2016 NISSAN Armada 5.6L V8 7AT RWD (390 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The second generation of the Nissan Armada was unveiled at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show. It was based on the global platform used for the Nissan Navara/Frontier.

The 2016 Armada was based on one of the most known Nissan’s model, the Patrol. While it wasn’t sold in the U.S., the Patrol was known in Europe, Australia, Russia, and Asian countries. With the second generation, the Armada was kept as a full-size family SUV, but with the rugged backbone offered by the Patrol Y62 model and shares the same chassis with the Infiniti QX80.

It is almost impossible to hide the Patrol Y62 roots on the Armada. The big grille, the headlights, and pretty much the entire vehicle was the same. The vents on the front fenders looked more appropriate for a sports car than on a rugged SUV, but it worked.

Inside, the Armada was available with standard eight seats, or seven with captain’s chairs for the middle row. The interior featured an 8” touch-screen infotainment unit and a 13 Bose speaker audio system. Other standard amenities were the keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, and USB ports. The higher trim levels were equipped with front heated and ventilated seats, and heated second row.

For the drivetrain, the Armada was available with only one option: a 5.6-liter V8 unit mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. It was taken from the Mercedes-Benz due to an engineering agreement and it was also used on the Nissan Navara/Frontier. Worth mentioning that the Navara had the Y61 rear axle system, with coil-springs. And that was used on the Armada, as well.