2020 Nissan Armada

The Armada has a starting MSRP of $47,100 for the SV. The SL trim starts at $51,900, while the Platinum costs $60,530. The top Platinum Reserve Model costs $65,480. Each base price excludes a destination charge of $1,395 and you can add four-wheel-drive to any model at the cost of $3,000. Fully loaded, the most expensive Armada will cost you around $73,000. The Nissan Armada's price is relatively affordable in comparison to most rivals.

If you know your history, you'll know that the Spanish Armada was a formidable fleet of warships that famously encountered adverse weather conditions on its way to attempt conquering the world. While this SUV is neither menacing nor so unprepared for conditions that it fails at its main job of getting people from point A to point B, it does exhibit boat-like handling. The steering is vague and imprecise, not to mention devoid of feel. In addition, it can feel floaty over bumps, leading to the automotive equivalent of seasickness if too many large bumps are crested at speed. On the plus side, it is at least exceptionally comfortable, and that's what a people-carrier ought to be, particularly on long voyages. The braking is as effective as an anchor too and is dependable time after time with a minimal amount of pedal travel and good feel that makes judging how much pressure to apply for a smooth stop an easy task. With the available four-wheel-drive system and its dual-range transfer case, the greatest test of its drive is in progress over unflattened terrain and slippery surfaces is equally impressive. Yes, its long wheelbase hinders its ability to tackle the biggest obstacles in the way a Jeep Wrangler can, but the high ground clearance and torquey engine don't make trailblazing impossible either. Not all-conquering, but not even close to being dead in the water either.

The newest Nissan Armada is not the most advanced SUV in the USA, and lacks some of the modern amenities that have come to be expected - namely Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also don't get a huge deal more for the top trim. In addition, the handling is sleepy and the fuel economy is horrendous. Nevertheless, the base model is well-equipped and each trim level with the exception of the highest, adds various meaningful features. Each model is also exceptionally comfortable and capable off-road, and the level of interior space is worthy of praise. If you can look past the dated interior design and care little for handling ability, the Armada is certainly worth considering for its comfort, features, and capability on treacherous terrain. That said, rivals like the Ford Explorer offer more, and opting for one of the Armada's competitors will likely fulfill more of your needs, even if you have to spend a little extra to get everything you want.

Our pick out of all the Nissan Armada models is the all-but-fully-loaded Platinum trim. This model gets a sunroof, leather upholstery, adaptive cruise control, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated outboard rear seats. You also get a rear-seat entertainment system, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keep assist. Thus, you have all available safety features and conveniences. We would, however, spend the extra 450 bucks on the second-row captain's chairs, thus making access to the third row easier and comfort in the second row better - all for less than $68,000 before delivery charges.

Infiniti is Nissan's luxury brand, just as Lexus is to Toyota. Despite being the more premium of the two, the resemblances are not just beneath the surface and you can see a certain amount of similarity in their designs. There are upgrades on the Infiniti, however, which benefits from a slightly more powerful output of 400 horses. It also gets improved cabin materials to justify its lofty starting price of over $65,000. Nevertheless, the QX80 also fails to offer smartphone integration from Apple or Android and is just as thirsty and unwieldy as the Nissan. The Infiniti also demands premium fuel to achieve its higher horsepower rating, making it more expensive to run too. Dimensions and abilities are largely identical, so unless you're a brand snob, the Nissan is certainly a better buy.

Toyota's 8-seater competitor is very similar to the Nissan in many respects. It too uses a V8, albeit with 5.7-liters of displacement. The Sequoia produces a little less power at 381 horses but generates more torque with 401 lb-ft. Even so, it can only tow 7,400 lbs compared to the Nissan's 8,500. On the plus side, it has a much better-looking interior, but it's not as well-executed as that of the Armada and offers less legroom than the Nissan, despite a total of 121 cubic feet of cargo space being available. The Armada has it beat in terms of price too, starting over $2,000 cheaper. Some features are better for the Toyota, like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa, but navigation costs extra. It also gets more safety features and two extra airbags and offers excellent off-roading ability in TRD Pro guise. Overall, choosing between these two will come down to the features you value. The Toyota is more expensive but offers more features while the Nissan is more luxurious and can tow more weight.