The 2014 Nissan Armada is a full-size, 3-row SUV available in three trim levels and offering seating for up to 8 occupants. Competitors include the Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition, GMC Yukon, and Toyota Sequoia.
Unchanged for 2014, the Armada's expressive body arches and door frames stand out from the 90-degree-angle designs common among competing SUVs, as do its raised roof and enormous fender flares. Nissan's 3-opening chrome grille, so familiar on the company's truck line, distinguishes the Armada SUV as well, adding a bit of ruggedness to an otherwise luxurious SUV. Some of the styling cues actually hinder functionality, such as the high-mounted rear door handles that can be difficult for little kids to reach.
It's quite the climb to get into the Armada, but once you've mounted the seats, you'll find a cabin that is as spacious as the exterior is expansive.The first two rows are quite comfortable, with lots of headroom resulting from the bowed roofline. Ordering second-row captain's chairs cuts down the overall seating capacity by one, from eight to seven. The third-row seat doesn't have quite enough room for adults, and the tall floor makes it a scramble, getting in and out. It also makes loading cargo into the rear more difficult than it could be. There's not much cargo space behind the third-row seat, either, so you'll be leaving it folded down if you use the Armada regularly for family errands.
Acceleration is more than adequate thanks to a standard 5.6-liter V8 that pumps out 317 horsepower and 385 lb-ft. The Armada's five-speed automatic has been surpassed in gears by the transmissions of some rivals, however, and it likely contributes to the SUV's dismal 13/19 mpg with two-wheel-drive (the standard drivetrain) and 12/18 with four-wheel-drive (which is optional).
Fuel economy is estimated at 26 mpg Combined, an increase of 24 percent over the standard Pathfinder. Estimated City fuel economy is 25 mpg, while Highway mileage is estimated at 27 mpg. With the Pathfinder Hybrid's large 19.5-gallon fuel tank, the same as non-hybrid models, driving range is estimated at more than 526 miles.
The Armada comes equipped with dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth phone connectivity, an eight-speaker stereo system, an auxiliary input, a USB port and satellite radio. Available features include leather upholstery, Bluetooth streaming audio, a backup camera, an upgraded Bose stereo system, a rear-seat entertainment system and a touch-screen navigation system.
Opting for the Driver package adds foglights, a power liftgate, an auto-dimming mirror, a rearview camera and an 11-speaker Bose sound system with satellite radio and rear audio controls. SVs with four-wheel drive come standard with this package.
The Armada SL includes all the above equipment plus 20-inch alloy wheels, an auto-leveling rear air suspension, a roof rack, keyless ignition/entry, leather upholstery, heated front seats and a power-folding third-row seat.
All Armada models come standard with dual front and side airbags, antilock disc brakes in addition to three-row side curtain airbags and traction and stability control systems.
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