The Land Cruiser Is DEAD: The Nissan Armada Is a GREAT Alternative You Probably Haven't Considered!
( www.alltfl.com/) Check out our new spot to find ALL our content, from news to videos and our podcasts! There's a certain charm to old-school V8 SUVs like the Toyota Land Cruiser. So much so, that enthusiasts all over the U.S. mourned its passing (and have been upset that the new 300 Series isn't for sale here). There is still one big, three-row SUV with a V8 engine and a strong reputation, especially overseas: the Nissan Armada. Kase and Alex take a look at the brand's flagship body-on-frame SUV in this review!
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#nissan #suv #review
A Nissan Armada PRO4X would sell like hotcakes in the US market.
2 inch lift. 18 inch wheels. Chopped in front for approach angle. No doubt.
Yes. Yes it would 😊
It’s still a Armanda. They need to redesign it. The Americans set the standard in Large SUVs for size and luxury.
No.
I don’t think so. The Titan Pro 4x doesn’t sell. When the US thinks off road, it thinks American brands (or used to be American) and Toyota. Nissan is an afterthought.
The Armada is neutered for the American market though. It misses crucial off-roading feature that the overseas Patrol does have like a proper locking rear diff and sway bars that can disconnect for extra suspension travel.
You can always disconnect the sway bar, one way is just more steps lol
This nissan armada looks a bit better than the patrol.
The Y62 Patrol that we get in Australia is definitely made more robust for off-road duties that the Armada with a beefy LSD at the rear that is also lockable. More offroad drive modes are available as well. Also, the HBMC (Hydraulic Body Motion Control), system that we have fitted performs the function of anti-roll or sway bars but there are no such mechanical items fitted. Each wheel has double-acting hydraulic pistons in lieu of traditional shock absorbers. These are inter-linked via a pressurised hydraulic system and, through clever engineering will dampen roll when on the road but allow full wheel articulation when offroad - all done passively without the need for electronic control, actuators or pumps etc. Also, the VK56VD engine is definitely not old-school pushrod OHV - its 32-valve, quad camshaft with the VVEL system that provides continuously variable valve timing and also valve lift which gives it great low down torque and spins smoothly and rapidly to its 6200 RPM peak.
@@johncanalese588 The middle eastern nissan patrol le platinum city v8 is the best patrol in the world. In tech, luxury and offroad. You can literally put 295/60/20 on stock rims without doing anything. Thats a 33.9 inch tyre. Its one of the top 10 best offroading vehicles currently.
@@oriondoublecrossed The major difference between the UAE Patrol and Australian Patrol is the Interior. All RHD markets are stuck with the Older interior unfortunately as Nissan Japan said they couldn’t justify the cost to engineer it. Have a look as the many YT channels and see what Aussie’s have done - we put 35” tyres on them, 2-3” lifts etc.
True V8 power no cylinder management system bs.
Would love to see an Armada Pro-4x Midnight with all the offroad equipment from the Titan. Throw in the Y62 Nismo tuning for 28 more hp.
I was hinted to by a Nissan Dealer sales manager that for 2025 There could be a redesign of the Armada with a TTV6 Motor based off the new Titan and would have a PRO-4X trim option...
I really like my 19 Armada I mostly wanted a big SUV that every soccer mom was not already driving. Plus it is made in Japan and the build quality is amazing no rattles or squeaks!
biggest issues will be control arm & rear shock bolts. once they rust & become one it takes a torch, sawzall, & a lot of hours to replace
Nismo Patrol in the mideast is awesome. As for the mpg of the vk56 being bad, it brings to mind the old addage - if it's powerful and reliable it won't get good gas mileage; if it's reliable and gets good gas mileage it won't be powerful; if it's powerful and gets good gas mileage it won't be reliable.
Spot on analysis
The engine is used in the Armada/Patrol is bombproof. It has been used in both racing and nascar (lmp3,lmp2,gt1) 800-1000hp
You guys should do a video on the older armadas. I have a 08 that has 166k and its awesome. The Armada is very underrated. Ive towed a few cars with mine and it pulls them with no problem. They are pretty reliable too. I took it on a 2000 mile road trip and averaged around 21mpg. Which is exactly the same as I got with a 2019 4Runner. They are also fairly cheap to buy used. Its a great alternative to the GM suvs and the Sequoia.
We have an 05 Armada SE with 310k and an 08 Armada LE with 190k and to this day the are the most used and most reliable cars in our family
We have a ‘21 Armada and really enjoying it. It’s been good for road trips and for hauling kids around to sports. The best feature is the V8. It’s powerful and sounds great. Very smooth ride for its size.
Same! Dimond in the rough, excellent vehicle
More of these guys on the channel, pls!
Will do
They are super underrated trucks. I have had nothing but good experiences from the many I have owned. Both titan & Armada. Wish the Armada came in a pro-4x trim to match my titan 🫡.
I almost bought one of these last year. Lots of room and smooth powerful V8. The issue I had, was it fitting in the garage.
These get highly modified here in Australia. Known as the Y62 Patrol here. Dash offload ( youtube ) does heaps of the modifications.
We enjoy our '19 Plat Reserve after coming from an '06 QX56 then '12 QX56. Wife liked the interior two-tone of the Armada. And it was way cheaper for way less miles for used ones when compared to the QX80 and very little missing in the Armada.
Solid video. These two guys are well spoken and informative. More of this combo 👍🏽
For a TLF video you guys are so chilled, relaxed, positive approach… very refreshing …. I think I’m gonna be getting this truck..
HAPPY WEDNESDAY....THANKS ALEX AND KASE 👏👏👏.....HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY EVERYONE ✌️
Your underrated as well kase your doing awesome job love ya champ. I’m so proud of you
We sold our 200 series Landcruiser v8 twin turbo diesel and upgraded to a brand new 22 y62 Nissan patrol and haven’t looked back! Does everything better than the 200 from amount of space inside, road manners, towing heavy weight and the list can go on!! I never liked the pre-face lifted Patrol but love the current facelift look. Only thing I’m unhappy with is the wood grain interior and 8” centre stack icc unit which I am changing to the 12.3” current LHD centre icc unit
Also the rear camera can be just regular glass mirror if you flip the middle tab down.
Great content guys, looks like a pretty good bargain. Thanks for sharing! Billy D
I do a panoramic sunroof kit for these in Asia and Middle East. Includes the ceiling. Makes a huge difference.
As someone who just recently cross shopped this Armada/Qx80 against a new Lexus GX, I can say that MPG was not a factor in my buying decision. It was the dealership network. I went to several different dealerships to look at models on the lots and there was a huge difference in professionalism between the staff at Lexus and the staff Nissan/Infiniti. I ended up buying a new GX460 premium. I’m not sure why people in the comments love to celebrate the GX in videos for its old school charm and durable v8 (that only has a center locking differential on most trims) but then shred the Armada for having nearly the exact same qualities. I really liked the Armada/QX and if it weren’t for their terrible/unprofessional employees I probably would have gone with their bigger and more powerful platform.
I think you made the right choice. That Lexus will probably be more reliable too.
I shopped the GX 460 for four years...each year I heard the next year would finally bring Apple Car Play and an updated infotainment system/head unit...not in a hurry, I waited. By the 3rd year, COVID hit, supplies were limited, dealer discounts disappeared, and crazy above-MSRP gouging kicked in. Now, the new GX 550 looks really nice...but it's not generally the best idea to buy the first year of a complete redesign. I recently rented an Armada for a week...I really liked it. At 6'4", there was plenty of head and shoulder room. I am tired of waiting and think I may get an Armada.
As a Lexus owner totally agree that their dealer experience is the best in the auto market. But the LX is $25-30k more for comparable Armada. The GX is an option if you want V8 but you will get a Lexus that is 3-4 yrs older.
We run 35x12.5x20” Maxxis Razr M/T tyres, drive it fairly hard and use 16.5L/100km on the highway and when towing the 3.2T 26ft caravan sitting on 100-105kph we range between 22L/100km - 28L/100km which isn’t bad considering it’s a heavy beast with a large V8
Its sold as nissan patrol in middle east & its very popular here, extremely reliable too ❤️
Titan/Armada has always been underappreciated. They are solid trucks. Love my Titan. Solid warranty, despite having no issues other than normal items any vehicle would need. Wouldn't hesitate for a second if I was in the market for such a vehicle.
That vista at the beginning was wild, where was that?
When’s the last time you had a flat tire? I had one 17 years ago and I drive my pickup everyday
Timing belt still near the AC which would squeak overtime like any other nissan?
I own a 2014 Armada with 120k in it and its an awesome suv. I can't say enough good things about the Armada. I'm really glad to see that Nissan upgraded the tech in it. I'm looking to upgrade this year and I will be checking out the one.
Is Nissan Armada called Nissan Y62 in Australia or are they different?
I’m trying to get a new one to test against my dad’s old first gen. I was driving it the other day thinking the same thing. Great video! Maybe if we shout loud enough, Nissan will make a Pro-4X trim 😂
I switched from a GMC to Nissan Armada a long time ago and don't regret a single thing. Started out wth a first gen that was amazing! Got a new one in 2019 and again amazing! Yes, it uses a bit of gas but over the years, I learned how to drive the V8 and get 16.9 MPG combined. It can pull just about anything, roomy, quiet, and versatile. Couldn't ask for more.
Great looking motor, great video.Thanks fur sharing
Good day. Fan from the Philippines. I ordered a Toyota Prado 4 months ago and it never came. So I decided to get a Nissan Patrol and I was lucky enough to get it after a week then it's a year waiting list. I got the Patrol for 90k usd. The LC300 is way overpriced because of mark up so a LC would cost around 145k usd. I love my Patrol and it's great for my family.
Does this Nissan engine design still chew up the cylinders as it ages with sticky low tension oil rings?
Here in New Zealand that Nissan is known as the patrol. New one is approximately $110,000 nz. That is top of line four wheel drive. Some like the v8 for towing trailers and long drives. Fuel prices here in New Zealand (nz) are ridiculous. It's about twice what Americans pay. As for the instrument cluster. A lot of us old timers prefer basic clusters.
Nice review, guys. Nothing beats the sound of V8. Question: Does Nissan use old style steel sleeves in Armada block or they also switched to Ford patented cylinder plasma coating as they do in Nissan GTR block? Looking for this info everywhere can not find. Would appreciate if you could clarify. Thank you.
I don’t see why it still wouldn’t. All they did to the 5.6 for this generation was add Direct injection. I’ve tried finding the info as well, and I only see it on the GTR.
@@elonsus9747 sounds encouraging
Agree this is a good value and often overlooked.
The world knows this as the Nissan Patrol -- and it's almost the national car of the UAE!
Big in Australia too, even more so now as the LC300 has become so stupidly over-priced.
Super underappreciated sleeper vehicle here!
It's very capable on the original version, the Nissan Patrol y62.
4:05 it’s called “ruched” leather, and it’s indeed considered a luxurious pattern in the garment and leather accessories industry. Mercedes Benz used to do it on their interior door trims (W140 and W220 come to mind)
Miss the gen 1 body styling
The Land Cruiser is back!!!
I see everybody cry about how slow the 3rd row motors are but i promise in real world applications, you will have already had the seats down if you planned on using the additional space
Only thing missing in us market the rear locker 😢
Also cooler box on the center console, as Middle East market , very handy on summer time.
Right! i was just thinking about that the other day, why haven't folks pivoted to the Armada/Patrol in the states now that the Land Cruiser is bust? Not quite the reputation, but still, you know? Seems like maybe an opportunity for Nissan to do an even more "offroady" Armada "Patrol" version or something?
I have a QX80 version of it On my 2nd one in 5 years Love it I drive a lot Kids family hauling trailer I like the old platform that some ppl dislike
This generation Armada is cool if we were in 2010 when it cane out overseas as the Patrol. Time they get to drawing board and bring a new GX460 fighter!
The vehicle looks substantial...until I hear you open the rear passenger door and the front passenger door. Both had a tinny sound which in my mind says very little sound deadening materials in the door(s). It sounded cheap.
My expedition can barely give me 15mpg.. I want the Armanda! Expedition has the cam phasers and guess who is paying for the fix?
Honestly, if I can be just a bit "candid", you got a long way to go if this impresses you. Coming from a guy who's been traversing the African bush for over 40 years not just in 4x4s but 2WDs too
I love Nissan Armada! It's just replacing my uncle's Traverse who wanted to upgrade to a bigger SUV last week and it still has V8!!!
Well yeah that's great and all but we need to see how it holds up 200k+ miles because there's plenty of LandCruisers that have the claim to fame even 300k+ with little to no major problems.
Here in the Middle East i have seen many nissan patrol with both engines VK56DE and VK56VD last for over 500k kilometers wich is over 310k miles and still running as rock. If you consider the weather here is the Middle East is so hot 120+ F in the summer 😅 they should last for ever in cooler weather like The USA
This car is very weird to me bcuz where im from Armada and Patrol were two separate cars but now they morphed into one and in some places its called Armada and other places its a patrol
They can be had used for under $30K for a 4x4 with a fair amount of features. Concerns for me would be replacing the wheels, removing the running boards and doing an entire suspension and lift.
Love the Pathfinder Amanda ❤
a nismo off road pkg and make the 5.6 v8 a variable compression engine based on the 3.8 v6
Very happy with my 2020 Infiniti QX80 which is based on the Nissan Patrol/Armada…it is a traditional full size SUV…normally aspirated 400 HP V8…8500 lbs towing….extremely reliable and proven….doesnt have all the high tech I don’t need or want and will break…The low gas mileage is your reliably tax, is how I look at it.
Love to see it with the 9 speed.
Mpg might suck, but I think it tows a lot more than the others.
Can the newer armada models run 87 octane? Thanks!
Yes, they can. I use 87 for daily city driving and 91 when I pull.
The land cruiser is not dead, it wears a Lexus badge in the US.
Under appreciated is right. This car is so cool and comes with a lot of stuff.
I’ll say this, i always wanted one and after paying off my 2018 vw atlas I decided to get the armada, i test drove one and i was very disappointed from the thin steering wheel and the infotainment. End up buying 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L and hated it turned it in after 6 month for an 2022 Audi A5 went the opposite direction Similar priced but way way better and quality.
In Australia we get the old 2012 interior because Nissan doesn't want to update the RHD market. Such a massive disappointment
is also the most expensive under appreciative suv... nissan in my area are too proud and they run from low 60 to hi 70s
The QX has a noticeably better ride, and more comfortable seats. I would pick it any day over the Armada. Also, they depreciate like crazy so you can pick up a low mileage one for a really good price.
I’m assuming this is what we call the Patrol elsewhere in the world.
At that price, gx460 is probably a better value..
I am still on the fence because I have been searching for a full size SUV. The GX460 is a beautiful SUV however it is smaller and dos not have the interior space of the armada.
@@tonyahaynes5195 true. Third row is very cramped. But the legendary reliability is what convinced me to get a GX. Another downside is fuel consumption but that buttery smooth drivetrain makes that extra fuel cost worth it.
Kase buy some different pants! Im not trying to give you a hard time as the mustard color pants look good but just change it up a bit, add another color, style, live dangerous lol. Other than that you do great and very thorough and your reviews are excellent.
Once you go with the Infinity you will have to use premium fuel.
Needs panoramic sunroof and put a straight inline 6
Still gets better fuel economy than my '10 Frontier V6
Is that Nederland?
Big and comfortable doesn't make it as good as a land cruiser. In fact, that's the least of the LC's qualities.
Nissan is often an overlooked brand. Their attention to detail and quality always seems to be pretty strong.
I heard Nissan Armadas go through engines like I go through a bag of M&Ms.
There were some with scoured cylinder number 7s for 17 - 19. Problem has long been corrected. The 5.6 is easily the most reliable motor you can get in anything new that’s full size right now. GM and ram still have lifter issues with their DOD systems. Cam phasers all the time with Fords Ecoboost. Fords coyote V8 is amazing but it also has DOD now in the Gen 4. Time will tell if it will have issues.
😂
@@AB-coyote The Gen 4 Coyote has been out 2 full years now and haven’t heard of any issues with cylinder deactivation thus far. I figure if it was going to be a notable problem hints would have apparent by now as there are already some higher mileage Gen 4 5.0s out there
@@BC08 a whole 2 years. Cmon now. I want it to work. I love the coyote. I have a 700HP boosted coyote In my 17 Mustang. I am definitely a bit of a coyote fan boy.
@@AB-coyote Plenty of commercial trucks are well over 100K by now - it’s been enough time to tell there probably isn’t going to be a widespread problem related to DOD at this point. Not everyone is on a 10,000mi/YT usage profile
this is underrated only because of its vintage interior
Cargo space is the only draw back for me
I eat lunch at that overlook most days
Nissan sells too few of these to have a real update. I expect it to stay the same for many years to come. BOF and V8 are the big perks of this SUV. The most important is the huge discount. It is 12K off MSRP where I live. It does not make sense to pay MSRP for a tahoe or a sequoia. Buy an armada while you can.
Those pants are fly! Ochre. Nice color.
Wow in Asia I've been seeing alooot of land cruisers, like everywhere in Asia.
Does anyone really like power 3rd row? I feel like this is money that could be allotted to so many other things in vehicles
Good job gents, I got a 2017 Seqouia 5.7 that I love tons of power. Never really thought of an Armada as a replacement. It will take several years for Toyota to work out the bugs with that 3.5 twin turbo hybrid, will give Nissan a test drive, thanks!
So what is wrong with the Land Cruiser, I don't get it?
No longer available in US. Far superior otherwise
My 92 still looks and drives like new, 350 thousand miles on it.
This and the Infiniti version. They look so big but not much room on the inside.
I would consider the Armada if it wasnt for that Bubba Gump bottom lip back end sticking out. I cant look at it and not think of Bubba from Forest Gump. Edit: Also dude looks like a young Tom Cruise. Just putting it out there. Lol
I trust Toyotas way more than I trust Nissan products. Didn't the Car Wizard put this on his 'not to buy' list?
Why so much fluff? Brake tests, slolum test, real acceleration tests, that would be nice.
I’ll tell you, if they find a way to maintain the weight, retain that engine but hybridize it +70mi range, and improve handling and comfort, the Land Cruiser 300 series will be in big trouble.
I just wish Nissan released the updated interior in RHD
The Land Cruiser isn’t dead (maybe in the US) but the 300 series is here in Australia not that I think it worth getting.
Why hybrid? Old school is way better than anything out there.thanks for the video
Super similar to r51 pathfinder seems like this should have been the new pathfinder
I cant stand the rippled leather on the door panels. It looks to me like someone who tried to DIY upholstery work 😂 They should have done the quilted look on the door panels to match the seats
Why no HBMC? Shame on Nissan for not including it; particularly at the price point.