2025 Nissan Armada First Drive Review

Fresh styling, advanced technology, and enhanced performance improve the all-new next-generation Armada.

Perry Stern | 

Dec 20, 2024 | 6 min read

Perry Stern

When you need one vehicle that can seat seven or more occupants, haul oversized cargo, tow massive loads, and tackle rugged terrain, it's hard to beat a full-size SUV. The Nissan Armada may not be the first one that comes to mind, but with its complete redesign for the 2025 model year, the Armada checks all those boxes and then some.

Sitting atop Nissan's extensive SUV lineup, the Armada hasn't changed tremendously since 2017. While it received some exterior tweaks and a tech refresh in 2021, the Armada's all-new third-generation version debuts for 2025. In addition to its bold new look, the 2025 Armada gets a roomier cabin, advanced technology, and a more powerful turbocharged engine. Also new for 2025 is the first Armada Pro-4X, adding off-road capability to the big SUV's repertoire.

While the new Armada improves in almost every way, Nissan has held the line on prices. The base Armada SV with two-wheel drive (2WD) costs $56,520, matching the price of the 2024 model. From there, window stickers rise to around $80,000 for the top-of-the-line Platinum Reserve with four-wheel drive (4WD).

Perry Stern

I spent a day driving the 2025 Armada, which I feel is a much better full-size SUV than the outgoing version. With excellent performance; incredibly comfortable seats; and a stylish, high-tech cabin, the Armada should prove competitive with established rivals such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition when it arrives in showrooms in December 2024.

What's New for the 2025 Nissan Armada

The 2025 Nissan Armada easily stands out from its predecessor with a bolder and more contemporary design. The highlights include a larger grille, stylish LED headlights, and front and rear LED light bars for a modern look.

Inside the cabin, available 14.3-inch display screens and a Google-based infotainment system provide high-tech flare, while premium materials elevate the Armada's sophistication. Nissan's ProPilot Assist 2.1 hands-free driving system is available. In addition, the Armada boasts more passenger room and cargo space than its predecessor.

Perry Stern

Under the hood, every new Armada gets a more powerful and efficient twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine. It generates a healthy 425 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, 25 more horses and 103 lb-ft more torque than the outgoing V8.

As of this writing, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has yet to publish fuel-economy ratings for the 2025 Armada. During my evaluation, an Armada 4WD model's trip computer indicated 18.8 mpg in city and highway driving. For reference, last year's V8-powered 2024 Armada 4WD carried an EPA rating of 15 mpg in combined driving.

Improved Driving Dynamics, On and Off Pavement

For this review, Nissan invited me to Franklin, Tennessee, and provided me with a 2025 Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve 4WD. The test vehicle featured the optional ProPilot Assist 2.1 system and carpeted floor mats for an estimated manufacturer's suggested retail price of $85,450, including the $2,010 destination charge.

My test vehicle weighed just over 3 tons, so I was pleasantly surprised at how well it handled the winding two-lane back roads near Franklin. The 2025 Armada rides on a new, stiffer chassis and is available with an adaptive air suspension, which helps the big SUV stay planted with minimal body roll in the corners. Responsive steering allows quick direction changes, and the brakes deliver smooth, predictable stops.

With plenty of power on tap, the twin-turbo V6 gets the Armada moving quickly with strong acceleration from a standstill, and it doesn't take much effort to get around slower vehicles on two-lane roads.

While the Armada holds its own on country roads, it feels more at home cruising at 70 mph on the freeway. The air suspension delivers a smooth ride, and while there is some wind and road noise at that speed, it's not loud enough to be bothersome.

Perry Stern

I also ventured off-road in the new Armada Pro-4X model. Due to an earlier rainstorm, the conditions were muddy and slick, but the Armada proved quite capable. With almost 10 inches of ground clearance, standard all-terrain tires, and a locking rear differential, the Pro-4X is ideal for taking the family on off-road adventures.

The new Armada retains its towing prowess and had no problem pulling a 6,000-pound Airstream trailer (well below the 8,500-pound maximum capacity). With the trailer attached, acceleration remained effortless, and the Armada felt stable and secure at highway speeds.

Google-Based Infotainment and Hands-Free Driving Technology

The 2025 Nissan Armada comes standard with an extensive list of advanced driver-assistance systems, but the big news is the addition of ProPilot Assist 2.1, a limited hands-free driving technology.

Perry Stern

While driving the Armada on I-840 south of Franklin, I set the adaptive cruise control to 70 mph and activated ProPilot Assist 2.1. With my hands off the steering wheel and feet off the pedals, the system did an excellent job keeping the SUV centered in the lane and rounding the gentle curves without any issues. Overall, ProPilot Assist 2.1 works well, but I don't think it's as smooth and sophisticated as Super Cruise from General Motors or BlueCruise from Ford.

Other technological advancements include a new Google-based infotainment system, which is standard on all but the base Armada SV. Google Maps is the native navigation system, and Google Assistant provides one of the best natural voice recognition interfaces. For those who prefer wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, both are standard on all trim levels.

The dual 14.3-inch driver and infotainment displays are central to the 2025 Armada's updated cabin, providing a clean, high-tech look. At the same time, Nissan retains physical controls for climate, volume, and other vehicle functions, housing them in an easily accessible panel below the screens.

Perry Stern

The Armada is comfortable on long drives, and its front seats are among the best I've experienced. Behind them, the second-row passengers, who sit on either a bench seat or captain's chairs, have plenty of legroom and headroom. Third-row passengers will enjoy almost 5 additional inches of legroom, making the rearmost seat usable for adults.

Cargo space has also increased by a healthy margin, with 20.4 cubic-feet of space behind the third row that can expand to 56.3 cu-ft behind the second row and a maximum of 97.1 cu-ft with all seats folded down.

The 2025 Nissan Armada Is Finally a Competitive Full-Size SUV

The Nissan Armada hasn't been a major player in the full-size SUV arena; its sales are a fraction of those of rivals such as the Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition, and GMC Yukon. That should change with the arrival of the new 2025 Armada. With excellent driving dynamics, improved performance and efficiency, and a comfortable high-tech cabin, it is a proper competitor in the segment.

Nissan provided the vehicles for this 2025 Armada review and paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.

Perry Stern

As a small child, Perry was constantly playing with toy cars and trucks, and that enthusiasm for anything motorized with wheels never faded. After college, he moved to Seattle and began his long automotive career working in an automotive consulting firm, helping customers choose the right vehicle for their needs. In the late 1990s, Perry joined Microsoft to work on CarPoint, part of the new Microsoft Network (MSN). He went on to become editor of the site, remaining on staff for 20 years before venturing out on his own. Today, in addition to his work on Capital One Auto Navigator, he still contributes to MSN, as well as J.D. Power, TrueCar.com, and U.S. News & World Report. Perry lives in the small town of Dexter, Michigan, with his wife and dog, and he still smiles when he sees his 2006 Mazda Miata in the garage.