But even in base SE trim, take a trip to IKEA and you'll be able to fit half the store into the truck's cargo area. OK, bit of stretch, but the Armada's 552 liter (19.5 cubic foot) capacity behind the rear seats, 1,611 liters 56.9 (cubes) with just the rears folded, and gargantuan 2,744 liter (96.9 cu ft) volume when all seats are folded forward, is enormous.
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| The Armada is an amazingly versatile vehicle, with an enormous cargo volume. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
While I was driving the Armada around town I couldn't help but think about everything I needed to get done that required hauling capacity. Pick up some more large bookshelves for the office, hit the hardware store for some 2x4s and drywall to finish the basement, haul a load off to the dump, go up to my dad's, grab his trailer, pop the boat onto the roof rack and go fishing, yeah, that's more like it. It's an amazingly versatile vehicle, for sure.
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| For such a large vehicle, the Armada has surprisingly quick acceleration off the line. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
While it is XXXL sized, Nissan made sure the heavy duty 2,399 to 2,417 kg (5,289 to 5,328 pound) curb weight, depending on features, wouldn't tax forward progression, by adding a standard 5.6-liter Endurance V8 delivering 305 horsepower at 4,900 rpm and 385 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. That's the highest output standard engine for any SUV sold in North America, and it feels like it too. What's more, it's a technically advanced bit of engineering. Its hardware includes an all-new aluminum block, cast iron cylinder liners, plus a forged steel crankshaft (microfinished like the camshaft). Molybdenum-coated pistons are integrated as well, plus 6-bolt main bearing caps and a Super Silent single-stage time chain.
All these parts add up to surprisingly quick acceleration off the line, aided by its well sorted 5-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode. Kick the throttle down and the big ute launches forward with the added excitement of a growling V8 rumbling through the firewall. In many ways the U.S.-made Japanese-brand SUV bests the domestics at their own game, but not all ways.