2020 Nissan Armada

When it comes to a commanding road presence, immense space inside, and a great set of features, the Nissan Armada has been one of the most recognized names in the industry. The 2020 iteration of the same remains mostly unchanged from the 2018 variant other than the addition of Forward Collision Mitigation and Auto Emergency Braking as standard safety features. The powertrain front is looked after by a potent 5.6L naturally aspirated V8 that pushes out a maximum of 390 hp. With the prices starting at an MSRP of $47,100 for the base FWD variant, the Armada poses a threat to the territories of some well-established rivals such as Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon. Let's move ahead and find out if the 2020 Nissan Armada can make a name for itself in this rather crowded segment.

The 2020 Nissan Armada comes in a total of 4 trims, namely SV, SL, Platinum, and Platinum Reserve, and it can be bought in both 2WD and 4WD avatars. A 5.6L V8 does duty on all the trims and generates the same 390 hp and 394 lb-ft of Torque, all throughout the range. Prices start from $47,100 for the base SV trim with 2WD while the top-of-the-line 4WD Platinum Reserve Trim tops off at $68,480. On the feature front too, the premium factor of the features also keeps on increasing as you move across the trim table.

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The "SL" trim strikes the perfect note with its price for what it offers. You get a plethora of segment-leading features such as 20-inch Alloy wheels, powered liftgate, dual-zone automatic climate control,  leather-wrapped seats, and a lot more. Retailing at $54,900 for the AWD variant, it is the best bang for the buck out of the given options.

The big 5.6-liter V-8 is strong, and its double-wishbone front and rear suspension is smooth and compliant - TheCarConnection.com

The 2020 Nissan Armada comes powered by a 5.6L V8 Motor that shells out 390 hp and 394 lb-ft of torque. Talking about the numbers, these figures are amongst the highest in the segment and the nearest competitor in terms of the power exceeds the price of the Armada by nearly $5,000. This immense power makes the Armada a very capable and potent soft-roader and off-roader that can easily muscle its way through other vehicles while overtaking and while tackling tough terrains. In terms of performance on the Interstates or Freeways, the engine never feels like it isn't eager to overtake or requires more power.

The powerful motor has been mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission, built specifically to handle such an amount of power. The transmission is slick to shift gears and does realize quickly when to shift and when not to. Power is channeled pretty linearly as compared to the rivals. The 2020 Armada can sprint from 0-60 MPH in just 6.4 seconds. Despite its heavyweight, the Nissan Armada, with its powerful V8 motor manages to beat the competition with ease. The same can be said for the quarter-mile timings as well. as the 390 hp motor does provide good power throughout the rev range, resulting in under 15 seconds timings for the quarter mile mark.

The 2020 Armada is a big SUV from all proportions but it doesn't drive like one. Its powerful engine propels it to high speeds in no time while producing a superb tone from the exhaust. The chassis feels compliant and performs well while tackling mountain roads or twisties. We do however feel that the steering lacks feel and is a little waywardly on highways. Cornering in the 2020 Armada is composed. A good amount of grip is offered at all times while the body roll is not pronounced, unlike its rivals.

In terms of the braking performance of the 2020 Armada, not many people including us will find faults or problems with the same. The pedals feel good to operate and provide immense assurance during application. The 115 ft stopping distance is one of the segment-leading figures for braking and a good benchmark for others to follow. The 2020 Nissan Armada doesn't make any significant breakthroughs in terms of the Towing Capacity it offers. The 8500 lbs of towing capacity is a segment standard and is common to all SUVs other than the Ford Expedition.

The 2020 Nissan Armada, with its 5.6L V8 engine at the helm and the RWD setup, is able to deliver 14 MPG in the city and 19 miles to the gallon out on the highway. Opt for the AWD setup, and these figures drop down to 13 and 18 miles to the gallon out on the city and highway respectively. Back that with a segment-best 16-gallon fuel tank, and the Armada can stretch out to 494 miles on the go, between fuel stops.

This is one section, which Armada "Fan Boys" should skip reading immediately. Call it the Achilles Heel of the Armada but the MPG figures of the 2020 Nissan Armada are nothing to gloat about. However, we shouldn't be too critical about the Nissan SUV, considering the massive weight of the same and the immense performance on offer, as the Armada is the most powerful of the lot.

The Armada uses a dizzying number of buttons and controls, but they're all easily mapped and handy after just a few hours - TheCarConnection.com

In terms of the seating, Nissan claims that the 2020 Armada, currently on sale in the US can easily fit in 8 passengers. These passengers, however, won't complain while sitting inside the Armada for long durations because of the supreme levels of comfort on offer. The cabin offers plenty of room and the interior fit and finishes feel a notch higher than the competition. The variety of adjustments on offer for seats make for a commanding driving position for the driver while the big doors allow for easier Ingress/Egress from the cabin.

Passengers won't complain about the comfort offered from both the seats and the ride in general offered by the Armada. The seats have been beautifully and thoughtfully designed while the heating and ventilation function on them, make for a comfortable ride for when it's hot or cold on the outside. As is the trend today, manufacturers are not shying away from loading their vehicles with the best in terms of technology. The 2020 Nissan Armada is no different and Nissan has ensured that its big SUV gets all the tech-savvy features. This is excluding the functions of both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which is still not offered with the 2020 Armada.

These are the infotainment features, you will come across in the 2020 Armada-

• 8" Touch Screen Infotainment System
• 2 Wireless Headphones and HDMI Input
• Home link Universal Transceiver
• Bluetooth and Nissan Connect
• DVD Player with Remote Control
• Bose Audio with 13 Speakers and a subwoofer
• 5 USB port and AUX Input
• Radio Data System
• Nissan Navigation system
• SiriusXM radio

In terms of the Cargo Capacity on offer, the 2020 Armada has its head held high over most of its rivals in the market. The Nissan offers a massive 16.5 cu. ft. of cargo space behind its 3rd Row and an Amazing 95.4 cu. ft, when both the 2nd and 3rd rows have been folded down. What accentuates the usability of the cargo space is the Easy 3rd Row seat folding mechanism that allows for easy access into the cargo area and the flat load floor.

Some of the cool interior features inside the 2020 Armada include-

• Heated Leather Wrapped Steering wheel
• Wood Tone Trim
• Heated outboard second-row seats
• Climate controlled front seats
• The second-row fold-down captain's seat
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Dual Zone Auto Climate control
• Remote Engine Start Stop
• Power Sliding Moon roof with tilt feature
• Height Adjustable driver seat with memory settings

In many ways, the Armada looks like a casually dressed Infiniti QX80 -TheCarconnection.com

In terms of the exterior design, not much has been changed in the 2020 Nissan Armada, when compared to the 2018 variant. The SUV looks big from all angles and you can't escape the generous amount of sheet metal, used in the SUV. The design of the 2020 Armada, may remind many people of the Infiniti QX80 as both have similar proportions. The Armada however has a pronounced and bold front grille with the signature "V" Nissan layout and also generous use of chrome. The sides resemble the QX80 heavily while the rear end looks a little bland as compared to the other parts of the SUV. A big cladding below the rear bumper adds to the sporty appeal of the SUV.

In terms of the dimensions alone, the Nissan Armada ranks amongst the Biggest SUVs in its class. The 2020 Armada is one of the longest in its class, occupying a massive 208.9 inches and tall as well, at 75.8 inches. These dimensions come at a cost as the big proportions, add to the weight of the Nissan and make it, one of the heaviest vehicles in its category. One of the highlights of the Armada comes in the form of its 9.1 inches of ground clearance, which makes it one of the easiest cars to do water wading in and going off-road, without worrying about the underbelly getting damaged or scraped.

Some of the most striking exterior features of the 2020 Armada include-

• 20" Dark Chrome Clad alloy wheels
• LED Auto On/Off Low Beam Headlights with LED DRL's
• Fog Lights
• Power Folding and Heated ORVM with Memory Function
• Front and Rear Sonar System
• Powered Lift Gate
• Intelligent Around View Monitor
• Dark Painted Roof Rails
• Tow Hitch Receiver

The Nissan Armada, was not particularly famous for its safety quotient but with the 2020 Iteration, Nissan wants to change things. Nissan is offering a lot of advanced safety equipment as standard on the 2020 Armada and has standardized features like Forward Collision Mitigation and Adaptive Cruise Control which was offered as optional equipment last year. Coming onto the crash tests, the NHTSA has given a 4 Star overall rating to the 2020 Nissan Armada in the tests conducted by it. While this may not be the best in class, it's certainly respectable. 

Other Safety features included in the 2020 Nissan Armada

• Automatic Emergency Braking
• Lane Keep Assist
• 360 Degree View Camera
• Blind Spot Monitoring System
• Front and Rear Parking Sensors
• Active Lane Control
• Rear Cross-Traffic alert
• Traction Control with ABS and EBD
• Rearview Camera

2020 Nissan Armada vs 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe

The Chevrolet Tahoe is one of the most popular SUVs in the segment. The Tahoe offers a lot of equipment on the Technology front yet fails to offer the kind of interior space that the Nissan offers. It likewise contains a lesser amount of Cargo space than the Armada as well. The Armada, then again, has a higher towing limit and delivers superb performance with its big engine. Overall, if you are one of those people, who prioritizes performance over anything else, then the Nissan Armada is the one to go for.

2020 Nissan Armada vs 2020 Ford Expedition

The Nissan Armada is the Japanese rendition of what a "Big Full Size SUV" should be against the American-dominated SUVs. The Armada offers a lot of value and practicality in its interiors like the Ford but it also offers a better-built interior. In terms of the engine power as well, the Armada beats the Ford by a good margin. However, the Expedition manages to tow a lot more than the Armada and be much more fuel-efficient than the same, without compromising on the performance.

The 2020 Nissan Armada ticks most of the boxes when it comes to being a proper full-size Luxury SUV that does everything, without loosening your purse strings. The Armada offers superb acceleration, be it on the highway or the city courtesy of a super-powerful V8 motor. In the interiors as well, people will be utterly ecstatic with the high-quality materials used for the cabin. All in all, if a big brawny SUV that does it all is what you are looking for and you are ok with frequent visits to the gas station, the 2020 Armada is the SUV for you to buy.

2020 Nissan Armada FAQs

What is the price of the 2020 Nissan Armada?

The 2020 Nissan Armada starts off at an MSRP of $47,100, for the base SV trim, and it can go all the way up to $68,480 for the topmost Platinum Reserve trim.

Does the Armada get both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay?

No, despite the 2020 Armada being filled up to the brim with the latest technological features, Nissan still does not offer both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard even in the top-most trims.

How much can the 2020 Armada tow?

The 2020 Nissan Armada has a towing capacity of 8500 lbs, which is well within the segment average.