Rugged And Seats Eight: 2025 Nissan Armada PRO-4X

Connie Peters is an automotive video creator and journalist covering all types of cars and trucks for the past 10 years in suburban Vancouver. You can watch all of her videos on her YouTube channel or find here on social media: Instagram.com/xoconniepeters, TikTok.com/@xoconniepeters, Facebook.com/xoconniepeters, Threads.net/@xoconniepeters

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Transcript:

The 2025 Nissan Armada received a complete redesign, a new powertrain, and this new PRO-4X trim. I’ll link my first-drive video from Tennessee below, along with the video of the Platinum Reserve trim I had at home earlier this year. If you’re looking for luxury, the Platinum Reserve is impressive. I actually preferred it over the Infiniti QX80, which is its closely related sibling.

Now I have the PRO-4X at home for a week, and we’re going to look at what sets it apart from the other Armada trims, what’s new, and what it’s capable of.

Right away, you can see the PRO-4X-specific wheels, all-terrain tires, and the lava-red badging. It also has different front and rear bumpers for better approach angles, plus skid plates for underbody protection. You get a rear locker, an off-road-tuned suspension, and additional drive modes. If you compare it directly to the Platinum Reserve, the difference in bumpers and approach angles is obvious. And again, there’s that lava-red accenting—though it definitely looks more orange in person.

The side profile is squared-off and boxy, which I really like. I prefer this look over the more rounded QX80. The QX80 leans into luxury; the PRO-4X is aimed at capability and ruggedness. You also get a trailer brake controller and a tow hitch. The black badging looks great, especially on this black paint, and there’s more lava-red accenting in back along with a full-width light bar.

With the third row folded down, there’s a lot of space. There’s also a household-style 120-volt outlet, and because this one has air suspension, you can raise or lower the rear from back here. The second and third rows are both power-folding.

For 2025, the Armada gets a new 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 paired with a 9-speed automatic. The V8 is gone. The PRO-4X is all-wheel drive in both the US and Canada, and in Canada all Armadas are AWD. Output is 425 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, and towing capacity is up to 8,500 lb with the trailer brakes included on the PRO-4X.

It’s very comfortable to drive. Yes, it’s big, but visibility is good, the backup camera is excellent, and the torque gives it strong acceleration. I really enjoyed driving the Platinum Reserve, and I enjoy this one just as much—just for different reasons.

Inside, there’s a large digital screen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. It has a digital rearview mirror, hard-touch climate controls with touchscreen redundancy, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The PRO-4X gets extra drive modes thanks to the AWD system and off-road suspension tuning. There’s also ProPilot Assist, which works very well on the highway. A push-button gear selector takes some getting used to. You also get paddle shifters, wireless charging, and a deep center console with lava-red accents across the dash, cubby, steering wheel, and even the Nissan badge.

This one is the eight-seat configuration. In my Platinum Reserve video, I had captain’s chairs; here we have a bench. The center seat folds down to allow longer items through the middle. The seats are wide, the armrest folds down with cup holders, and there’s more lava-red stitching. There are LATCH anchors on both outboard seats plus an extra one in the middle, so you have flexibility with car-seat placement. These second-row seats are heated, the floor is flat, there are USB-C ports and a 12-volt outlet, and rear climate controls are included. The Klipsch audio system in both the Platinum and PRO-4X trims sounds excellent. There’s also a large panoramic sunroof that opens.

Getting in and out is easier with the grab handles because the vehicle sits tall. In my 5'1" driving position, there’s plenty of room. Climbing into the third row, the tilt-and-slide works well. Once back there, I’d consider this a true full-size third row. There’s one LATCH anchor and tethers on the seatbacks, power-folding controls, USB-C ports on both sides, cup holders, vents, and good headroom. I sit quite tall, with my eyes above the headrest, which helps visibility. The large windows also keep it from feeling claustrophobic, unlike some three-row SUVs where you sit much lower.

As for pricing, the base AWD Armada in Canada starts around $87,000 CAD, and in the US the base trim starts around $59,000 USD. This PRO-4X sits just below the top trim at about $95,000 CAD or around $76,000 USD. The Platinum Reserve I had was over $100,000 CAD, so there’s a noticeable price jump. I personally love the Platinum Reserve, but if price is a factor, the PRO-4X is just as appealing for different reasons. And if you want more capability and occasional off-road use, the PRO-4X is the one to get.

Let me know what you think of the PRO-4X and whether you’d pick it over the Platinum Reserve. Leave a question or comment, find me on social media at XO Connie Peters, and don’t forget to subscribe.