2021 Nissan Armada

Nissan’s varied lineup of SUVs, pickup trucks, and EVs usually perform well in our road tests, but their Overall Scores suffer because of up-and-down reliability and average to below-average owner satisfaction. Inconsistent quality across the brand means some Nissans are a better choice than others. Many of its gasoline vehicles use small turbocharged engines and continuously variable transmissions to give owners both competitive fuel economy and sporty performance. Most new Nissans come standard with a full suite of active safety and driver assist systems. It’s also one of the few remaining brands that sells a sub-compact sedan, the Versa. The compact Sentra, a mainstay within Nissan’s lineup, earned a high score in our road test and is recommended. Nissan was an early EV trailblazer with the Leaf hatchback, and now sells larger five-passenger EV SUVs. Used Nissans have average reliability according to our surveys.

This less expensive version of the Infiniti QX80 is powered by a slick and powerful 390-hp, 5.6-liter V8. We got a paltry 14 mpg overall, however. Though the soft suspension absorbs bumps well, the body jostles frequently. Handling is clumsy, with slow steering and pronounced body roll, but it's ultimately secure. Inside, the spacious cabin has a premium feel, particularly in Platinum trim. Controls are a bit dated, and it's a long reach to some buttons and knobs. Seven- or eight-passenger seating configurations are available, and the third row can power fold and unfold. Available in rear-wheel or full-time four-wheel drive, the Armada can tow a generous 8,500 pounds. Updates for the 2019 model included standard forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The Armada received a freshening for 2021, the engine now has 400 hp. Standard safety features include Nissan's Shield 360. This suite includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, lane departure warning, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. Also, dual-zone automatic climate control is standard on all trims. Updates for 2022 include one-touch folding third-row function for power seat-equipped models.