2008 Nissan Armada Review

The Armada is Nissan's seven-passenger SUV big boy. It's a full-size off-road capable unit that takes advantage of its truck DNA. It's also laden with luxury and imbued with plenty of power.

Styling is rugged but not garish
When Nissan penned the Armada, which debuted in 2004, they struck an artful balance between ruggedness and sophistication, making this an eye-catching hulk equally presentable on the dusty trail as the downtown boulevard. For such a large box, the Armada is more visually appealing and stylistically interesting than many of its competitors.

For such a large box, the Armada is more visually appealing and stylistically interesting than many of its competitors.

For 2008, some minor tweaking has freshened the grille and front and rear fascias while a series of subtle interior upgrades completes the package.

While its interior design is certainly pleasant enough, it fails to standout from the crowd as successfully as the sheet metal does. Despite its "plain bread" visuals, cabin functionality and instrument layout is above average and well thought-out.

Plentiful punch unchanged for 2008
Only one engine is available to power the 2008 Armada, and it's the same high achieving DOHC V8 powerplant found in last year's version. Displacing 5.6 liters, the 32-valve unit produces 317 horsepower @ 4,900 rpm and 385 pound-feet of torque @ 3,600 rpm.

Stoke of the big V8 is harnessed by a 5-speed automatic transmission with a "gated" shifter in place of the oft found electronic manual mode. In my mind, a gated arrangement imparts a greater sense of control and communication to the driver than does an electronic mode in which the position of the shifter remains constant.

On the road, the Armada is never starved for power. Given this vehicle's substantial size and weight, its responsiveness to right-foot demands is sharp and immediate. Off-the-line launches are quick by any standard while highway-passing is crisp and confident. Of course, such internal fortitude comes with a hefty price. This is a thirsty beast, especially when confined to city driving.

Federal fuel consumption ratings peg the Armada at 18.1 and 11.7 liters of fuel per 100K of city and highway driving respectively.

True 4WD capability
The Armada is a true body-on-frame truck-based SUV; that genus ensures it is rugged and highly capable off-road. The vehicle is equipped with an electronically activated transfer case, which invokes 2WD, 4WD and low-range 4WD by simply twisting a dash-mounted switch.

The 4WD system is capable of sensing slippage and re-directing power to those wheels with a better grip on the situation. Nissan refers to this off-road asset as ABLS, which is short for 'Active Brake Limited Slip' function.

Stoke of the big V8 is harnessed by a 5-speed automatic transmission with a "gated" shifter in place of the oft found electronic manual mode.