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2021 Nissan Armada: Less Ugly More Tech

Sharper Edges Provide The New Armada With Better Looks

2021 Nissan Armada
Armada’s rugged yet refined exterior matches its capability – with a more squared and chiseled appearance from the A-pillars forward. The new front fenders, grille and bumper are framed by a new LED headlight design with more than 50 LEDs in each headlamp, helping create a wide, bright headlight pattern.

We’ll call the 2021 Nissan Armada a refresh, as it is the same basic 8-passenger rugged SUV we’ve seen at dealerships since 2017. It just now has improved styling inside and out as well as updated technology.

(Update: For a full hands-on review of the 2021 Nissan Armada click HERE.)

Better Looks

While most competitors are adding curves to their designs, Nissan is actually taking some of many rounded edges off the Armada and sharpening up the styling. This is a good thing, as the Armada has always been a bit of a mess styling wise. The new design is more inline with the rest of Nissan’s SUV lineup, like the Pathfinder.

In the rest of the world the big SUV is called the Nissan Patrol, and has always had slightly more rugged and refined styling than the Armada. While this vehicle is generally a soccer mom car in the U.S., in the rest of the world it is known for its rugged go-anywhere off-road capability and durability. The impressively smooth ride of the Armada, especially off-road, will surprise many who don’t give it a second look because of its styling.

Nissan hopes the new front fenders, hood, grille, headlights, taillights, and wheels of the 2021 Armada will help bring back some customers that might have overlooked this comfortable and capable SUV. The new Armada still comes with the trusty 5.6-liter V8 putting out a class-leading 400 hp and 413 lb.-ft., put through a 7-speed automatic trans. All that is to say that the Armada still has plenty of power to mall crawl, tow, and/or truly get off the beaten path on a big adventure. Don’t’ expect great fuel economy out of this big powerful SUV though, as it only gets about 15 MPG on average.

More Tech

Inside the new Armada we get a huge 12.3-inch color touchscreen infotainment system atop the new center stack on the dash. This system includes Apple CarPlay and Wi-Fi. Wireless smartphone charging is also now an option.

The Armada is also a great tow rig, and now comes standard with more towing features to go along with it’s 8,500-pound towing capacity. The 2021 Nissan Armada now gets an integrated trailer brake control and trailer sway control system. Whether towing a boat or RV, the Armada is ready for your next adventure. With 8-seats, you can also bring the whole family or friend group along as well.

2021 Nissan Armada: Coming Soon

The new Midnight Edition Package, available on Armada SL, includes black exterior logos, black painted mirrors (heated, power adjust and fold, auto-dimming, reverse linked with puddle lights and LED turn signals), black painted roof rails, rear LED lamps with black paint finisher, black painted grille, and black painted front and rear skid plates.

We’ll see the first 2021 Nissan Armada hit dealerships in January. They will be available in SV, SL, and Platinum grades, in both 2WD and 4WD configurations. We’ll also get a new Midnight Edition Package based on the SL grade Armada, and even an S-Line package later in the year.

While there is no word on pricing yet, we expect the Armada to start just below $50,000, and go way up from there.

Find your local Nissan Dealer and build your own Armada at Nissan.com.









About Bryon Dorr

AutoWise Editor-in-Chief Bryon Dorr has been a lifelong automotive enthusiast. From the supercar posters on his childhood walls to the massive Hot Wheels/Matchbox collection, Bryon has been dreaming about automotive adventures his entire life. For the past decade+ Bryon has pursued a career in automotive photography and journalism. He's worked for a wide range of the top outlets in the overland, off-road, adventure motorcycle, and general automotive media. His current household automotive quiver includes a custom overland 2013 GX460, a 2020 Ioniq Electric, and a 2006 KTM 950 Adv. He recently sold his 996TT, and is on the hunt for a new performance car.

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