2004 Nissan Armada Review

Nissan is late entering the full-size sport-utility game, but it needs its new Pathfinder Armada to fully compete with General Motors, Ford and Toyota.

NIssan really did its homework with this new truck, which scores high in most areas and should make rivals more than a little nervous. The roomy, comfortable Armada is fast and has a good ride and surprisingly athletic handling.

Forget the "Pathfinder'' part of the name because the $33,300-$40,600 Armada is based on Nissan's big new Titan pickup truck, not its mid-size Pathfinder sport-ute. The "Pathfinder'' name has been around a long time, and Nissan is adding it to the Armada to help provide name recognition.

The Armada looks tough, with forceful styling that matches its imposing size. It's about 207 inches long, which makes it difficult to maneuver in tight spots. It's about a foot shorter than a Chevrolet Suburban and about the same length as a Ford Expedition.

The Armada weighs about the same as most competitors at a whopping 5,013-5,327 pounds because full-size sport-utes are really big trucks.

Fuel economy thus is a weak point of these "living large'' vehicles. The Armada provides an estimated 13 mpg in the city and 18-19 on highways, although its 28 gallon tank allows a decent highway cruising range.

Armada owners should avoid lots of stop-and-go driving in town unless they're prepared to see monthly vehicle fuel bills soar. If it's any consolation, only regular-grade fuel is required.

The Armada comes with rear- or four-wheel drive with low-range gearing for tough off-road driving. There are three versions: SE, SE Off-Road and top-line LE.

The SE comes with a wealth of standard equipment, including adjustable pedals and a rear-obstacle detection system. The SE Off-Road adds such items as an off-road suspension and skid plates to protect underbody components during rough off-road driving.

The LE adds items including heated front seats and second-row bucket seats with a unique removable center console. It's the only Armada available with a nifty, optional ($600) power tailgate.

Options include a DVD rear-seat entertainment system to keep the kids happy, navigation system and satellite radio. Other options include a sunroof package that ranges from $1,000 to $3,350, depending on the trim level.

Potential Armada buyers should do homework before entering a Nissan showroom because the mix of standard and optional equipment can make one dizzy.

The Armada is loaded with standard safety items, including supplemental curtain air bags for side-impact and rollover protection for all rows of seats. Side impact front-row air bags are standard for the SE Off-Road and LE -- and optional for the SE.

All Armadas have standard anti-lock brakes with a brake-assist feature for surer stops in emergencies, along with anti-skid and traction control systems.

The extremely roomy Armada holds up to eight occupants with an elevated third-row seat, and the second- and third-row bench seats fold nearly flush with the floor to significantly enlarge the cargo area -- without the need to remove headrests. The available second-row bucket seats also fold flat, as does the front passenger seat.

The third-row seat calls for above-average nimbleness to reach and is fairly roomy for adults, although it should offer more thigh support. Getting in and out of first- and second-row seats of the tall Armada also calls for extra effort and full use of the fairly wide running boards.

Front door handles are oversized, as are interior door handles. But the rear exterior handles are high off the ground in roof pillars; that's a nice styling touch, but isn't practical for such a tall, rugged sport-utility.

There's a handy two-piece tailgate, but a high rear load floor makes it harder to load or unload cargo. Cargo room is modest with all seats in their normal positions, but very generous with them flipped forward. However, you must climb into the cargo area or enter the Armada through a rear door to return the folded third-row seatback to its normal position.

The interior has a refreshing no-nonsense design, with easily read gauges and large controls. However, the power window and mirror controls are set too high on the driver's door. And those with shorter arms will find they must stretch a bit to reach parts of the dashboard.

The console storage bin is deep, and there are plenty of other beverage holders and other storage areas throughout the vehicle, which has rear windows that roll all the way down.

Visibility is superb from the driver's seat, and large outside mirrors help rear visibility.

Power comes from a sophisticated 5.6-liter V-8 with dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. It generates 305 horsepower and loads of torque from low engine speeds.

It's almost hard to believe that anything as big as the Armada can be so fast -- the lighter rear-drive version streaks to 60 mph in seven seconds. That makes it among the fastest sport-utes of any size. It can even tow a class-leading 9,100 pounds with an optional towing package.

Helping acceleration is a five-speed automatic transmission, which upshifts seamlessly and downshifts quickly and helps the engine loaf at 70 mph. The transmission has tow/haul modes for enhanced performance and fuel efficiency and first-in-class gated floor-mounted shifter for a sporty appearance and better shift control when towing.

You wouldn't know it by looking at the beefy Armada, but it has sporty handling for a big body-on-frame sport-ute that's not car-based. The steering is quick and the ride is smooth because the Armada substitutes an independent suspension for the rigid rear axle found on the Titan. Such a suspension also allows room for the third-row seat.

Handling is quite good, with little body sway. Stopping distances are short, and the brake pedal has a nice linear action.

Nissan has high hopes for the Armada, which is made in a new $1.43 billion facility in Mississippi. This new sport-ute isn't an established player, but that shouldn't prevent it from finding lots of buyers.

2004 NISSAN PATHFINDER ARMADA

Prices
$33,300-$40,600

Likes
Extremely roomy. Unusually fast. Composed handling. Smooth ride.

Dislikes
High step-in and load floor. Low fuel economy. Driver power window controls too high.