When you shop for a full-size SUV, the 2021 Nissan Armada might not top your “must-look” list. Perhaps it should. True, critics don’t often rave about this three-row SUV that seats up to eight passengers, but its owners do. The Armada topped the 2020 J.D. Power list for “highest-rated family SUV for quality,” based on verified owners’ feedback.

The Modern Xterra

And the latest Armada is poised for more kudos. Nissan boosted the capabilities, tech, and style of the 2021 model of its flagship SUV, which it first introduced to U.S. buyers in 2004. Nissan still designs the Armada for families and the gear they lug to school events, vacation destinations, and shopping trips.

Yet, the “box on wheels” design of the 2004 Armada is long gone. The 2021 model has a more athletic build that resembles the automaker’s discontinued Xterra. A new grille, hood, fenders, and new LED headlights add to its contemporary look.
The passing exterior resemblance the Armada shares with the discontinued five-passenger Xterra, which ended production in 2015, is basically all the two models have in common. The Xterra, which was a cross between the automaker’s Pathfinder SUV and its Frontier pickup, was built for off-roading adventures. That translated into a cramped back seat, difficult-to-exit rear doors, and low gas mileage. The 2021 Nissan Armada is all about high-tech comfort and safety, but it still delivers an off-roading pr...