2012 Nissan Armada Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Nissan Armada overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Armada, and includes Nissan Armada safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The 2012 Nissan Armada is a full-size SUV built to compete with models like the Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition and Toyota Sequoia. Available with rear- or four-wheel drive, the Armada features V8 power, can tow up to 9,000 pounds, and is offered in three well-equipped trim levels.

Though the proliferation of 40-mpg compacts may suggest otherwise, the full-size SUV continues to serve the needs of large families and those who haul or tow considerable loads. Among the options available to buyers is the 2012 Nissan Armada, which, depending on trim level, offers a newly standard power liftgate as well as heated front and second-row seats. A Brilliant Silver exterior color option is also new for 2012.

Starting things off for the 2012 Nissan Armada lineup is the rear-wheel-drive SV variant, equipped with a leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated audio controls, cloth upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, and an eight-speaker stereo with a six-disc CD changer. That all constitutes a bounty of amenities, especially considering the SV’s bottom-wrung status among Armadas. But, Nissan keeps the gravy train rolling with standard dual-zone climate control, heated mirrors, reclining second-row seats, a fold-flat third-row bench, power-adjustable foot pedals, and basics like cruise control and a keyless entry system.

A power liftgate is optional on the rear-drive Armada SV, but is standard on four-wheel-drive SV models, as are front fog lights, a rearview monitor, a tow package, Bluetooth connectivity, and an 11-speaker Bose sound system with XM satellite radio and rear audio controls.

The mid-level Armada SL offers the same content on rear- and four-wheel-drive versions. Leather upholstery, power-adjustable and heated front seats, an electronically folding third-row bench, a push-button ignition system, and chrome exterior trim compliment the SV 4WD model’s standard feature list. Buyers with a few extra bills to spend may want to consider the SL’s optional moonroof or rear DVD entertainment system.

Those desirable upgrades are standard fare on the top-of-the-line 2012 Nissan Armada Platinum, which is also home to 18-inch chrome alloy wheels, a heated steering wheel, a navigation system with real-time traffic and weather information, power-operated third-row vent windows, and heated seats for front and second-row passengers. Normally, the Armada accommodates up to eight people, but the Platinum can be equipped with optional second-row captain’s chairs that cut capacity to seven.

Regardless of which trim is selected, the 2012 Nissan Armada is equipped with a 5.6-liter, flex-fuel V8 that generates 317 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission is standard. In rear-wheel-drive guise, the Armada is expected to travel 13 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway, and promises to tow up to 8,200 pounds. Four-wheel-drive variants can tug up to 9,000 pounds, though fuel economy drops to 12 mpg around town and 18 mpg on the freeway.

For the 2012 Nissan Armada, safety is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, this substantial people mover is equipped with features such as stability control, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and six airbags. That collection of equipment is becoming common on most vehicles, and for good reason.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t prevent the Armada from receiving only 3 out of 5 Stars in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rollover tests. Additional safety ratings for this big SUV are unavailable, as neither the NHTSA nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had evaluated the 2012 Armada’s crash-test protection when this article was originally published.

Reliability data is a bit easier to come by, and has led Consumer Reports to add Nissan’s full-size SUV to its list of Recommended vehicles, despite a prediction of merely average dependability. J.D. Power and Associates had not rated the 2012 Armada at the time of this writing, but the 2011 model received an average rating in this regard.

In the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 APEAL Study, which measures customer satisfaction with a vehicle’s performance and design, the Nissan Armada was named the Most Appealing model in its class.

With all three rows of seats occupied, the Nissan Armada offers 20 cubic-feet of cargo space. Fold the third-row, and it can swallow 56.7 cu-ft of cargo. Maximum cargo volume measures 97.1, which is not particularly competitive amongst full-size SUVs.

The 2012 Nissan Armada is built in Canton, Mississippi.

Despite a recommendation from Consumer Reports, average dependability is nothing to write home about. The same can be said of mediocre crash-test results and fuel economy ratings that never pass the 20-mpg threshold. However, the Armada earns its stripes, and the consideration of SUV shoppers, thanks to a spacious interior, a host of family-friendly features, and a torquey V8 that contributes to the 2012 Nissan Armada’s 9,000 maximum towing capacity.

By Thom Blackett