Sometimes it is difficult to tell, during initial observation, whether an SUV is car-based or truck-based. When you first see the 2008 Nissan Armada, however, there is no such confusion. The Armada is huge, truck-based and as powerful as the flotilla it was named after.
Merriam-Webster defines armada as: “a fleet of warships, a large force or group usually of moving things.” We often associate the term with the Spanish Armada of 1588, which, under King Philip II of Spain, attempted to invade England and overthrow Queen Elizabeth I. The fleet was defeated in the English Channel by severe weather and a fleet of 200 English and Dutch ships. Many of the 130 Spanish vessels were converted merchant ships, better suited to carrying cargo than engaging in sea warfare. Broad and heavy, their major responsibility was as troop transports – 30,493 men sailed on the ships.
It was an epic battle, and now the vehicle that carries the name, the Nissan Armada, which debuted in 2004, carries the company slogan: “A full-size SUV with enough power, room and first-class appointments to make any day of the week feel epic.”
True to its name, the Nissan Armada can carry lots of cargo and troops. With seating for eight, the Armada is Nissan's flagship full-size sport utility vehicle. It shares its body-on-frame F-Alpha platform with the massive Nissan Titan pickup truck, Xterra SUV, Frontier pickup truck, and Pathfinder SUV.
Nissan’s standard-bearing SUV is large on the outside – 207.7 inches long, 79.3 inches wide and 78 inches high on a 123.2-inch wheelbase – and cavernous within its upscale cabin – 41 inches of headroom in front with 40 in row two and 35.9 in row three; 65 inches of shoulder room in row one, with 64.7 behind and 63.7 in back and leg room of 41.8 and 41.9 in the first two rows with 32.2 in the rear. Cargo room behind the front row is 97.1 cubic feet. Moving back outside, maximum ground clearance is 10.4 with a step-in height of 21.6 inches.
Unlike its Spanish namesake, the Armada maneuvers deftly and is far too mighty to be impeded by poor weather or conditions.
Its brawn comes from an Endurance 5.6-liter V-8 engine delivering 317hp and 385 lbs.-ft. of torque. The longitudinally mounted aluminum-block DOHC plant accepts E-85 or regular unleaded fuel and is EPA rated at 12mpg/city and 17mpg/hwy under the new 2008 protocols.
Powerful and well-tuned, but relatively loud, the V-8 engine propelled my 5661 behemoth on a 7.4 second zero-to-60 dash en route to a 16-second quarter-mile. My 28-gallon tank got me a range of 400-450 miles with an average of 16.2mpg during my weeklong examination.
The V-8 is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission, tuned to provide nearly 90 percent of the engine's torque below 2,500 rpm – where it's needed for hauling, towing or slow-speed off-road driving. Available flexible fuel vehicle technology allows drivers to use traditional gasoline or an alternative fuel such as E85 (if you can find it). Towing capacity is a formidable 9100 lbs.
The Armada provided alert handling but a hard-riding experience that certainly was trucklike. Independent rear suspension, 4-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock braking system, front and rear stabilizer bars, all-mode 4WD system with 4-wheel limited slip differential and 2-speed transfer case with 4-low and auto 4x4 settings provide a versatile, stable and responsive ride on or off road on aluminum-alloy 18x8-inch wheels covered by P265/70R18 Conti-Track tires.
Safety and security items include standard roof-mounted supplemental curtain air bags providing side-impact and rollover head protection for outboard positions in all three rows. The Nissan Advanced Air Bag System includes dual-stage front supplemental air bags with seat belt sensors, a front occupant classification sensor and front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags.
Passive safety includes zone body construction with front and rear crumple zones, body side reinforcements, energy-absorbing steering column, hood-buckling creases, knee bolsters and a shift interlock system. There’s also a LATCH system for children, child safety rear door locks and power window lockout button.
Additional safeguards include a tire pressure monitoring system, vehicle security system and rear sonar.
The Armada SE 4x4 is base-priced at $38,050, and my test ride, with nearly $9,000 in options, stickered at $47,010. My test upgrades included splash guards ($115); moonroof ($1000); 6-piece cargo/floormat set ($220); rear cargo net ($30); Premium package of 11-speaker and subwoofer Bose audio system with XM Satellite radio, rear view monitor (back-up camera), front sonar system, front fog lights, power rear liftgate, intelligent key, power seats and leather appointments ($4600); SE tow package ($650); DVD entertainment package of 8-inch color display, DVD player and remote control with two wireless headphones ($1600) and destination charges of $745.
With all those add-ons, and at $47,010, I would have expected that heated seats, Nissan’s navigational system and XM NavTraffic would have been included, but heated seats (part of a $1000 option) and Navi (part of the $2,400 Technology Package option) are available only with the LE trim.
The 2008 Nissan Armada is one rugged, truck-based SUV with historic capabilities.
Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.
Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.
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