Text by Tom Appel
2025 Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve 4WD
Specs
Class: Large SUV
Country of Manufacture: Japan
Color: Coulis Red
Seating Capacity: 7
Miles driven: 110
Real-world fuel economy: 17.1 mpg
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | A |
| Power and Performance | B |
| Fit and Finish | A |
| Fuel Economy | B |
| Value | B |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | A |
| Tall Guy | A |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 425 horsepower 3.5-liter |
| Engine Type | Turbocharged V6 |
| Transmission | 9-speed automatic |
| Drive Wheels | 4WD |
Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway
EPA-estimated fuel economy: 16/19/17 (city, highway, combined)
Fuel type: Premium gas
Base price: $79,990 (not including $2010 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Special paint ($990) ProPILOT Assist 2.1 Package ($2900), splash guards ($400), mats ($550)
Price as tested: $86,840
Pros and Cons
The great: Roomy and comfortable, plenty of power
The good: Quiet and luxurious cabin
The not so good: Some jitteriness over rough roadways
Review
As the cost of federal import tariffs begin to trickle down to the window stickers of new cars and trucks, we enter a new era budget-conscious behavior on the part of carmakers. Several companies have suggested that vehicles redesigns will be pushed back, this to better amortize the cost of designs already on the road. What this means for consumers is a coming period of limited innovation and slowed economic advancement.
Crude Predecessor
Consumers are fortunate then that Nissan got its full-size Armada out the door prior to being impacted by import taxes, as the big SUV has gotten a thorough makeover, and it is all for the better.
Last updated for the 2017 model year, the Armada shared its basic architecture and design with the premium Infiniti QX80. Based on Nissan’s global “Y62” chassis, the Armada and QX80 were rugged and capable off-road, but lacked the refinement and cabin space of the other vehicles in the large-SUV category, and sales suffered accordingly.
Improved in Every Way
All that has changed for 2025. While the Armada and QX80 remain closely related to each other, they are vastly improved relative to previous incarnations. In fact, we’d be hard pressed to name a model more impressively improved in recent history. For ’25 the Armada is:
- Roomier
- Quieter
- Better riding
- More powerful
- Far more fuel efficient
- Arguably better looking
Dimensions
And while the new Armada isn’t ALL new—it rides on the same 121-inch wheelbase as last year’s truck—it is about an inch longer, and fully 3 inches wider.
Engines
Under the hood, Nissan replaces the Armada’s dated 5.6-liter V8 with a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. The new engine delivers 425 horsepower (25 more than the V8) and considerably more torque. A 9-speed automatic replaces the old Amada’s 7-speed unit.
Prices and Trim Levels
The new Armada lineup includes five trim levels. First up in the entry-level SV ($59,530), followed by the midlevel SL ($64,940), premium Platinum ($71,940), off-road oriented PRO-4X ($75,750), and the top-end, over-the-top luxuriously appointed, Platinum Reserve ($79,000). Add $3000 to any trim level for 4WD, save for the PRO-4X, on which it is standard.
Klipsch Audio
The celebrated Klipsch-brand audio system, now offered on the Armada, comes as standard equipment on all but the base SV trim level, on which it is not offered.
Test Vehicle
Consumer Guide recently spent a week behind the wheel of a 2025 Armanda in Coulis Red and equipped with Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist 2.1 Package. Including destination charge, our test vehicle came to $86,840. For readers shocked by the price of our test vehicle, be aware of two things: First, this is what topline large SUVs cost, and secondly, a well-equipped Armada is now a convincingly premium truck.
Cabin Appointments
The cabin of our test Armada features a two-tone tan and caramel interior with tufted seat centers and a lavish amount of extra-cushy soft-touch surfaces. The Platinum Reserve interior detailing rivals that of premium competition including the GMC Yukon Denali, Lincoln Navigator, not to mention the maker’s own Infiniti QX80.
Room and Comfort
Room and comfort are vastly improved for 2025, especially for big editors such as this scribe. While I felt crammed behind the wheel of the previous-gen Armada, the newest version is about as roomy as the competition, which is to say very roomy. Big door openings provide easy access to the front and 2nd-row seats, and the path to the 3rd row is now larger. And speaking of the 3rd, adults will now find plenty of space back in the way back.
Connectivity
We found the control layout modern and friendly enough, and will seem familiar to those who spend time in Nissan products. Like so many recently updated vehicles, the Armada now employs a single panel screen which serves as both the driver instrument panel and center console screen. We found the screen easy enough to operate, and icons easy to identify at a glance. And, as a bonus perhaps, climate control functions are still handled with real switches and knows, and have not been incorporated into the infotainment system.
Power and Performance
Underway the Armada moves out smartly, with little to no delay in throttle response. And while the new turbocharged V6 may not sound quite as sporty as the old V8, it feels considerably stronger, and is, by our testing, significantly easier on the gas. The last Armada we tested returned just 12.4 mpg in mostly routine driving. Our 2025 Armada stretched a gallon of gas for 17.1 mpg, a massive 38 percent improvement. Nissan does recommend the use of pricey premium-grade gasoline, however.
Ride and Handling
The new Armada rides and handles well, though ride quality does trail the pack somewhat. Not that there’s anything wrong with how the Armada gets down the road, but we find the road isolation in the Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Expedition, and Jeep Wagoneer to be better. We took note of some jitteriness on rough surfaces that compromised somewhat the overall Armada luxury experience. The cabin is very quiet, however, making the big Nissan an ideal family/long-haul adventure vehicle.
ProPilot
We did not have the opportunity to fully evaluate the ProPILOT semi-autonomous driver-assistance system, but have found the system generally satisfactory in other Nissan products. ProPILOT shines primarily in slow and stop-and-go traffic, which we find of great value. Be sure to request a thorough demonstration of the system before committing almost $3000 for the feature.
Value
Frankly, we had written off the old Armada as too cramped, crude, and costly to be seriously cross shopped against the other vehicles in this segment. And while the new Armada does not outright excel in any one category, it does do almost everything a family might need or want very well—and the interior of the Platinum Reserve is absolutely top notch.
As we noted earlier, at close to $90,000 our test vehicle is expensive, but, unfortunately, this is what vehicles in this class cost. We strongly recommend that you test drive all the trucks in this class, and we happily recommend, for the first time ever, you add the Armada to the group.
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2025 Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve Pictures
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