Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 2 wheel drive 13/19, 4 wheel drive 13/18

Standard Safety Features: Driver and front passenger airbags, power-assisted disc brakes, ">Antilock Braking System (ABS), Inflatable side head curtain for all three rows.

Competition: Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition, Toyota Sequoia, Dodge Durango

Review

Vehicle History

The 2004 Nissan Pathfinder Armada is an all-new vehicle for this automaker. Armada, along with the Titan pickup truck, represents Nissan's first foray into the full-size truck and Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) market. Nissan believes the full-size SUV segment -- currently 760,000 units annually in the US -- is still a vital one providing a growth opportunity for the brand. The Pathfinder Armada is Nissan's fourth SUV along with the low-end Xterra, mid-size crossover Murano, and the mid-size Pathfinder.

Although Armada's projected market share will be small, around 40,000 units the first year, they see the segment as an important component of the company's revival. Nissan is clear about its desire to sell full-size trucks. The reasons are many. Full-Size SUVs are extremely profitable products. Selling a complete range of products supports Nissan efforts to be a tier-one brand in North America. And in order to be taken seriously by mainstream truck buyers, automakers have to produce serious work vehicles in order to compete.

Offering larger trucks will broaden Nissan's buyer base. Current Nissan SUV buyers now purchase an Armada when they need a larger vehicle - an option they didn't have before. Nissan passenger car customers now have an option when they need to add a large truck to the family vehicle mix. It used to be that if you needed a full-size SUV your options were products from GM, Toyota or Ford. Nissan owners had to leave the brand to get what they needed. Now they won't.

At 206.9 inches in length, the Pathfinder Armada is indeed a full-size truck. It fits in between the short and long wheelbase versions of competitive products like the Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, Toyota Sequoia, and Ford Expedition. It can even compete with the shortly-to-be-gone-from-the-market Ford Excursion.

Pathfinder Armada comes in three trim levels; the entry-level SE, SE Off-Road, and the high-end LE. All are available with either 2- or 4-wheel drive. Fold flat second and third row seats are standard.

Exterior Styling

Armada, and Titan, clearly show Nissan's truck design direction. The new Pathfinder, and Frontier pickup, will look like smaller versions of the Armada and Titan with nearly identical front fascias. They will all have the same three-opening grill with black mesh behind it, large halogen headlight clusters wrapping around, and over, the fenders. The lower bumper area has a large air intake for cooling. It is framed in chrome, and flanked by fog lights. The front and rear doors create an arching roofline that straightens out over the cargo area. Running boards are standard.

The large liftgate has a power-assist option that is a great feature.

Armada looks big and heavy, but by design. It uses an industrial, heavy-duty theme that says it can, "take on a tough job." The look is not mainstream like the full-size SUVs from GM, Toyota, Ford and Chrysler. Those are much more conservative. This look may not appeal to traditional truck and SUV owners who use their vehicles for work, and hauling, but to suburbanites, and those who want modern, cutting-edge design, they'll like it. If you want to stand out in crowd with a larger-than-life SUV, this is a product to consider.

Interior Styling

The interior of the Pathfinder Armada incorporates some of the same industrial look of the exterior, but with less positive results.

The instrument cowl is made of metallic-finish plastic that feels cheap, and in a few places, flimsy. A large, centered speedometer overlaps a tachometer on its right. On the left there are temperature and fuel gauges.

The center stack is made from the same metallic-finish plastic. It makes the interior resemble a boom box -- or an afterthought.

Several parts came off of the interior of the Armada we tested. This was particularly a problem in the front-passenger foot well. Other automotive journalists told us they had similar experiences.

It is the case we are testing prototypes, or very early production versions of the truck. This means it is unlikely all the quality control measures taken when the consumer's production models are produced would have been in place when the trucks we test drove were built. But it seemed like there were an unusually large number of flaking parts even for a preproduction model. Hopefully you will have a different experience. Make sure to look over the interior carefully while you shop, and before taking an Armada home.

The standard driver's seat has eight-way adjustments. Six-way adjustments are optional for the front-passenger seat. All the seats are roomy and comfortable. The second row seating comes standard with a fold-flat, bench seat. Nissan offers optional fold-flat, captain's chairs paired with a removable center console.

The second row has 41.9" of legroom. This is far more than any competitor has, even in the extended wheelbase versions. Large second row doors make the truck easy to get in and out, even for those with minor mobility concerns.

The third row has stadium seating. Passengers in the rear get a good view of the road, and are able to see front-row passengers. People sitting in the third row don't feel as isolated as in other, similar products.

The interior design of the Pathfinder Armada is disappointing, and not up to Nissan and Infiniti's normal cabin integration capabilities - they are among the best interior integrators of any automaker. Some parts look, and feel, cheap. More soft-touch surfaces should have been used. While buyers who have not experienced quality interiors before will find Amada's unobjectionable, those who know what Nissan and Infiniti are capable of, will be. So we look forward to the second generation Pathfinder Armada. We're sure that interior will be much improved.

Engine Performance

The Pathfinder Armada is powered by Nissan's 5.6-liter Titan Vk56DE Endurance V8 engine. The engine delivers 305-horsepower at 4,900 RPM and 379 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 RPM. Ninety percent of maximum torque is available at 2,500 RPM. Unlike the engines in full-size SUVs from General Motors and Ford, Armada's Titan engine is a Dual Overhead Cam design with 32 valves. It is the same engine used in the new Titan pickup truck. It is made of aluminum with cast iron cylinder sleeves.

Power is transmitted to the wheels though an electronically-controlled, 5-speed, automatic transmission with a tow/haul mode. The tow/haul mode revises the shift pattern when pulling weight. The transmission uses a gear set specifically for situations requiring high-torque. It also has a torque converter designed to improve fuel economy.

Armada's engine is one of its strongest features. It delivers lots of power, smoothly and quietly, especially when compared to most competitors. This makes Armada a good choice for a family vehicle -- how most will be used - or for those who want a quiet ride, even in a truck.

Ride and Handling

Armada's handling is reasonably good considering it is a HUGE vehicle. The steering is precise. Maneuvering in and out of parking spaces is not difficult. The turning radius is large. However some competitors require even more room to completely change directions.

We hoped Armada would have had a better ride. But then again, it is a BIG ol' truck. We found the ride jarring. In our area there is a stretch of uneven highway we use to compare the ride quality of vehicles we test drive. Armada took this stretch of road hard, bouncing wildly, so much so we felt the need to slow down.

We took several long, 140 mile round trip drives, just as a commuter would. We did this several days in a row. By the time we finished these drives, we were exhausted; exhausted by the bouncing, sliding around, and all the work it took to drive the truck in heavy traffic, over long distances. Some competitive products are more comfortable to drive long distances, others are not. Certainly this is not the use Armada is built for.

We recommend this vehicle to people who drive short distances, in light traffic. It would work for around-the-neighborhood use. But not for long trips, or stop-and-go traffic. It is too fatiguing.

Safety

Armada comes well equipped with many standard safety features. It has Nissan's Advanced Airbag System with dual-stage, front, supplemental airbags. It has seatbelt sensors, and a front-passenger occupant classification sensor. Roof-mounted, head-curtain supplemental airbags are standard in Armada. These airbags help provide rollover, and side-impact, protection to all three rows of seating. There are also seat-mounted, side-impact supplemental airbags.

LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether for Children) child seat anchors are standard, of course. And (very important!) there are 3-point seatbelts for every seating position. The front belts also have pretensioners and load limiters.

In Conclusion

Nissan and Infiniti both has been on winning streaks with their new product introductions over the past few years. Among the best of the products are the Maxima, 350Z, G35, FX35 and FX45. All are great vehicles. Armada unfortunately is not one of them.

We understand it is important for Nissan to become a player in the full-size SUV and truck market. But Armada is not yet refined-enough to challenge the domination of other automakers in the marketplace. While the size, exterior styling, and features are competitive, the ride quality and interior refinements are not.

Nissan will likely sell every Pathfinder Armada they manufacture. But it is the second generation of this product, with the refinements that will certainly come, that will tell if Nissan can break into major truck markets like Texas, or into family use, which is what the product is intended for.

Pros: Good engine, second- and third-row passenger legroom, great standard safety package.

Cons: Interior lacks refinement, proper fit, and materials feel cheap. Rough ride. Exhausting drive for long hauls.

Ratings (1-10)

• Style: 7
• Performance: 8
• Price: 8
• Handling: 7
• Ride: 6
• Comfort: 7
• Quality: 7
• *Overall: 7.1

More Data

Where Built: Mississippi

Major Options:Leather Package, Sunroof Package, Journey Package, Tow Package, DVD entertainment system, .

Seating: 8

Number of Rows: 3

Length in Inches: 206.9

Warranties: 3 years/36,000 limited warranty, 6 years/unlimited corrosion,. 5 years/60,000 powertrain

Weight in Pounds: 5,290.

Maximum Payload in Pounds: Not Available.

Maximum Gross Vehicle Weigh in Pounds: 3,305

Towing Capacity in Pounds: Not Available.

Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 28.0

Destination Charge: $565