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Read more about the 2017 Nissan Armada Platinum Review at AutoGuide.com.The new Nissan Armada is a large, unapologetic, body-on-frame SUV that provides seating for up to eight people and a comfortable ride. But let’s take a look at what this SUV isn’t to really see how it has evolved.
For 2017, Nissan has decided to import the Patrol, an SUV that has been on sale in world markets for years, rather than redesign the Armada using the all-new frame from the Titan pickup truck. But we don’t get the same Armada as everyone else, either. In North America, we don’t get the front- and rear-locking differentials, disconnecting sway bar system or hydraulic body mount setup that the Patrol gets in other markets.
It is understandable that Nissan wants to chase the family market, rather than the much more elusive full-size SUV off-roader. This switchover to the watered-down Patrol platform, however, doesn’t exactly deliver for families either, because it cuts rear-seat legroom by nearly four inches compared to the previous Armada model.
So, it’s not the hardcore off-roader it could be (in fact, the new model has a lower approach angle than the previous model, making it less capable off road as well), and it is actually less practical for people hauling. And, unfortunately, the negative effects of this so-called redesign don’t stop there.
