Nissan has debuted a redesigned Armada full-sized sport utility vehicle at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show. With enhanced, refined looks, a new engine, and top-end safety features, the Armada takes several cues from the Infiniti line.
The 2017 Armada was unveiled at a pre-show event the night before press day opened at the Chicago show. Nissan North America's Phil O'Connor, Director, Chief Marketing Manager, talked about why a new Armada is being unveiled in a time when smaller crossovers are usually the focus. You'll see that in the video below, which features the pre-show unveiling of the Armada.
The Armada, known as the Patrol outside of the United States, gains about an inch of length and has been completely redesigned from top to bottom. The 2017 Armada remains an SUV, with a truck-based design built for hard use and a towing capacity of 8,500 lb (3,856 kg) in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive models; a tow package is standard at all trim levels. The Armada remains an eight-passenger SUV with plenty of ground clearance and interior room.
Nissan's new "V-motion" front grille design, found throughout the company's lineup, is featured prominently on the new Armada. The rest of the body design takes most of its cues from the Infiniti QX80, which has long shared platform components with the Armada. An arrowhead rear window glass, curved rear pillar, and detail plate behind the front fender are design details shared with the Infiniti. The 2017 Armada, however, has a more squared-off front end with a very different fascia and flatter hoodline. The headlamps are also bigger and bolder than those on the QX80.
Inside, the 2017 Nissan Armada sees a lot of upgrade, remaining spacious and accommodating, but adding comfort and standard convenience technologies to bring the big SUV up to date. Acoustic glass and added sound absorption improve the interior's noise levels on the road and at idle.
Finally, under the hood, the 2017 Armada features a new 5.6-liter V8 with far more horsepower than the previous-generation engine had. The 5.6L in the 2016 Armada produces 317 hp (236 kW) whereas the new engine has been re-tuned to offer 390 hp (291 kW). Most of this gain came from added technologies, such as moving to Direct Injection Gas and upgrading to variable valve event and lift systems. Also new is a 7-speed automatic transmission, replacing the outgoing 5-speed. Nissan has not yet released EPA estimates for the new Armada's fuel economy.
The new 2017 Nissan Armada will enter showrooms later this year in North America.
Source: Nissan
