Nissan is finally giving the Nissan Armada the attention that it rightfully deserves with the 2025 Armada. The 2025 model gives the SUV a proper makeover with the SUV getting a revamped exterior, interior, and even an updated powertrain to try and make it fit in with many of its updated rivals.
With the dust settling on its debut, are all of these changes enough to finally help the SUV shed its reputation of being a dated entry in a broader segment that’s seeing strong growth and demand? We wanted to find out.
Armada’s exterior styling expected to draw plenty of stares
A big change for the Armada is its revamped exterior styling. For international market buyers, many of these changes will also extend to the Patrol (the Armada’s global sibling) but regardless of where you buy the SUV, the revised front end will be the first thing to get your attention with the fascia getting a bigger front grille and reworked LED headlights. The side profile is still carried over but new taillights now get a lightbar that unifies them on Platinum Reserve models and a more aggressive design that trickles down across the entire lineup.
Meanwhile, the PRO-4X model gets more rugged accents with the front fascia getting a treatment that’s similar to what we have seen on Rock Creek Editions of the Pathfinder and the recently announced Rogue Rock Creek models with the faux triple air vent arrangement also being applied to the Armada. This is also the first time the Armada will get a PRO-4X model with the model being a big test for the SUV to see if the off-road focused trim level will help lure more buyers to the Armada. The new Platinum Reserve model is for those who prefer to stay on the street with these models getting 22-inch wheels and other luxury touches to make the Armada a more polished ride at high-brow events.
The exterior updates as a whole are a welcome addition to the Armada and finally allow Nissan an opportunity to course-correct the SUV’s dated design which has gradually emerged as a key complaint of the outgoing model which still had some of the core fundamentals it had since the mid-2000s. Change is good, and we suspect the new suit of clothes will help it make a better first impression with buyers.
Platinum Reserve’s interior blurs the line between Nissan and Infiniti
Slip inside the 2025 Nissan Armada and you would be forgiven if you thought you made a wrong turn and ended up in an Infiniti model. The SUV’s revamped interior gets higher quality materials and the range-topping Platinum Reserve model gets massaging front seats and two large 12.3-inch screens with one screen serving as the digital instrument cluster while the second one powers the revamped infotainment system with that latter screen getting access to Google’s Play Store as well as the assistant and maps feature. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard too and buyers that move to the Pro-4X, Platinum, and the Platinum Reserve will get larger 14.3-inch displays.
The interior’s emphasis on higher quality materials will please returning buyers and while the technology here on the Armada is capable of blurring the line between itself and the Infiniti QX80, that’s actually a good thing since it shows that Nissan is finally allowing the Armada to spread its wings and reach out to younger buyers that focus on screen size and plenty of technology features when cross-shopping for many SUVs. This focus on technology will help play a large role in clawing background in sales with the Armada long being the one sitting on the sidelines while its rivals got to have the bulk of the sales pie to itself.
V6 power creates new chapter for Armada
Arguably the biggest change that the Armada gets is what lurks under the hood. For the bulk of its history, the Armada was powered by a large but thirsty 5.6-liter V8 that also highlighted how eight-cylinders were once the figurative cool kid on the block when it came to consumer demand. But times have changed and tightening budgets and emissions rules are forcing Nissan to throw in the towel and go for a smaller engine. In this case, the V8 is replaced with a smaller 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 that also sees duty in the Infiniti QX80.
Here in the Armada it makes 425 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. While the 25 extra horsepower buyers get will only be noticed by those who are obsessed with the finer details, look for the most noticeable difference to make itself known right away, fuel economy. Nissan hasn’t released that particular figure yet, but a new nine-speed automatic promises to help the Armada get a few extra MPGs on long road trips with the SUV also benefitting from improvements in torsional rigidity and lateral stiffness that promise to get some of the wallowing body roll out of its system. The PRO-4X gets gear that helps improve its trail capability with the Armada getting the international model’s electronically operated limited slip differential for the first time ever.
While it remains to be seen how all of these changes will help the model improve its sales fortunes, it does allow the Armada to have a capable blueprint to work with, with Nissan arguably leaving no stone unturned in its attempt to make the Armada a more competitive entry in the full-size SUV market.
A key test for the company will be how quickly it reacts to updates that the SUV will need as the model moves along its production cycle. Nissan has always been somewhat sluggish when it came to providing some of its models with mid-cycle enhancements and even revamps but company reps we have spoken with in the past said that the company is finally getting out of this habit and models like the 2025 Armada will be a glimpse into seeing how serious Nissan is about living up to that promise.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.