Beach wheels: Nissan Armada Platinum is a quiet, handsome beast
The 2019 Nissan Armada Platinum is a powerful and comfortable family hauler.
Recently I was given the chance to test the 2019 Nissan Armada Platinum and found it to be a capable big sport utility vehicle that offers premium luxury.
My tester came in a brilliant white with chrome touches. I found the vehicle to have performed admirably on paved road surfaces, but it’s no fan of getting off road too far.
That said, its big V8 engine provides more than enough juice for merging onto freeways and passing vehicles. It seats up to eight people comfortably across three rows of supple leather seating.
Outside, you’ll find that Nissan brought to the table some handsome sheet metal sporting some subtle but sexy curves. This beast sits on 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels and has a handsome front grill and great luggage roof rails. And, unlike some others, this SUV is low enough to the ground to not need a side step rail. Even the most leg-length-challenged people can get in and out with ease.
In the cockpit you will find tasteful wood paneling in places, butter-soft heated and cooled seating (with captain’s chairs in the front row), a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel and an 8-inch entertainment/navigation touch screen mid-console. (Note: I did find the system dated and not terribly intuitive, but it got the job done.) The Armada is very, very quiet inside, thanks mainly to insulated front windshield glass.
Other cabin amenities include four USB ports, a big power moonroof and a 13-speaker Bose audio system. Unfortunately, Nissan failed to add either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
Nissan did provide the Armada with automatic gets adaptive cruise control, rear door alert, collision warning and emergency braking standard.
Under the hood, you’ll find a big V-8 5.6-liter power plant that produces 390 horsepower and 394-pound-feet of torque.
The Armada is a heavy vehicle at 5,900 pounds, which explains its relatively poor fuel economy at 13 mpg city and 18 mpg highway. Its range is supplemented by a big, 18-gallon gas tank. The vehicle’s towing capacity is solid at 8,500 pounds — enough to pull your boat, jet skis or camping gear without breaking a sweat.
Despite its size and passenger capacity, the Armada offers a relatively skimpy cargo capacity, at just 16.5 cubic feet.
The Nissan Armada competes with the Ford Expedition, the Toyota Sequoia, the Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon — the Tahoe arguably being the best in class. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for my tester is $67,850 but Armada line starts at just over $47,000.
At the end of the day, consumers buy this size SUV for a distinct purpose, to haul large numbers of people. The Armada is a well-made beast that delivers solid comfort and convenience. It’s definitely worthy of your consideration.
Jeff Mitchell is a South Bay freelance writer.