The Old Nissan Armada Is A Dirt-Cheap Way Into A Reliable Modern Tow Rig

Vehicles that do jobs often hold serious resale value. Just look at what lightly used subcompact cars or cargo vans command compared to their prices when new, and you’ll see what I’m talking about. This leaves people who tow in a bit of a pickle. Late-model trucks are pretty pricey, and most full-size SUVs from the same period command serious moolah. Thankfully, there’s an exception to every rule, and that exception is the second-generation Nissan Armada.

The Armada is a great example of sticking to a solid formula, and although it might not have made the same showroom impression as a GMC Yukon, you can now pick up a gently used Armada for way, way less than one of its competitors and feel confident in keeping it for the long-haul.

Truthfully, I’d pushed the Armada to the back of my mind until member Stephan emailed us to share the fantastic experience he’s been having with his second-generation Armada. It’s a perfectly cromulent SUV, with moderately posh appointments thanks to twinning with the Infiniti QX80, and it’s now a screaming bargain.

While the Armada originally launched as a Titan pickup truck-based SUV, for 2017, it basically became a rebadged Nissan Patrol, a major Land Cruiser competitor in other markets. That means it’s appointed more like an Infiniti than a regular Nissan, with available creature comforts like semi-aniline leather, heated and cooled front seats, a 360-degree camera system, and woodgrain galore. An update for 2021 added a new center stack and a bunch of tech including wireless Apple CarPlay, making the Armada a pretty nice rig to put some miles on.

Under the hood sits a 5.6-liter VK56VD V8 engine pumping out 390 horsepower and 394 lb.-ft. of torque, increased to 400 horsepower and 413 lb.-ft. of torque for 2021. Hitched to a fairly solid seven-speed automatic transmission, this combination lets the second-generation Armada tow up to 8,500 pounds, a respectable if not class-leading number. However, the real appeal of this powertrain isn’t just predictable power delivery, it’s that other than irregular tolerances in a few 2017 model year engines, it just keeps on trucking. Avoid the first model year just in case, simply do the routine maintenance, and it’ll treat you alright.

It’s the same deal with the platform. Sure, it might still use hydraulic power steering and the ride quality isn’t as buttoned-down as on a Chevrolet Tahoe, but the solid rear axle is simple stuff, and both brakes and suspension parts are reasonably priced. As a bonus, the second-generation Armada seems to have fixed the differential issues and cracked manifolds that affected first-generation models, so it really is a solid, if slightly outdated-feeling performer with a relaxed attitude. As Car And Driver wrote in a road test of the 2021 model:

The posh ambiance of the Platinum model is a prelude to how the Armada conducts itself on the road. There’s effortless power underfoot; the last Armada we tested got to 60 mph in less than six seconds, and we expect the same of the new one. Its ride is pleasantly hushed, and it traverses bumps and ruts with admirable suppleness despite rolling on 22-inch wheels. This is a relaxed cruiser with not a whiff of playfulness to its steering, brakes, or handling. But the Armada does drive competently and comfortably—which for a lot of SUV buyers is more than enough. Towing capacity is a stout 8500 pounds.

On the road, the second-generation Armada has the confident, trustworthy feel of a GMT800 Tahoe, but with a far nicer interior. However, even if it isn’t as roomy as the domestic competition, rock-bottom pricing can do a lot to sway buying influence. Want leather, four-wheel-drive, and the confidence of a certified pre-owned warranty? Here’s a 2023 Armada SL with 61,006 miles on the clock up for sale at a Nissan dealer in Texas for $36,883. That’s right, this thing’s only two years old.

However, if you’re willing to look at non-certified pre-owned examples, aren’t picky on trim, and don’t mind a bit more mileage, that’s where things get really cheap. How about a 2022 Armada SV with four-wheel-drive and 71,689 miles on the clock for $26,994? This black example’s listed for sale in Connecticut, and it’s physically an immense amount of car for the money.

Oh yeah, and things can get even cheaper from here if you’re okay with a pre-facelift model with higher mileage and a minor hit on the Carfax. This 2019 Armada SL Premium has 91,207 miles on the clock, and it’s up for sale in New Jersey for a mere $18,990. You likely aren’t getting an American full-size body-on-frame SUV this new for this cheap, making the Armada a serious deal.

So, if you need to tow something big and need a recent body-on-frame SUV for compact crossover money, why not take a 2018 or newer second-generation Nissan Armada for a spin? It’ll get you and your trailer where you need to go, and from where I’m sitting, it looks like a screaming deal.

[Hat-tip to Stephan!]

Top graphic credit: Nissan

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