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Hybrid Body On Frame Sport Utility Vehicles

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The second-generation Armada has sailed into port.

Few manufacturers build full-size, traditional body-on-frame sport utility vehicles these days. Count Nissan among the few.

Among mainstream brands, the Nissan Armada, Toyota Sequoia, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe, and the Ford Expedition are your choices. Of the five, the Armada is the newest name, but for several years it was the oldest moniker in terms of product age.

That’s all changed now as the 2017 Nissan Armada is out, the second generation of this big eight-passenger SUV.

Derived From the Nissan Patrol

The first-generation model was built from 2004 to 2016 and was underpinned by the same platform powering the Nissan Titan pickup truck. The Titan itself is all-new for 2017, but …show more content…

All-New Endurance Engine

The all-new Armada shares the same 5.6-liter, V8 gasoline engine found in the Titan and Titan XD. Known as “Endurance,” the engine is the same size as the previous V8, but otherwise it, too, is new.

Nissan says the beefy V8 is outfitted with variable valve event & lift (VVEL) technology for improved response and performance. Further, Nissan enhanced throttle response by controlling the intake valve and also employs direct injection gas technology.

Where the previous engine created 317 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque, the latest engine makes 390 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. Nissan rounds out the powertrain with a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Powerful, Expressive Exterior

Without getting lost in the details, Nissan combined elements from its other vehicles to develop the new Armada’s exterior. To begin, the grille offers a familiar look, one advanced by the popular Pathfinder crossover. While the headlamp assembly is similar to the Titan’s, it offers its own look. The lower grille or air intake is unique, coming in wider and longer than the pickup truck line.

The truck’s frontal presentation is muscular, with a sculpted hood not unlike the Titan’s. So, what you have here is a combination of existing and new Nissan elements to establish the Armada’s face.

Front to back this SUV is burly. Nissan went easy on

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