2026 Nissan Armada NISMO is big, fast and handsome
Published 10:00 pm Friday, May 15, 2026
After a United States introduction in the early 2000s, for 2026 the aptly named Nissan Armada full-size luxury SUV gets its first NISMO (Nissan Motorsports) grade, making it the most powerful Armada ever in the lineup.
The SUV’s twin-turbo, direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 engine is optimized to provide 35 horsepower more than the garden-variety Armada models, for a total of 460 horsepower. Caveat: It will take premium fuel to achieve that level.
EPA ratings for the Armada NISMO are 16 mpg city, 19 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined.
A retuned exhaust system makes the Armada NISMO engine sound mightier, and for drivers who just can’t get enough roaring engine sounds, active sound enhancement inside the cabin amplifies the noise.
The NISMO model is about the same size as the standard Armada, using the same body-on-frame platform, wheelbase, and cabin footprint. Exterior dimensions vary slightly between the two models due to performance-oriented body modifications on the NISMO.
Armada NISMO’s seemingly hulking presence harbors a powerful and agile performance ability. With a torque rating of 516 pound feet and a seamless 9-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, this 6,102-pound SUV can go from zero to 60 mph in just 6.2 seconds.
Twisty roads dampen the derring-do, of course, but not as much as you’d expect from an SUV this hefty.
The 2026 Nissan Armada NISMO exterior and interior design are both handsome and stylishly modern. Interior space is vast, with three rows of roomy seating to accommodate up to eight people, and they can be large. A cargo area of 56.3 cubic feet is available for the filling when third-row seats are folded.
A comprehensive 3D Around View camera system, standard on the Armada NISMO, was my best friend throughout the week when navigating in parking lots or other tight spaces, finding the sweet spot when parallel parking, and not crashing into curbs.
Armada’s infotainment system has a 14.3-inch touchscreen display and includes every feature you’d hope to have on a luxury SUV. Most but not all of the system is intuitive. A grand 12-speaker Klipsch premium audio system is also standard.
2026 Nissan Armada NISMO 4WD
Base Price: $79,530
Price as Driven: $83,735
