NEW FOR 2015:
– Restyled interior door panels
– New 20-inch wheel design
For 2015, Nissan’s Armada carries over effectively unchanged, other than a new multi-spoke wheel design, and new interior door trims that mimic the look of the 2016 Titan XD truck. Speaking of the Titan XD, there’s a fairly good chance that Nissan will pause production of the Armada after this model year in advance of an all-new model for 2017.
One of the oldest vehicles presently on sale, the Armada continues to offer up buyers old-school virtues: plenty of interior space, a powerful V8 engine, class-leading towing abilities, and a proper low-range transfer case. Despite being over a decade old, the Armada isn’t as bulky or wayward to drive as you’d imagine and its Endurance 5.6-litre V8 moves its 2.5 ton curb weight and up to 9,000 lbs of trailer with authority. You can thank 385 lb-ft of torque, of which 90% is available at 2,500 rpm for that. Fuel economy is not a strong suit – the new 5-Cycle rating clocks in at 19.2 L/100 km in the city. Part of the blame can rest on the five-speed automatic, which was a class-first back when it was launched.
Offered exclusively in luxe Platinum trim, the Armada comes chock full of toys and goodies including a standard rear-seat entertainment system with dual headrest displays, navigation, power pedals, power folding third-row, proximity key with push-button start, but the dash design and tech interfaces feel old. You also won’t find Nissan’s Around View parking camera, nor any of the latest active safety features here.
Standard features include 20-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, fog lights, skid plates, splash guards, front and rear parking sensors, front tow hooks, tow-hitch with seven-pin wiring harness, trailer brake pre-wiring, chrome grille, dual power folding heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals, auto-dimming driver’s side mirror, chrome roof rack, running boards, power moonroof, front solar glass and rear privacy glass, power tailgate, flip-up tailgate window, 7.0-inch navigation system with hard-drive based navigation system, reverse camera, power adjustable pedals, Bluetooth, garage door opener, proximity key with push-button start, dual-zone climate control with cabin filter, power door locks, power windows with front one-touch auto up/down, power rear quarter windows, cruise control, intermittent rear wiper, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, map lights, four 12-volt power outlets, ancillary instruments (transmission temperature), illuminated vanity mirrors, under-floor cargo bay storage, overhead console with vents and map lights, eight-way power driver’s seat, four-way power front passenger’s seat, driver memory for seats, mirrors, and pedals, 40/20/40 split folding second row, power folding 60/40 third row, heated front and second-row seats, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-wrapped shift knob, wood-effect trim, rear-seat entertainment system with dual 7.0-inch monitors and wireless headphones, 12-speaker Bose AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo system with satellite radio, aux-input jack, USB input, and Bluetooth.
The Captain’s Chairs Package adds second-row flat-fold captains chairs with padded armrests, and a padded removable centre console.
The Platinum Reserve Package adds dark chrome-clad wheels, dark chrome grille, dark chrome mirrors, body-colour door handles, painted roof rack with crossbars, two-tone leather upholstery with contrast stitching, dark chrome interior trim, second-row captain’s chairs, chocolate-colour dashboard and steering wheel, Light Anigre wood trim, and cupholder lid for centre console.
