2017 Nissan Armada: An (Almost) Modern SUV

So here it is. The 2017 Armada.

A vehicle qui could excite quite a few people, for the simple reason that it’s no longer based on the Nissan Titan, but rather on the Nissan Patrol, a legendary off-road truck that’s sold elsewhere in the world.

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On the other hand, the Nissan Patrol is already sold here, so to speak, as the big Infiniti QX80 is also based on the Patrol.

Anyway, so here is the 2017 Armada. It’s still massive, it still has an appetite for fuel and it doesn’t reinvent the full-size SUV formula. We can also say that it also doesn’t innovate in any way. It’s a conservative vehicle in a conservative market.

A castle on wheels
The Armada is an alternative for well-heeled folks who don’t want a minivan to haul the family, or who don’t want a pickup truck for towing stuff to the cottage.

It’s big, of course, but at least Nissan equipped it with an electronic shield that detects just about everything around it in order to avoid a collision. No more excuses for failing a parking manoeuvre.

The look of the 2017 model has improved. It boasts the appearance of a luxury vehicle, but not too much. Up front, there’s a huge grille that won’t let us feel intimidated in the presence of the Chevrolet Tahoe.

Inside, the seats are very soft, and lack a little support in the opinion of some of my colleague journalists. On the other hand, I found them quite comfortable.

In back, the rearmost bench can accommodate three people in relative comfort—at least for a third-row seat—and in the second row, we have the choice between a classic bench or two captain’s seats pretty much identical to the ones up front.

The cockpit’s design, however, looks like it was taken from the last decade. The fake wood trim, the layout and low-definition screens are instantly noticeable. Same thing for the infotainment system, complex and archaic, especially considering Nissan installed a much better interface in the Maxima and the Murano.

Apparently, people who buy the Armada “don’t want” or “aren’t interested in” a higher level of sophistication. And yet the average buyer isn’t 80 years old, but between 31 and 40. He or she knows how to use a smartphone, works on a computer, spends evenings watching Netflix, and some even hunt Pokemons. Figuring these customers who pay close to $70,000 for big SUV and don’t care too much about interior design or technology is an odd strategy.

It’s a good thing that other manufacturers don’t share the same thinking, or else the affordable vehicles we drive every day still wouldn’t benefit from innovative designs, since people would just want to go from point A to point B. Isn’t it the objective of a company to exceed customer’s expectations, or at least use a flagship vehicle like the Armada to demonstrate what’s it’s capable of?

Interesting off-road performance
The 2017 Nissan Armada’s platform, even if it isn’t new, is much welcome once we head off the beaten path. Its rigid chassis, its excellent intelligent suspension and its capable 4x4 system makes it a good vehicle for tackling the roughest terrain.

In off-road mode, we can activate one of the vehicle’s many cameras to give us a closer view of the obstacles around the vehicle, helping us avoid rubbing shoulders with rocks. However, as the screen resolution is low, it’s rather difficult to clearly see what’s surrounding the vehicle. So, is a modern infotainment system still irrelevant?

On the road, we obviously appreciate the Armada’s supreme comfort as well as its 5.6-litre V8 that develops 390 horsepower. The engine serves up good acceleration and plenty of flexibility, working well with the seven-speed automatic transmission.

Body shake, a typical trait of vehicles that aren’t built on a unibody frame, are eliminated thanks to stout hydraulic mounts.

With a towing capacity of 8500 pounds, best in its class, the Armada stands out as a vehicle of choice for any outdoor amateur who has lots of toys to haul around. However, fuel consumption is high, at an average of more than 15 L/100 km.

The Armada’s drive isn’t very exciting, and its steering lacks refinement. As a result, we can’t say that the 2017 Nissan Armada redefines anything. It’s a conservative vehicle that doesn’t take any risks in an archaic segment filled with rivals that don’t take risks, either. It simply pursues its mission as it should, and I can clearly state that buyers will enjoy the vehicle’s numerous improvements. Since these big SUVs don’t sell all that much, it’s only normal that manufacturers aren’t seeking to develop a game-changer, by fear of displeasing the market segment’s few loyal buyers.