replaces the previous seven-speed unit, and the Armada puts power down through an intelligent all-wheel drive system tied to eight different drive modes. Also new for 2025 is a locking rear differential; exclusive to the Pro-4X, it gives the Armada serious off-road chops with the all terrain tires.
The suspension has been completely revised. It doesn’t start with any of the actual suspension components, but instead what they’re bolted to. Nissan claims big improvements for chassis stiffness, to the tune of 25 per cent extra torsional rigidity, and 57 per cent extra lateral stiffness. Both of which help the suspension do its job better. There’s a couple of different suspension configurations available, with a standard steel suspension system on lower-spec trims, and adaptive air with varying levels of ground clearance on higher-spec trucks.
On the road, the Armada moves with a good deal of authority thanks to the 516 lb-ft of torque, but with the Armada tipping the scales at 6,000-plus-pounds, it can’t be considered fast. The Armdada doesn’t need to be; the power delivery fits well with its overall upscale persona. The powertrain is quiet and confident overall, albeit not very sonorous. The only real blip is the nine speed automatic, which could stand to be a touch more responsive. I’ve had this complaint on numerous other Nissans with the nine-speed auto, including the new Z.
The steering is surprisingly adept, feeling neither too-light or artificially heavy. The suspension does a great job of soaking up bumps at both low and high speeds, and the 22-inch wheels on the Platinum Reserve trim don’t impact ride quality. In a rather shocking revelation, the adaptive suspension does a masterful job of keeping body roll in check and masking much of the Armadas weight; you can confidently take corners faster than you’d imagine. I’d almost call this land yacht athletic.
The problem is—much like myself on a pair of ice skates—the Armada can go fast but can’t stop very well at all. As soon as you hit the brakes, the weight comes rushing forward, and you quickly realize you probably shouldn’t have been taking corners as fast as you were. This isn’t a slight against the Armada per say; it’s actually a bit of a self-inflicted wound because I know the Armada isn’t meant to be sporty. It’s more so the fact the suspension is so competent, whereas the brakes are average at best. Nonetheless, the overall experience is satisfying, with all the ingredients—the new powertrain, the stiffened chassis, and the revised suspension—coming together in harmony. I’d be remiss not to mention how well the Armada tows. It’s rated for up to 8,500 pounds—more than what most people will need—but more importantly is its tow mode. It’s so well-tuned that if I didn’t keep looking behind me, I’d have no idea I was towing a 6,000-pound Airstream. It masterfully handled the weight, making it all but disappear and didn’t flinch upon braking, either. Truly impressive stuff.
Inside, the 2025 Armada is a great place to be, with quality materials throughout and solid overall build quality. The seats are comfortable and space is generous, as is the case with most SUVs of this ilk. Like the QX80, the Armada sees big tech updates, with dual 12.3- or 14.3-inch screens spanning across the dash, depending on the trim level. The displays are vivid and sharp, and the software is easy to use.
There’s a long list of safety and driver assists, including Nissan’s updated ProPilot 2.1 semi-autonomous driver assist on the Platinum Reserve trim, which now offers hands-free driving on single-lane highways. The Pro-4X still uses Nissan’s older ProPilot 1.1 system, but regardless of trim level, your usual suite of active safety tech is still present. There’s also a new trick camera system on board, offering multiple views including a “through the hood” view that shows you not only what’s in front of you, but also exactly where the front tires are, allowing you to avoid obstacles with extreme precision.
A big highlight for 2025 is the new Klipsch audio system, standard on all Armadas. Nissan is finally moving away from Bose, and your ears will be all the better for it. This Klipsch setup is different from the QX80, with 12 speakers, what they call a “dual power” subwoofer, and a total of 600 watts of system output. This setup doesn’t sound as mind-blowing (ear-blowing?) as the QX80s or other high-end systems out there, but when I say it’s one of the best I’ve heard in a long time, I mean it.
There’s a cleanliness to the sound and a natural balance that I truly appreciate; it’s the only system in a long time that I didn’t feel inclined to mess with the default EQ settings. The subwoofer does a great job of reproducing deep bass without cutting it off, and the overall imaging is spectacular. There’s a warmth to the sound you don’t really find in automotive audio in general, let alone from a “mainstream” brand like Nissan. It’s among the best out there, and could even put some “luxury” audio systems to shame.
We waited a long time for the new Armada, but this third-generation evolution delivers on virtually all fronts. The 2025 Nissan Armada looks better, it’s capable, fit-and-finish is excellent, and its tech feels modern. The one drawback, as is the case with many things in our hyper-inflated world, is price. The base SL trim starts at $85,000, the oh-so-cool Pro-4X will eat up $95,000, and the top-spec Platinum Reserve tops out at an eye-watering-for-a-Nissan $106,000—hardly pocket change, a big jump from the outgoing Armada, and pricier than some of its competitors. Nissan might be swinging for the fences here, but their batter looks like it may be able to deliver a home run.
