2023 Nissan Armada Review

The Nissan Armada is one of the few remaining truck-based large SUVs, a distinction it shares with the Ford Expedition, Jeep Wagoneer, Toyota Sequoia and the Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon twins. Its solid backbone and powerful V8 engine mean it's more capable than the smaller Nissan Pathfinder crossover — the Armada is rated to tow up to 8,500 pounds, while the Pathfinder maxes out at 6,000 pounds — but you have to compromise quite a bit for the higher towing capacity.

In contrast to the Pathfinder, the Armada is thirstier, less comfortable and feels quite a bit older. (The Pathfinder was new for last year, and though the Armada was redesigned for 2017, its bones date back to 2010.) The Armada's also not that great compared to the rest of the body-on-frame SUVs on sale. Its V8 is less fuel-efficient than the Expedition's turbocharged V6, the Wagoneer was new to the market last year, and the Tahoe and Yukon were both recently redesigned and have graceful, modern interiors. The Armada sees renewed competition from the Toyota Sequoia too since that big SUV receives a complete overhaul for 2023. Unless you can get a screaming deal on an Armada, these rivals are all worth checking out first.

The 2023 Nissan Armada is decent enough, but renewed competition from its competitive set — in addition to a well-regarded alternative from Nissan itself — puts it at a disadvantage.