Her + His Car Reviews
2017 Nissan Armada
There are two sides to everything, right? To keep our car reviews innovative and interesting, we provide an animated, insightful, detailed and sometimes uncouth two points of view on the same car from - Her + His perspectives.
Her: Anne Fleming, Car Buying Advocate, women-drivers.com
His: Don Hammonds, Writer, AutomobileJournal.com
| HER | HIS |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| $60,985 | $60,985 |
| Performance | |
| A big vehicle and ride, the 2017 Armada is a handler with its powerful V8 engine and 390 horsepower packing plenty of acceleration and steadiness on the road. Essentially the Infiniti QX80 in the more affordable Nissan marker, this monster SUV offers an enjoyable, quiet ride. We note that the handling is vague and lacks acute responsiveness. | Though this is a very heavy vehicle, with its 5.6 liter V-8 engine with 390 horsepower and 394 lb.-ft of torque, backed by a seven speed transmission, the Armada drives quite briskly under most circumstances. It certainly keeps up with the competition and even exceeds them in some ways. It felt completely stable and manageable on the road, with some body lean--but not much. Its quiet ride and responsive steering add to the pleasure of driving the Armada. But parking--that's another matter altogether. Bring patience, parallel park in a spot that's about half again the size of it, and look for a spot a good distance away on crowded parking lots, and you will be just fine. |
| Fuel Economy | |
| 13 city miles, 18 highway miles and 15 overall miles. | You probably are not buying an Armada for the fuel economy, and that's as it should be. It's 15 mpg overall, 13 city, 18 highway. In other words, awful. You will spend a whopping $5,250 more in fuel costs over five years compared to the average new car. it takes 6.7 gallons per 100 miles when you drive the Armada. |
| The Vehicle | |
| This large offers much sizzle and power. Aesthetics and room. Nissan has done an extraordinary job of offering value for this 8-seater. Is it enough is the question as there is plenty of competition reigning in the large SUV category. The front seats fit the women at our company who tested it, but overall we hear industry wide they feel smaller. Also, the 3rd row seats seem smaller. I had difficultly in reaching for dials and for items across the console. When compared against the Chevrolet Tahoe, the Tahoe got a much higher ranking due to its interior features, upscale materials, and smart overall design. |
The first thing that needs to be said is that this is a classy replacement for the previous generation that had its issues when it comes to refinement, comfort and drivability. The new model is quiet, comfortable as all-get out--it is a spot-on perfect ride if you plan long trips--and of course, it is plenty luxurious inside. It is also a dead ringer for the ultra luxurious Infiniti QX80, which is more expensive by at least $25,000 or so... good for you! They look so much alike nobody will know the difference and you will have saved a bundle! |
| Safety | |
| Jammed packed with the safety features in this updated 2017 Armada. Driver Air Bag, Passenger Air Bag, Rear Air Bag, Side and Rear Head Air Bag. 4 wheel ABS, Traction Control, Disc Brakes, Brake Assist, ESC, Blind Spot Monitor, Lane Departure Warning, Emergency Trunk Release, Rollover Protection System, Child Safety Locks. |
Vehicle dynamic control, traction control, anti-theft system, distronic control assist, forward emergency braking with predictive forward collision warning system, lane departure warning system and lane departure prevention, blind spot intervention and blind sport warning, backup collision intervention; electronic brake fore distribution, and heaven only knows what else. Quite a bit more--see your dealer! |
| Technology | |
| Push button Start, Personalized Climate Control, Bluetooth Phone Connectivity, Rearview Camera, 13 Speaker Bose Audio System, Satellite Radio, 8" Touch Screen and Navigation, USB Port and Voice Recognition - one of our favorite. Also, Rear Seat Entertainment System, Front and Rear Parking Sensors, Surround-view Camera System. | Standard features include leather seats, independent double wishbone suspension, a 4wd selector switch, hill start assist, 20" premium machine finished alloy wheels, all season tires, full size spare; heated second row outboard seats, heated and cooled front seats, power folding 60/40 third row seat, intelligent key with memory, 13 speaker Bose Audio system with all the goodies, Bluetooth, family entertainment system including two seven inch color displays; power sliding moo roof with a front tilt and rear slide, front and rear sonar, Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection; rain sensing wipers and quite a bit ore. Oh yes - don't forget the standard puddle lamps and front fog lights. |
| Aesthetics & Styling | |
| Very attractive is the spacious 2017 Armada carried by 20" wheels. Styled directly from the QX80, the Armada is a force to be reckoned with inside and out. Lovely leather interior and plush seats. Full moon roof. Here is a #shoutout for not wasting money on the frivolous paddle shifters. And, good use of seating configurations. The third row power fold and unfold; easy to maneuver depending upon how many children are travelling and where you are off to. It was a long reach for some of the knobs and dials. | It isn't the prettiest large luxury SUV I've seen--that would be either Cadillac's Escalade. But it's pretty enough, and the styling is quite distinctive from anything else on the road--except for the Infiniti QX80. Interior is lovely too, and plenty sumptuous. Plenty of room all around--except for the back third row seat. Room is quite limited there--and surprisingly so given the size of the Armada. |
| Warranty | |
| Three year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000 powertrain warranty. | 3 years, 36,000 miles |
