Nissan Armada

The 2004 Nissan Armada is an all-new full-size sport-utility vehicle that's every bit as big as a Ford Expedition.Based on the new Nissan Titan full-size pickup, the Armada is actually a little larger than the Toyota Sequoia, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon.

Armada seats seven or eight people.The interior is comfortable, convenient and luxurious.Three rows of seats are provided, with limo-like roominess in the second row.Nissan claims best-in-class rear legroom and we believe it.The back seat looks and feels much roomier than the Expedition, which isn't exactly cramped.Both rear rows fold flat giving the Armada enormous cargo capacity.

Equipped with a powerful V8, the Armada is impressive underway.Nissan's new 5.6-liter engine delivers strong torque for quick acceleration and the ability to pull trailers of up to 9,100 pounds.A smooth five-speed automatic transmission adds to the responsiveness of the 32-valve double overhead-cam V8.

Handling is impressive as well.The four-wheel independent suspension and rack-and-pinion steering give the Armada a direct and steady feel, whether cruising down the highway, hustling through the hills or parking in a crowded lot.Armada was designed in California and is built at Nissan's brand-new $1.43 billion factory in Canton, Mississippi.

About that name: Initially called the Pathfinder Armada, it's now simply called simply Armada.That's good, but this full-size SUV has absolutely nothing to do with the Nissan Pathfinder, a mid-size SUV.(Nissan will be introducing an all-new Pathfinder for 2005.) Whatever you call it, Nissan's new full-size SUV is superb.