DESCRIPTION

Pros:

• Tow vehicle of choice with its 9100 pound tow rating
• Muscular V6 and V8 engines
• Spacious and classy interior
• Commanding view of the road

Cons:

• Drinks almost as much gas as a Hummer
• Rides like a truck
• Cargo space is lacking for such a large vehicle
• Climbing in and out is awkward

Ruling: The Nissan Armada is a tireless worker and looks good doing it. Compared with other large SUVs in its class, the Armada comes up short.

The 2011 Nissan Armada is a full-size SUV capable of towing 9100 pounds when properly outfitted.

The 2011 Armada offers excellent performance built on a foundation featuring Nissan’s rugged F-Alpha fully boxed frame, 4-wheel independent double-wishbone suspension and a refined 5.6-liter DOHC V8 engine, producing 317 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm and 385 lb-ft of torque @ 3,400 rpm. Available Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) technology allows for the use of E85 Ethanol.

EPA estimates for the 2011 Nissan Armada are 13 mpg city and 19 mpg highway.

Safety features abound in the 2011 Armada, including Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dual-stage front supplemental air bags with seat belt sensors and front occupant classification sensor; roof-mounted curtain supplemental air bags for side impact and rollover head protection for outboard positions in all three rows; front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags; and front seat Active Head Restraints. A Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is also standard equipment.

What's New for 2011
The 2011 Nissan Armada returns largely unchanged, with the exception of new names for two of last year's three trim levels.