Hefty Armada targets U.S. market
When in America, do as the Americans do.
That theme seems burned into the DNA of Nissan’s all-new Pathfinder Armada, a full-size SUV based on the company’s Titan pickup.
From the big, bold and beefy exterior design to the steelworker heft of the door handles and switchgear, it’s clear this rig was built with the U.S. in mind. In fact, it’s built in Canton, Miss., right alongside its brother, the Titan, and cousin, the Infiniti QX56.
The Armada is a true, body-on-frame sport utility vehicle, which, when equipped with four-wheel-drive, is a capable off-roader. Properly equipped, it will tow 9,100 pounds.
See what I mean? It’s an all-American.
Like Toyota before it, Nissan woke up one day and took stock of the hundreds of thousands of dollars it was leaving on the table by not offering a line of full-size trucks. The domestics make the lion’s share of their profits in the truck market — why not the Japanese?
You don’t have to sell a bundle of these big rigs to make a bunch of loot. Pound for pound, they’re the most profitable vehicles built. Nissan would like to sell 40,000 a year, which seems reasonable, assuming the segment can maintain its strength amid uncertain oil prices. Its curb weight of 5,300 pounds is a genuine all-American sort of number, as are its fuel-economy ratings of 13 city/17-19 highway.
Comparable in size to Ford’s Expedition, the Armada is a seven- or eight-passenger vehicle powered by a 305-horsepower, 5.6-liter V-8 that cranks out 385 pound-feet of torque (forget about pony-power; torque is where it’s at when it’s time to hook up the horse trailer).
From way up high in the driver’s seat, the Armada feels every bit of its size, although it is surprisingly nimble when it counts. I was surprised to find that I could slip into a standard-issue grocery-store parking space, without the back-and-forth docking effort some competitors require.
In those same, tight quarters, I was pleased to have rear-parking sensors warn me when I inched too close to a nearby vehicle. Unless you drive one of these big guys every day, it’s hard to know where the corners are located.
Of course, sales of virtually every vehicle built depend largely on looks, and where you stand on the Armada is a matter of personal taste. Clearly, Nissan took a good look at Cadillac’s success with its chunky, sharp-edged design motif and followed suit. Hard-edged creases demark the bulging wheel wells and give the fenders a broad-shouldered look.
The Titan’s massive front-fascia is here, too, echoing the bigger-than-big statements asserted by the snouts of Cadillac’s Escalade and Lincoln’s Navigator.
What is uniquely Nissan is an arc in the roofline that terminates at the rear-slanting C-pillar at the trailing edge of the rear door. It’s meant to minimize the boxy look that plagues most big SUVs, but in fact breaks the rearward flow of the body.
As always, when it comes to design your mileage may vary.
Interior design is less provocative. A large, gray instrument panel dominates and big, deep bins, both covered and open, will contain an endless assortment of odds and ends. When the DVD entertainment system is ordered, though, its player claims most of the room in the largest, lockable cubby.
The seats are big and comfortable, although I would like to see Nissan add adjustable lumbar support.
Second-row seating can be ordered as a three-part bench or twin captain’s chairs. Either way, Nissan has made it easy to clamber all the way back into the third row, although as always that space is best left to children.
All the rear seats fold flat to produce a capacious cargo area.
Interior details include six reading lights, up to 14 cupholders and four 12-volt power outlets.
Oddly, despite all its utility, Nissan opted to use the Pathfinder’s exterior door handle configuration. The vertically oriented, flush-mounted handle is located high in the doorframe to produce a clean, uncluttered look. However, it’s bound to become a family rite of passage as the youngsters yearn to grow tall enough to open the door themselves, doggone it.
The Armada is available in just two trim levels, both of which can be had with rear- or four-wheel-drive, with prices beginning at $33,950, including destination.
Standard gear on the base SE trim includes AM/FM/6-CD audio; power driver’s seat, windows, mirrors and door locks; remote keyless entry; power-adjustable pedals; auto-dimming mirrors, rear parking sensors and Homelink universal transmitter.
Anti-lock brakes are standard, as are front and side-curtain airbags, a dynamic stability control system and tire-pressure monitoring system. Side-impact airbags are optional.
In 4x4 trim, the Armada comes equipped with a two-speed transfer case and ground clearance sufficient for true off-roading.
For its size, the Armada performs admirably in traffic, with excellent pick-up when needed and generally good sight lines.
The suspension system is independent at all four corners and utilizes a sophisticated double-wishbone setup, with front and rear stabilizer bars. The result is a solid, sturdy ride with only moderate body roll in the corners. Built on a truck chassis, the Armada won’t muffle every pothole or freeway expansion joint but the payback is a responsive, communicative ride.
With winter approaching, families are likely to be reassessing their 4x4 offerings. Those in need of room for lots of folks and their gear will do well to add the Armada to their shopping list. The Americans may have invented this market, but the Asians aim to prove they don’t own it.