5 Reasons to Get excited about the New Nissan Armada

Infiniti recently introduced the all-new QX80, which gives us an idea of ​​what to expect from the next generation Nissan Armada, as the two cars have shared the platform in recent years, and very often, what happens to someone is affected. enter. That’s not our only source of information, however. Over the last year, several Nissan executives and even dealers have revealed details about the successor to the aging SUV.

Sadly, the new Armada won’t stick to the same formula and style we’ve come to know and love. Since its introduction in 2004, it has been the most affordable version of the Infiniti model while using a reliable and powerful 5.6-liter V8.

Just check the most recent price to confirm. The entry-level SV with 4WD costs about $55,000, while the outgoing spec base QX80 starts at $75,000. Sure, the latter is more luxurious, but $20k is a lot of money for a car that’s fine. We’ll miss the “affordable” Nissan Armada when it’s gone, but here are five things we can expect from the new model.

1

Dropping the V8 With Some Turbo Torque

We could see this coming long before Nissan’s head of global product strategy confirmed it late last year. “I think customers, as soon as they drive the twin-turbo V6, discover a new world. Capability, performance, speed, power delivery – the customer will smile, I’m sure,” said Ivan Espinosa. .

This is not surprising as almost every manufacturer has ditched their poor V8s in favor of twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engines. Toyota replaced its big V8 with a twin-turbocharged V6, while Stellantis replaced its entire V8 lineup with a new Hurricane twin-turbocharged inline-six. The Nissan Armada will share its new twin-turbo V6 powertrain that made its debut in the 2025 Infiniti QX80.

Fortunately, this new turbo-charged V6 engine comes from the same engine family as the Nissan GT-R. In fact, it has more torque than any of its siblings, including the 3.8-liter twin-turbo in Nissan’s aging supercar. It’s a small 3.5-liter unit that’s tuned for low-end torque and not smooth acceleration. Claimed fuel consumption figures are obviously not available yet, but it should do better than the 5.6-liter 400-horsepower V8, which got 16 mpg on the combined cycle. Despite the cuts, the next-generation Armada will match the current 8,500-pound towing capacity, which is the same as the all-new QX80. For a complete comparison of the new engine compared to the old, see the table below.

2

It Will Be Bigger

The new QX80 uses the same platform as before, but the body is bigger. If you look at the outgoing QX80, it’s the same size as the current Armada, so we expect the Armada to receive a similar growth rate. This would solve one of the main criticisms we have about the current model. The third-row seats are small and poorly designed, and you lose a lot of trunk space when they’re folded. Looking at the photos of the new QX80’s interior, it’s clear the designers put a lot of effort into making sure everyone is comfortable in the back.

3

New Armada For Sale

At the end of 2023, Nissan previewed the upcoming Armada to its dealers at a conference in Las Vegas. The dealers later described the SUV they saw as “Range Rover-like,” also saying it was bigger and more complex. This is consistent with the size comparison above. Range Rover-like can mean many things, however. The new QX80 is out there design-wise, so Nissan can differentiate the Armada by making it more luxurious. Or it could mean the next-generation Armada will be more luxurious and inherit more from the Infiniti QX80 than its powertrain.

4

A More User-Friendly Interior

The QX80 debuted the new InTouch infotainment system with Google built-in with Google Assistance, Google Play and Google Maps. Naturally, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are still commonplace, but these systems will eventually be replaced by Google’s in-car software. Not only is voice recognition better than anything else out there, but owners also get access to the Google Play Store, where they can download apps to make their lives easier. Examples include Waze, Zoom (for on-the-go meetings), your favorite podcast or music streaming app, and even streaming services that will help you pass the time when your significant other is shopping up a storm at Target.

5

It Can Still Be Relatively Cheap

The all-new QX80 debuted with several impressive technologies. Dynamic Digital Suspension can monitor the road ahead and prepare the air suspension for any upcoming bumps or imperfections. The rear light bar has more than 300 LED lights, but the rear light technology is inside. There’s laser-etched material, 64-color internal lighting, dual screens and Klipsch Reference Premiere sound systems. Other cool features include Biometric Cooling, which uses infrared sensors to detect when a second-row passenger is getting too hot.

These are all things Nissan could rename and add to the options list, bringing the price down. Nissan can also equip the car with a good old steel suspension and bring the cost down even more. While the Armada is moving forward, Nissan moms will still want to keep a clear distinction between the two models, especially since the QX80 has been confirmed as a halo model.