2021 Nissan Armada Platinum Reviewed

Weighing Your Options

The 2021 Nissan Armada Platinum has been playing in the big boy luxury SUV category for years, but most people are not aware of it. It’s the secret steal in the category. Delivered fully loaded at $71K and some change, it will leave plenty of cabbage in your wallet.

Starting with a durable, heavy-duty ladder frame, the Armada features a 5.6-liter Endurance V8 that makes standard 400 horsepower (at 5,200 rpm). Torque is rated at 413 lb-ft (at 4,000 rpm). The 2021 Armada also offers a standard maximum towing capacity of up to 8,500 pounds for both 4WD and 2WD models (when properly equipped).

For 2021, Armada received a standard integrated Trailer Brake Controller with tow hitch receiver on SV, SL and Platinum grades. Trailer Sway Control is standard on SL and Platinum grades. When the vehicle system senses sway, Trailer Sway Control automatically applies the brakes and the vehicle is slowed to eliminate the sway for a more confident towing experience.

The Armada Platinum also includes 22-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, quilted leather-appointed seats, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, front climate controlled seats, rear heated seats, Family Entertainment System, Intelligent Rear View Mirror, wiper de-icer, front rain-sensing wipers, rear step lamp, Traffic Sign Recognition, Intelligent Backup Collision Intervention, illuminated cupholders, and third row power recline and fold seats.

The 2021 Armada’s purposeful safety features allow peace of mind for an adventurous family road trip or a simple drive to the market – and everything in between. Nissan Safety Shield 360 is standard on all grades. It includes Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist and Rear Automatic Braking.

Also standard are Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Cruise Control (Full Speed Range), Intelligent Lane Intervention, Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention, RearView Monitor and Intelligent Driver Alertness. Armada Platinum includes class-exclusive Intelligent Backup Collision Intervention as well.

Armada SL and Platinum grades add Intelligent Around View Monitor, which helps provide extra eyes when backing out or parking. The innovative Intelligent Around View Monitor can also come in handy when negotiating tight off-road trails. Platinum grade adds class-exclusive Traffic Sign Recognition, too.

Armada Platinum includes a standard Intelligent Rear View Mirror (I-RVM), which has been enhanced for 2021 with higher resolution (170 ppi versus previous 98 ppi), frameless design and a 50 percent larger screen size (9.4 x 2.0-inch versus previous 7.5 x 1.6-inch). The consumer benefits of the I-RVM are many, including “removing” interior obstacles such as oversize cargo and rear headrests, improving visibility in low-light conditions, and providing an expanded field of view. Armada Platinum also adds a standard Family Entertainment System, which has been enhanced with simplified menus, revised dual 8.0-inch head restraint monitors and new HDMI input. It includes two pairs of wireless headphones.

Included for the first time on Armada within the NissanConnect Services Convenience plan is Nissan Concierge, which provides owners 24-hour access to a live assistant at the push of a button. NissanConnect Services can be accessed from inside the vehicle, on a computer, on a smartphone or smartwatch app and with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

The 2021 Armada also now features standard Rear Door Alert, which can help remind drivers that they may have forgotten items in the rear seat.

Having said all of that, you’ll need to save that extra cabbage I mentioned earlier because the fuel economy is less than stellar. Not towing, we averaged just 14 MPG with a combination of city/highway running. But throw a 4500lb boat behind the Armada, and every time you touch the throttle, cash flies out the exhaust tip. We are talking sub-9 MPG. That being said, the 2021 Nissan Armada Platinum had no issues pulling the Sanger Wakeboard boat. It was a smooth ride.

This guy’s final thoughts on the 2021 Nissan Armada Platinum can be summed up pretty simply. Buyer awareness. If you are looking for a big family cruiser and you are not planning on towing a trailer, this is your hidden gem. But if you plan on hauling cargo out back, just know that it’s going to cost you when you do. And Nissan has the right formula here, don’t get me wrong. But the big 400hp V8 sucks fuel when pushed to the limit. And the buyer just needs to be aware of that. Otherwise, as I mentioned already, this is a serious contender if you are not concerned about showing on what brand of SUV you own.

Story by Jerrod Strauss