2026 Nissan Armada NISMO Review: Crazy, But It Works

Every once and a while Nissan’s high-performance NISMO arm goes a bit off the rails, and we love them for it.

Back in the day, there were no fewer than three different Juke NISMO models. More recently, pedestrian SUVs like the X-Trail and all-electric Ariya have gotten the full NISMO treatment in other regions. Then, there’s the one that’s always intrigued us, the Patrol NISMO.

Heavily related to the Nissan Armada, a full-fledged NISMO version of the Patrol has been available for years overseas, while us in North America have missed out. Those days have come to an end. This year, Nissan finally brings us the brand’s sporty full-size 2026 Armada NISMO SUV.   

We promised to stop with the number of times we call the Armada large, but big it is. The NISMO actually increases the overall length a bit, up to 210.9-inches (5,359 mm), while width at 83.3-inches (2,350 mm), and height at 76.6-inches (1,955 mm) stay the same.

It’s easy to distinguish the NISMO from other Armadas thanks to a unique front fascia treatment, including lower lip spoiler, NISMO badges, and grille. The low profile side skirts also double as step rails and combine with fender flares to give the Armada a sporty stance. At the back, there is an exclusively spoiler and more NISMO badging. Finally, the ubiquitous lower red NISMO striping and a set of 22-inch NISMO exclusive RAYS wheels completes the look.

Overall, it’s a bit over the top and maybe not everyone’s style, but we like it.

Powertrain and Fuel Economy:

Under the hood, the 2026 Nissan Armada continues to use a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 engine, even in the NISMO edition. Power does increase here to 460 hp, an improvement of 35 ponies compared to other Armada models. Torque remains the same at 516 lb-ft, but that’s still quite robust. Despite the sportier nature of the NISMO, it retains the nine-speed automatic transmission complete with a two-speed transfer case.

On the road, the sportiest of Armadas feels more responsive. It may have more to do with throttle mapping and accelerator pedal response than the increased power figures, but the vehicle is more eager to climb through the engine’s rev range. There’s a freer feeling to how it develops and puts down power. It’s not like the regular Armada feels slow by any means, the NISMO just feels less strained, more fluid, and a better all around. We hope this set-up goes into other trims soon, especially the Platinum.

More important than even the power increase are the changes to the suspension. The 2026 Nissan Armada NISMO uses an adaptive air suspension, but with NISMO tuning. The vehicle sits slightly lower to the ground, with clearances listed at 8.8-inches in the standard setting, and up to 10.9-inches in the off-road setting. That’s about 0.7-1.0-inches lower than other Armada trims.

The lower ground clearance translates to better handling and vehicle response. A corner-carver the Armada NISMO is not, but unlike other versions of the SUV, the NISMO is much more intuitive to operate. The top-heavily, roly-poly feel behind the wheel is greatly reduced. Like the engine improvements, it’s much more fluid and eager to respond to inputs.

Part of this has to do with the NISMO tuned steering, another feature we feel should make its way into other trims of the Armada. Heck, just make it the default setting. That’s how much better the vehicle feels when turning. We imagine things would respond even better with the standard 275/50R22 performance all-season tires. Our tester had these replaced with a set of winter tires which may dull driving feel, but were crucial during a massive snowstorm that rocked our region

Besides laughing off 26-inches of freshly fallen snow, the 6,102-pound Armada NISMO is still capable of SUV things. There’s a standard Class IV tow hitch as well as trailer sway control and integrated trailer controller. It allows the rig to tow upwards of 8,5000 pounds.

A lot of times when a vehicle undergoes the sporty treatment, ride quality suffers. That’s not the case here. Thanks in part to the air suspension, and the truck-roots, the NISMO Armada rides more or less just like a regular Armada. It’s not the absolute smoothest vehicle on the market, but it’s compliant and passengers shouldn’t complain.

Those passengers also get a lot of space inside, in the front two rows at least. Front seat occupants get 39.1-inches of headroom and 43.8-inchs of legroom. Middle row passengers get 37.8-inches of head room and 39.2-inches of legroom. The third row is still best for smaller humans, with a mere 36.2-inches of head room and 32.9-inches of legroom.

Up front, there is a heated steering wheel and powerful heated seats. Those front seats are both 12-way power adjustable, although only the driver’s seat also has massage and memory functions. Those in the middle row, in the NISMO at least, do not get heated seats which is an odd exclusion. At least, since this trim only comes in a 7-seat configuration, each person gets their own captain’s chair in the second row. 

As a sizeable SUV, cargo space is in abundance. Behind the third row is 20.04 cubic feet of space. Using the remote controls in the cargo hold, it’s possible to power lower (And raise) the third row to expand space to 56.3 cu ft. Remote lower the second row seats and the area grows to 97.1 cubic feet.

Interior Style and Quality:

As a higher trim model, the NISMO version of the 2026 Nissan Armada comes loaded with features including a remote engine starter, walk-away/approach unlock/lock, heated wiper park, rain sensing wipers, power folding mirrors, three-zone climate control, a Klipsch 12-speaker audio system, a wireless phone charger, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ambient lighting, and dual panoramic moonroofs.

Infront of the driver sits a 14.3-inch customizable digital driver information center with an accompanying 14.3-inch screen beside it, controlling the infotainment features. Another odd omission in terms of features though is the lack of a head-up display.

Our 2026 Nissan Armada NISMO tester came in at a price of $83,170 including destination charges, which includes the only available option, the Stealth Gray / Super Black Two-tone exterior paint. That puts it right around the same price point as a Chevrolet Tahoe RST 6.2L and a Toyota Sequoia Platinum.

In Canada the 2026 Nissan Armada NISMO enters the six-figure price territory, with an as-tested price of $106,543. Once again, that price includes destination charges and the only added option, the upgraded paint.

Final Thoughts:

Nissan could have half-baked the Armada NISMO with mere exterior upgrades and left it at that. Thankfully, the company did not. This is a thorough NISMO upgrade that addresses many of the SUV’s weaknesses. It’s easily our favorite version of the Armada and we hope some of the upgrades trickle their way into other versions of Nissan’s full-size sport utility vehicle.

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