When the 2025 Nissan Armada was unveiled a few months ago, it seemed like a much-needed upgrade, but I had some qualms over who might buy it, considering the stronghold the domestic full-sized SUVs have on buyers. However, despite how launching a new full-sized SUV in a saturated market seems like an act of hubris, Nissan might actually be onto something here, provided you don’t go wild with the options.
In case you weren’t keeping track, Nissan has a new Armada full-sized SUV for 2025 and it looks like a big step up from the old one. Gone is the 5.6-liter naturally aspirated V8, replaced by a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 making 425 horsepower and a whopping 516 lb.-ft. of torque. It also gets a boatload of new available toys including air suspension, massaging front seats, and even a built-in dashcam. For a manufacturer that’s going through a rough patch like Nissan is right now, it seems a little excessive, but based on where pricing starts, it might actually be a smart play.
A base two-wheel-drive Armada SV starts at $58,415 including freight, which actually works out $105 less expensive than the outgoing base model, although all savings come out of the freight charge. Want four-wheel-drive? That’ll cost you an extra $3,000, but it’s optional on most competitors, so that’s fairly apples-to-apples.
Still, here’s a brand new vehicle that’s slightly less costly than the old one, and it comes at a time when almost every competitor is growing more expensive. A base model 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe LS starts at $60,495 including freight, a base model 2025 Ford Expedition Active starts at a whopping $63,695 including freight, and a base model 2025 Toyota Sequoia SR5 kicks things up another notch with a starting price of $64,120 including freight. The base model two-wheel-drive 2025 Jeep Wagoneer is less expensive than the equivalent 2024 model, but it still starts at $61,945 including freight. It almost makes you wonder if you can buy a nicer Armada for what a base any-other-full-size SUV costs.
Well, sort of, but not quite, but it might still be worth it. See, the next Armada trim up from the base SV model, the SL, stickers for $64,865 including freight for the two-wheel-drive model. However, you do get some useful features for that sort of money, including a 360-degree camera system, adjustable lumbar support, heated front seats, a wireless phone charging pad, and a 600-watt Klipsch 12-speaker audio system. That still works out to thousands of dollars cheaper than a comparably equipped competitor, and might be the sweet spot in value.
Alright, what about off-roady trims? You know, ones with knobbly tires, skid plates, and off-road aids aimed at aspiring overlanding families. Well, the Armada Pro-4X with its locking rear differential and air suspension stickers for $75,635 including freight. In the context of a 2025 Ford Expedition Tremor retailing for $83,025, the Armada looks like a good deal, but in the context of the 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 starting at $70,495, you’ll wonder for a second if the Chevrolet’s the one to have for the money. However, if you want air suspension like the Armada Pro-4X has, along with an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, you’ll need to spec the Off Road Capability package on the Tahoe Z71, which comes bundled in with $7,440 in options. At that point, things are close, so it’s really a case of which full-size SUV you like more.
Alright, what if we go all the way up the trim walk? Well, an Armada Platinum Reserve 4×4 stickers for $81,885 including freight, which is definitely less expensive than an $85,650 Ford Expedition King Ranch, or an $83,195 Chevrolet Tahoe High Country 4×4, or an $85,610 Toyota Tundra Capstone. However, once you crest the $80,000 mark, spending is more discretionary, and value is less of a concern.
Alright, so at the top end of the market, the Armada isn’t the same obvious deal as it is in its lower trims. However, lots of people buy lower trims of vehicles, so maybe Nissan did read the room after all with the Armada. Sure, it’s an expensive, high-margin full-size SUV, but by not being as expensive as its competition, it suggests that even some Tahoe and Expedition buyers might be looking for less expensive, more value-focused alternatives.
(Photo credits: Nissan)
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I like it, but It’s GX550 money and I LOVE that. Realistically I’m looking at a used LX570 because they are half the price with low miles. I’d still expect the used LX to be more reliable than this? Either way, Prioritizing towing first and off-roading second they all seem more than fine.
It might be good deal – If it weren’t an Armada.
Great value for money, and better than an Expedition. It also produces more power stock and higher up as well.
In Qatar, the base model has 305 or so hp with the 3.8 V6, not bad when compared to the 270 hp of the 4.0 in the last generation…
The Nissan Armada is a Nissan Patrol Y63. As such it should be compared to the Land Cruiser J300, which it competes with globally. Seeing as only the Land Cruiser J250 Prado is available in the US and it starts at $56,500.. the Armada is a good deal.
I can’t imagine anyone who’s looking at spending 58k on a new Armada would balk at 60k for a Tahoe. When you get 96 month financing, the payment difference is negligible.
The Armada will likely have more incentives, and NMAC tends to go a bit deeper on subprime buyers. This will absolutely be the value play for people who need the size but don’t have the credit or income to buy the Tahoe.
Subprime buyers that spend $60K on their car will always be subprime buyers.
It’ll be the value play for people who need the size and *think* they can’t possibly get a car that’s even a year old, and also don’t have the credit or income for the Tahoe
“However, once you crest the $80,000 mark, spending is more discretionary, and value is less of a concern.”
I am absolutely a cheapskate, so perhaps I’m out of touch, but I feel like the line for discretionary spending on a vehicle should be a lot lower than $80k?!
Depends on the vehicle class. Whatever the class, I think it goes from absurdly cheap to absurdly and unhelpfully lavish. I work with long haul trucks that retail for six figures, and there’s still a specification range from “We hate our drivers” to “I’ll never be able to retire.”
I feel its styling peaked in the pre-facelift last-gen Armada but that’s just my internet opinion. Digging that green though.
Ah yes, the Tall-tima
Ah, not quite! The Altima is mechanically superior in that it has a proper Jatco CVT. Nissan should have taken that and put it in the Armada for efficiency.
I know Jatco has made some big improvements in the quality of their CVT’s over the years, but this is a wild take. And with your username, I’m not convinced you’re joking.
It’s…fine enough I guess? (Considering everything’s a mess)
We need a test drive and some writing about what the interior is like to live with.
Maybe I am missing something, but it appears that the author never actually drove one of these vehicles or the equivalent Infiniti. I’d suggest spending a few hundred miles in one and then revisiting this title.
Have you? I genuinely don’t understand the hate for these, they’re more or less a LHD JDM Patrol so what’s wrong with them?
Yeah. At least the old 5.6L versions in Infiniti version and Nissan version that tend to litter the rental lots, so I’ve driven probably 1,300 miles in them. I also tend to get Suburban/Yukon and Wagoneer rentals. In my experience the Wagoneer has the best road dynamics and the I6 is pretty sweet – fuel economy notwithstanding. The Nissan is the closest to a 1978 Mercury Marquis, and not in a good way. The ride in the Nissan and the Infiniti that I rented was not especially good. To be honest, the only enjoyable thing I remember from these boats was the torque. I cannot comment how the twin-turbo engine changes stuff, but I can’t imagine there is a reason to choose one over an Ecoboost Expedition or a Duramax Suburban.
If I were to spend $60k on car, it’d have to be a hell of a lot better than “not bad”.
Ehh…it’s a Nissan…it’s probably not.
So roughly same prices for a vehicle that will depreciate faster than any of the others? Why is it a good deal?
I couldn’t really find data that said it would depreciate faster than others. From where did you get your source?
from watching used car prices? look on line and you will see. Unlike many/most I like the looks, the Infiniti Beluga whale even more. But most do not. strike one. the build quality is not up to ford or chevy. strike 2. the old V8 got horrendous milage, maybe the new engine will help? so strike 3 maybe. you could also check lease prices, the Nissan should be more due to a lower anticipated residual. this can be affected by $ from the manufacturer, but apples to apples the Nissan has historically had suffered from lower residual value.
Oh, I thought you meant that there was an edmunds report or something that I missed.
On what grounds are you going after the build quality?
EDIT: I went looking.
“A Nissan Armada will depreciate 52% after 5 years and have a 5 year resale value of $32,604.The chart below shows the expected depreciation for the next 10 years. These results are for vehicles in good condition, averaging 12,000 miles per year. It also assumes a selling price of $68,438 when new.”
https://caredge.com/nissan/armada/depreciation
“A Chevrolet Tahoe will depreciate 48% after 5 years and have a 5 year resale value of $39,198.The chart below shows the expected depreciation for the next 10 years. These results are for vehicles in good condition, averaging 12,000 miles per year. It also assumes a selling price of $74,919 when new.”
https://caredge.com/chevrolet/tahoe/depreciation
So, I start with 6,481 more in my pocket to begin. At resale, I get 6,594 less than if I had the Tahoe. Apples to apples, I would like to keep my money now.
I can do more in the class, but it would make for a messy post. I will see if I can knock out a bunch and report back.
I don’t think Nissan of the past is equal to the quality of Ford and Chevy. That could change, but most likely not.
Certainly not equal to the volume of Ford or Chevy, but I would posit that they were on par or better with quality. The F-Alpha platform came out of the bubble era and is really good, if not super-exciting.
Ask me if I would take an ’07 Armada or ’07 Tahoe. One has electrical problems that will never be solved, and the other is just an old SUV with a standard V8.
I can’t believe that a Tahoe LS starts at $60.5k. How in the f do people justify this cost?
Probably by comparing it to the uninspiring stuff that’s out there around the same price.
V8, BOF, real towing and hauling, well made, reliable…..you could do a lot worse.
Unfortunately, the V8 is going away on this one, but I agree on the other points. Nissan does make a mean SUV (4th gen Pathfinder excluded; it was a minivan whose doors just didn’t slide).
To be clear, I was referring to the Tahoe in the original poster’s question.
I wouldn’t call the Armada well-built or reliable either (it may well be, but prove it).
Ah. I missed that first bit. Apologies.
Genuinely not to start a pissing match, I am led to ask why you wouldn’t call it well-built or reliable if it seems like you haven’t driven one and don’t plan to?
I guess I’m not expressing what I mean very well.
I know the Tahoe is well built and reliable, I’ve driven many and know many people who own them. The powertrains have been used in GM trucks and SUVs for a decade now.
The Armada may well turn out be reliable, but I don’t have any experience with it historically and the engine is brand new. That’s why I said “prove it”. I don’t have enough data to call it well built or reliable (or poorly built or unreliable) at this time.
Agreed. The powertrain on the Nissan Y62 Patrol was bulletproof (VK56) to the same level the 5.3 is as well…..
At least Nissan should learn from the debacle Toyota is having with their V6 TT and ONE UP them like they are doing with the Frontier (and with how the Colorado/Canyon trucks are beating the Tacoma on price as well)..
Historically, it is rock solid. The complaints come from squeaks and rattles as it ages, which, I feel confident, is something from which most large BOF SUVs suffer.
I get it on the drivetrain. But, if I had to bet on a manufacturer putting together a strong Turbo 6, Nissan is near or at the top of that list. They have the history and pedigree for it and a tendency to build for torque at square or undersquare.
I think I get it now. You are saying, essentially, why buy an unknown entity when there is reliability elsewhere? Is that fair?
Making a relative comparison rather than an absolute is a pitfall
How so?
You ask “How do people justify this cost?”, and I say “compared to what?”
I can’t believe a McDonalds meal costs $8.99 now, but it’s still probably the most food for your money.
Because I can find a 2018 Tahoe with 70k miles for $22k on Autotrader within 30 seconds of looking. If we want to start comparisons, let’s compare the person’s finances who saved that $38k and invested it over the next 5-10 years, vs the person who couldn’t go with something used because it’s icky. It’s simply not a good use of money. Or hell, the person who took the $38k and bought a Viper, because they realized that’s actually bang for the buck.
And to your McDonald’s point, it’s absolutely not the most food for your money. Making your own darn lunch is. There are smart uses of money and dumb uses of money. Buying a new, base Tahoe for $60k is dumb.
But that’s a relative comparison too!
I mean, I don’t think it’s a question that buying used saves money and I wouldn’t try to argue otherwise. Same with making lunch at home.
Like for like, new vehicle for new vehicle, a Tahoe represents good value to me compared to most other offerings. Likewise McDonalds.
If the Tahoe is the $8.99 McDonald’s meal, what is the Wendy’s $5.99 Biggie Bag of full size SUVs? Is the Armada a Taco Bell meal or something? Sooo many questions!
When most Toyota Siennas are $50k, it doesn’t seem that outlandish unfortunately.
Well it is less ugly than the current one. So there’s that.
Slap a conventional D pillar on there, and the ones with the silver bar across the grille just look like a Tahoe. This thing has lost nearly all of its identity here.
To be fair to the new one, the identity of the old one was mostly “Oh, that’s unfortunate”
The facelift to try to sharpen up the front and rear fascia’s clashed painfully with the swoopy/mushy body lines, and it never felt cohesive. Plus the interior was brutally outdated. At least now it should be roughly comparable to competition for less money, as opposed to being notably worse but with the asterisk of being cheaper.
See I would take ugly over anonymous every time. I agree the interior and powertrain needed the upgrade, but the outside did not need to become entirely forgettable.
That’s fair! At least the last one ditched the truly awful and disjointed styling of the first gen. The curved front half of the cabin slapped onto a boxy rear is still the single worst full-size SUV greenhouse design.
Thank you for mentioning because every time I see one of those the curvy line/straight line bastard child haunts me
This would be a better deal in 5 years, on the used market; Nissan takes a serious hit on depreciation (and, by then, you’ll know if it’s an earned reputation on this car or not)
Good point, shame that the good off roady bits are so very rare in the used market.
This right here, we bought a 2020 SV 2 years ago.
It was a lot cheaper than any other similar model year BOF V8 full-size-ish SUV, like Tahoe, Yukon, Expedition etc.
I’ve driven all the above and I don’t think the Armada is significantly worse.
MPG is bad but that’s not surprising in this category.
We’ll see how it holds up long-term but so far it’s just been routine maintenance.
It is a little bit smaller than most of its competitors because the Y62 platform originally wasn’t designed as a US full size platform.
I guess the same might be true for the new Y63 platform.