Does the New 2025 Nissan Armada Make the Infiniti QX80 Irrelevant?

Nissan has gradually evolved its Armada SUV from being essentially a true truck with an enclosed body to an SUV intended for family hauling. That shift is clearer than ever in the new third-generation Armada arriving for 2025. Although still frame-based and built to deliver stout capability, the 2025 Nissan Armada demonstrates the Japanese automaker’s focus on enhancing three-row functionality and elevating the SUV’s status. With distinctive styling, a modernized powertrain, reams of features, and cool new trim levels, the 2025 Nissan Armada seems to be in its best form yet.

This Ain’t No Crossover

Some things haven’t changed about the new Armada. Primarily, it’s still a genuine SUV, built with body-on frame construction and offering rear- or four-wheel drive. It’s just slightly longer, wider, and taller than its predecessor, which went on sale for 2017. Seating for seven or eight occupants depends on whether buyers configure the second row with a three-across bench or individual captain’s chairs.

As ever, the new Armada shares fundamentals with the QX80, the flagship SUV from Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury branch. Also redesigned for 2025, the QX80 and Armada both swap from a 5.6-liter V-8 and seven-speed automatic transmission to a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 linked to a nine-speed gearbox. In both, the V-6 produces 516 lb-ft of torque, although in the Armada it makes 425 hp while it gives the QX80 450 hp. That’s because the QX80 is tuned to take advantage of premium 91 octane fuel while the Armada is happy to run on normal 87 octane. Don’t bother putting high-test juice in the Armada in pursuit of more power: Nissan says it wasn’t engineered with different octane-specific fuel maps. That deficit shouldn’t be too noticeable from behind the wheel, as 25 hp likely won’t make a big difference for the roughly 5,900-pound SUV. Expect a 0–60-mph time in the mid-six-second range. A carryover stat from the previous Armada is an 8,500-pound towing capacity.

Like the QX80, the 2025 Nissan Armada can be had with a four-corner air suspension system, a first for Nissan and Infiniti. Height-adjustable, it’s included on higher-end Armada models as an upgrade over the standard steel springs.

Interesting Styling

We’ll stop short of calling the 2025 Nissan Armada pretty, but its exterior has a purposeful and bold presence—in our view, it looks more eye-catching and original than the new QX80. At the front, sharp-cornered headlights have C-shaped LED accents. Nissan channels cues from its earliest SUVs with the horizontal lines in the grille of certain trims. In profile, a gently arcing crease stretching from bow to stern sophisticates the sides; the door panels appear to be shared with QX80. At the base of each A-pillar are functional air vents, and how the window line rises at the D-pillar emphasizes the Armada’s imposing size. Around the back, the vehicle’s name is spelled out, and higher-end trims get a trendy width-spanning taillight bar. Even the available 22-inch wheels look small under the big body.

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Quite the Cabin—With Reason To Cheer

Other significant changes show in the 2025 Armada’s cabin, full of functional design and compelling features. Packing in passengers remains a focus—a lever folds easily and slides the second-row seats to create a huge aperture to climb through into the three-across third row, which has a headrest in each place. On most trim levels, the third row has power-folding functionality via switches in the cargo area or from the infotainment touchscreen.

That touchscreen measures 12.3 inches and is complimented by a 12.3-inch gauge cluster display in lower trims. Higher-end models get dual 14.3-inch displays shared with the Infiniti QX80. All have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Above the base trim a wireless charging pad and 12-speaker Klipsch audio system are included, along with popular Google apps. An available camera array provides diverse views, such as a simulated transparent hood or ultra-wide look from a camera in the grille, which can display panoramically across both screens. There’s even a built-in dashcam and interior selfie camera.

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Nissan might’ve equipped the Armada so richly that it overlaps with the QX80, to the luxury version’s detriment. Although the QX80 is equipped slightly better to start, essentially every amenity offered in the QX80 is also available in the Armada, including the biometric scanning system that automatically adjusts the climate control based on a passenger’s body temperature, and the ProPilot Assist 2.1 system that allows for hands-free highway driving.

But the Armada’s interior has one irrefutable advantage. Instead of using a touchscreen for climate and vehicle settings as in the Infiniti, the Nissan uses straightforward, foolproof physical switches to change temperature, fan speed, or drive mode—too uncommon in new cars these days.

Suave Luxury Contrasts Rugged Capability

For 2025, Nissan introduces new Armada trim levels to broaden the SUV’s appeal. Platinum Reserve is the most luxurious, boasting exclusive niceties like massaging front seats, a head-up display, and rather lovely leather-upholstery diamond stitching using two colors of thread. Platinum Reserve is an upgrade over the slightly less bedazzled Armada Platinum.

Likely to catch enthusiasts’ attention is the Armada Pro-4X. It’s the first time Nissan has applied this off-road badge to the Armada, and backs it up with underbody skidplates, a locking rear differential, prominent tow hooks, and black 20-inch wheels wrapped in Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires. A specific front bumper increases the approach angle on Armada Pro-4X relative to other models, but like all air-suspended versions it has 9.6 inches of ground clearance. A signature three-slot grille, black fender cladding, and orange accents aid the rugged aesthetic.

Above the entry-level SV trim is the Armada SL, which Nissan expects to make up the bulk of sales. It’s well-equipped with dual 12.3-inch displays, a 360-degree camera, heated steering wheel and front seats, wireless charging, trailer backup assist, and power-operated tailgate and third-row seats.

Is the New 2025 Nissan Armada Competitive Again?

Nissan is mum on how much the new 2025 Armada will cost. Like the 2025 QX80, its base price could rise by several thousand dollars relative to its predecessor. However, if the Armada retains the roughly $17,000 starting price delta it did versus the QX80 in 2024, Nissan’s new three-row could begin at approximately $66,000. Expensive for a Nissan, sure—but from what we’ve seen so far, this is as nice of a Nissan SUV as there’s ever been. And given the improvements to driving refinement we felt in our first drive of the new QX80, the 2025 Armada should enjoy similar gains. Expect to see the new Armada on dealer lots by the end of 2024.