​Cars.com Describes new Armada as the “Spiritual Successor to the Land Cruiser”

Certain vehicles have gained a worldwide reputation for being what you need if you live or do business in a country or region that lacks paved roads. Land Rover and the Toyota Land Cruiser likely come to mind. Those who have lived in those places would add the Nissan Patrol, a vehicle largely unknown in the U.S. because it has never been sold here. However, things are changing to the point that Cars.com puts forth the recently redesigned 2025 Nissan Armada as filling the Toyota Land Cruiser’s shoes in the US. This Dick Smith Nissan of St Andrews post explains.  

That claim requires a couple of explanations. The first is that while Toyota has returned the Land Cruiser for sale in the U.S., it is quite a different vehicle from the one that forged its reputation. It is significantly smaller to start, moving from a seven-seater to a five-seater and sharing a platform with the midsize Tacoma Pickup. The large displacement V8 has also given way to a hybrid-powered, 4-cylinder engine-based powertrain.  

The previous generation Armada shared its platform with the Patrol, which was sold in other markets. However, Patrol fans were disappointed to find that the previous Armada didn’t have the off-road hardware that gave the Patrol its stalwart reputation. Nissan has changed that with the newly redesigned Armada. 

The Armada is no longer V8-powered, either. Its replacement is a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6. Its 425 horsepower is 25 hp greater than the previous model’s 5.6-liter V8, and its peak torque of 516 lb-ft is 103 lb-ft greater than the previous engine. The old model’s 7-speed automatic transmission was also replaced by a more flexible 9-speed shiftable automatic transmission.  

But what puts the Armada in Patrol territory is the hardware added for the Pro-4X model. This starts with standard 4-wheel drive with a 2-speed transfer case and an electronically locking rear differential to help optimize the traction of the all-terrain tires on 20-inch wheels. The vehicle rides on a height-adjustable air suspension, which can raise the off-road ground clearance to 11.7 inches. That gives you a better chance to view the skid plates protecting the front, transfer case, and fuel tank. The front bumper has been modified to increase the approach angle and includes easily accessible hooks. “It all works very well, too,” says Cars.com, “…with ride quality off-road just as impressive as it is on-road. Nissan has tuned the new suspension beautifully, and the new frame — with its dramatic improvements to both stiffness and torsional rigidity — allows for improved ride quality and body response in that regard, as well.” 

“You won’t be going over the Rubicon Trail in an Armada Pro-4X,” says Cars.com, but it will take you anywhere you need to go, even if it includes the most neglected two tracks.  

The new Armada interior pulls off the “rugged on the outside, plush and comfortable on the inside” aspect of this category with an all-new interior that is luxurious with a nicely integrated dual digital screens that are either 12.3-inch or 14.3 inches in size, depending on trim. There is also a wide, thickly padded center console and center stack full of physical controls, so the screens don’t have to do all the work, and you can adjust things like the climate control instantly. The Pro-4X features “lava orange” trim details. The Pro-4X also comes with a standard 600-watt 11-speaker Klipsch audio system. And, of course, the Armada remains a three-row SUV with seating for eight. 

Whether you have been lamenting the loss of the full-size Land Cruiser or just want a capable 3-row SUV that is ready for anything, the new Armada is definitely worth a visit to Dick Smith Nissan of St. Andrews to check out, or as Cars.com sums it up: “The new Armada is a triumph of product planning and execution, and gives Nissan a great entry in the highly competitive, highly profitable full-size SUV class.”