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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2010 Nissan Armada

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Curious about the newer model? Check out the 2013 Nissan Armada

Overview

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2010 Nissan Armada Review

By KBB.com Editors

When the Nissan Armada first debuted in 2004, full-size SUVs were all the rage and it commanded a premium price. Fast-forward to the 2010 model year, and the recent flirtation with five-dollar-per-gallon gasoline and an economic meltdown has changed the landscape. Still, for those undaunted by $75-plus refills, the Armada has much to offer. It features a powerful V8 engine capable of running on regular gas or E85, a tow rating of up to 9,100 pounds and enough interior room to fit eight passengers and their luggage. The Armada's unconventional styling may not be to everyone's liking, but its long list of creature comforts and standard safety features are certainly attractive, as are Nissan's enticing customer incentives.

You'll Like This Car If...

If your kids are all about high-tech gadgetry and love on-board toys, the Armada has you covered. An exceptionally powerful V8 is standard – great news for those who need to tow. Standard safety features include side-curtain airbags for all three rows.

You May Not Like This Car If...

Did we mention this thing is big? The Armada can be a handful to park in tight spaces, though not any more difficult than its competitors. The fuel economy may also be a discouraging factor, and there is no diesel or hybrid engine option.

What's New for 2010

Nissan has revised the Armada lineup for 2010 to consist of three models: SE, Titanium Edition and Platinum Edition. All models receive new body-colored side cladding with chrome strip, while the SE 4X2 trims gain standard front seat side-impact airbags.

Driving the Armada

Driving Impressions On the road you'll find the Armada behaves more like a midsize truck than the gargantuan SUV it really is. The steering feel is taut and the Armada's short front...

overhang makes it possible to maneuver around closer corners with confidence. So long as the road remains fairly smooth the Armada maintains a very livable ride, but upon the first encounter with large dips or shaky, uneven pavement, the Armada's truck-oriented roots quickly become more evident. In any case, once you feel the power that the Armada's standard 5.6-liter V8 provides, you'll quickly forget any minor shudder or momentary vibration you've just encountered. With a whopping 317 horsepower on tap, the Armada does not lack for performance or towing power.

Favorite Features

Rear Seat Design
The Armada's versatile rear-seat design includes fold-flat seats that create a level loading floor.

Standard Head-Curtain Airbags
The Armada's standard head-curtain airbags cover all three rows of seating.

2010 Nissan Armada Details

Interior

Nissan offers the spacious Armada with an excellent set of optional second-row captain's chairs that are separated by a removable center console. With the console out, passengers are granted easy access to the third-row seat without having to disturb those already seated in the second row. The rear-most bench seat rests on an elevated platform that allows its occupants to see over the heads of those up front. With the seats folded, there is room for quite lengthy items of cargo, even with the rear hatch closed. Safety features include side-curtain air bags covering all three rows.

Exterior

The Armada is one of the most ornate SUVs we've seen. It has a raised roof, arched door frames and huge side fender flares. The rear-door handles are placed high up, making them difficult for small children to reach. Short front and rear overhangs make the Armada a bit easier to maneuver than some of its competition. The broad expanse of glass allows for good 360-degree visibility, and the big side mirrors do a good job of revealing smaller objects near the Armada's sides. On Platinum models, these same mirrors include power folding and auto-dimming features. The Titanium and Platinum also comes with 20-inch wheels that look great but can be pricey if needing replacement.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

The 2010 Nissan Armada has a 317-horsepower V8 engine, five-speed automatic transmission with tow/haul mode, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS), front and rear air conditioning, floor- and ceiling-mounted consoles, Vehicle Dynamic Control, rear privacy glass, dual power heated outside mirrors, power windows, power locks, remote keyless entry, power-adjustable pedals, AM/FM stereo with six-disc in-dash CD changer with MP3 capability, front and rear head-curtain airbags (covering all three rows), front side-impact airbags, running boards, eight-way power driver's seat, cruise control, tire-pressure monitor and a rear wiper and washer. The Titanium adds Intelligent Key keyless entry and start, leather seating, RearView Monitor, Bluetooth, Bose audio, power-folding third-row seat and auto-leveling rear air suspension. The Platinum Edition includes all these features plus heated front seats and steering wheel, a power liftgate, power moonroof, a hard drive-based navigation system and rear-seat DVD entertainment.

Optional Equipment

Options for the 2010 Nissan Armada vary by trim. The SE can be equipped with the Driver Package that adds a 12-speaker Bose audio system, Bluetooth, RearView Monitor, fog lights and a power-folding third-row seat. Also available on the SE is the Tow Package and a number of dealer-installed options. The Titanium Edition can be equipped with a rear-seat DVD entertainment system and a power moonroof, while the Platinum Edition offers second-row captain's chair seating. All models offer the option of four-wheel drive.

Under the Hood

Nissan equipped the Armada with its most powerful V8 engine and the results are impressive. Tow rated at 9,100-pounds (with the available Tow Package), the Armada credits itself well in maximum towing capacity among lighter-duty, full-size SUVs.

5.6-liter V8
317 horsepower @ 5200 rpm
385 lb.-ft. of torque @ 3400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 12/18 (gasoline, 2WD), 12/18 (gasoline, 4WD), 9/13 (E85, 2WD), 9/13 (E85, 4WD)

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2010 Nissan Armada Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.7

Out of 10

Based on 372 Ratings for the 2004 - 2013 models.

Review this car

Value

8.8/10

Quality

8.9/10
Reliability

9.1/10

Performance

9.1/10
Comfort

9.2/10

Styling

9.2/10

Comfortable and Flexible

By paul (FL) on Tuesday, June 11, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Comfortable and spacious."

Cons: "Spend money on gas,Low mileage."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I love this SUV.It has lot of room for the whole family. Seats are very comfortable and ride is smooth. My kids enjoy the ride in this SUV.We have a 2 wheel drive and its very easy to do the turns than a car."

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More rear seat leg room than anything I could find

By Harry (GA) on Monday, June 10, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 50,089

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Better priced and better valu than its competition"

Cons: "Would like a better iPod interface"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"I purchased my 2011 Armada as a leftover in December 2011 and already have 50,000 miles. I have owned Tahoe's since the late 90's and feel like I own part of GM with all the repair business they have gotten. Not a nickel so far except for oil changes. Yes, gas economy is not the greatest but comparable to anything in its size class and a much better ride and far more room for both driver and passengers. At 6'6" size does matter and I have a few long legged sons who really appreciate the roomy second row seat."

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Awesome SUV

By jo (CA) on Tuesday, May 28, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 169,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "powerful V8 for a 2004"

Cons: "the gas mileage, otherwise none whatsoever."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"I bought my 2004 Nissan Pathfinder Armada new with only 12 miles on it in 2004. It now has over 168k miles on it and is still running strong! Did all the recommended services and the truck has not let me down. I do alot of highway driving (to Las Vegas) and I love the way it handles going up the hills. The V8 really kicks in fast, no lagging. Has been good to me and a lot of room for my 2 dogs (Rottweilers)."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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Best Car I've Owned

By RegDawg (CA) on Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 97,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Size, Power, Safety, 3rd Row fits Adults, Fun"

Cons: "MPG!!!"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I just purchased an 08 Armada couple weeks ago and love it. Did plenty of research on other vehicles before my purchase and decided to pursue the Armada. Its huge, roomy, and just feel safe in it. I have a newborn so safety and room were my selling points. Oh and this thing has plenty of power however that power eats gas so its not excellent on gas economy but I knew that before purchasing. If MPG is important to you, then you may need to look elsewhere. Also with the SUV high off the ground, much of the maintenance can be done yourself (oil, transmission, etc). Other than that I totally recommend the Armada."

3 people out of 3 found this review helpful

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This SUV offers both quality an safety!!

By Fifes (FL) on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 130,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "safety, comfort, powerful"

Cons: "fuel usage"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Bought our 2006 in 2009 and still have it with no intent to sell it. This SUV is the safest vehicle I have ever owned. It is not that great on gas but the comfort and safety it offers are well worth a little extra fuel cost and I should mention that if you are light on the gas pedal it is not so bad. I have used this vehicle for work everyday as well as on long trips. My husband loves it for its power. We have pulled a 33 foot camper weighing in at 8000lbs all over the East Coast and barely knew it was there all while carrying 7 passengers. I'm not sure about other vehicles in the same class but I am satisfied with this one enough that I really have no interest in finding out. My kids are safe when in this vehicle and to me that's enough to make me recommend it to anyone!"

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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Very Pleased

By Kyleohio (OH) on Tuesday, January 01, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,600

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "smooth ride and roomy"

Cons: "gas mileage"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I was not in the market for a SUV, I just wanted to get rid of my old car and negative equity. Dealership had this on sale and $7k in cashback offers so I bought it! BEST decision...I love this vehicle...I'm a single father with daughter that does competitive chearleading and we are always driving and this vehicle is great on the highway, great driving around town, just all around good choice and I would recommend this to anyone who does a great deal of road travel. Def a nice affordable massive suv. gas mileage not that great but hey its all good!"

5 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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See all 372 reviews