Nissan Utility Vehicle Car reviews

The new Armada is a giant leap forward for Nissan. Its comfort levels, active and passive safety features, and rigidity within the ladder frame and body structure are all vastly improved. It also bookends the automaker’s complete revision of its SUV and crossover lineups over the last three years, with new editions of the Pathfinder, Murano, and Rogue.

As before, the Armada sits atop the Nissan SUV lineup as the flagship. It offers the highest levels of available luxury and comfort, especially in its range-topping trim, the Platinum. Lower trim levels include the “base” SV and mid-grade SL trims.

Update 2/5/2020: Nissan has updated pricing for the 2020 model year and introduced a new wheel package. Learn about the updated pricing and everything else you need to know in our “What’s New for 2020” section below.

Days after Land Rover showcased a one-off Discovery Sport that was developed specifically for the Austrian Red Cross, Nissan is doing the same for the American Red Cross with the introduction of the Ultimate Service Titan. As its name implies, the Ultimate Service Titan isn’t your typical Nissan Titan pickup. It’s a mobile command center that’s developed to respond to disasters and emergencies without breaking stride. The Nissan Ultimate Service Titan is the latest manifestation of a partnership between Nissan and the American Red Cross, one that, in the last five years alone, has raised $2.5 million in donations for the Red Cross. You can add the Nissan Ultimate Service Titan to that list now. The one-off emergency response vehicle debuted at the Miami Auto Show.

The Nissan Titan is already one of the most capable pickups in the market, but even something as impressive as the Titan isn’t immune to added improvements. That’s why Nissan, in partnership with Icon Vehicle Dynamics, is now offering a way to lift the Titan’s suspension, increasing the Titan’s suspension by up to three inches, giving owners of the pickup more reason to enjoy the outdoors.

You might know it as the Nissan Frontier in the U.S., but it’s called the Navara in Europe. It’s the same truck that was redesigned in 2014 and used by Mercedes-Benz as a base for the X-Class. Offered in many trims around the world, the Navara gained a more capable version in 2018. It’s called the Off-Roader AT32, and it’s only available in Europe.

Described by Nissan as the most capable Navara ever, the AT32 is also the company’s first European truck developed with another brand. Specifically, the AT32 was engineered by engineered by Arctic Trucks, an Icelandic company specialized in building 4WD vehicles for the world’s harshest terrains. Arctic truck offers a wide variety of upgrades for trucks and SUVs, including the Toyota Hilux, Toyota Landcruiser, Nissan Patrol, Lexus LX, Volkswagen Amarok, and even the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.

The truck’s "AT" badge stands for Arctic Trucks, while "32" represents the diameter of each tire in inches. Yes, the Navara AT32 means business when it comes to off-road, and we’re going to find out all about it in the review below.

Continue reading to find out more about the Nissan Navara Off-Roader AT32.

The new Titan XD has been on the market for roughly a year now, and sales just aren’t what Nissan was hoping for. In an effort to help spur customer interest, Nissan has put together a one-off truck called the Titan XD1. It hails from Nissan Motorsports. It uses several Nissan-branded accessories, along with parts from aftermarket suppliers like ICON Vehicle Dynamics, Rigid Industries, N-Fab, EGR, and Method.

The truck is based on the 2017 Titan XD PRO-4X equipped with the optional 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel. The big oil-burner generates 310 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. Power is directed through a six-speed automatic transmission from Aisin before turning the electronically controlled transfer case.

Fred Diaz, VP and General Manager of Nissan North American trucks, says, "The Titan XD, with its available Cummins 5.0-liter V-8 turbodiesel engine, is a powerful platform that calls out for customization. We’re pleased to offer Titan XD owners so many ways to personalize their vehicles and also excited more and more companies are supporting Titan with aftermarket parts and accessories."

Vehicle customization at the factory and dealership level has become wildly popular these days, as evidenced by the massive number of “special editions” revealed at this year’s Chicago Auto Show. Nissan’s attempt at capturing attention with the Titan XD1 concept should go over well with those wanting a little something extra on their Titan pickup.

Let’s check out the details below.

Continue reading for more information.

Nissan is giving its NV passenger and cargo van a new heart – the all-new 5.6-liter Endurance V-8 and heavy-duty seven-speed automatic transmission found in the new Titan pickup and Armada SUV. This makes the Nissan NV vans the most modern body-on-frame vans in the industry, although its competition is becoming slim, with the Chevrolet Express and its corporate twin, the GMC Savana being the last holdouts in the segment.

For those who might not remember, the NV debuted for the 2012 model year and is based on the first-generation Nissan Titan. In fact, the NV shares the Titan’s front frame section, suspension parts, and steering gear. The NV also shares much of its front-end styling with the original Titan.

The original Titan is no longer, thanks to the introduction of the 2016 Titan XD and 2017 Titan pickup. That means Nissan had the perfect chance to update the NV with new components. Sadly, only the V-8 powertrain is changing, despite the opportunity of grafting the second-generation Titan’s face onto the chassis. Perhaps customers looking at full-size commercial vans aren’t too worried about aesthetics.

Nevertheless, the 2017 Nissan NV is getting the Titan’s new powerplant. That means horsepower jumps by 58 and torque improves by two pound-feet. The Titan’s seven-speed automatic transmission replaces the NV’s old five-speed automatic. The more powerful yet efficient V-8, paired with the new transmission, should help the NV vans achieve better fuel efficiency while delivering a better driving experience. The EPA doesn’t rate heavy-duty vehicles, so there is no official data to list.

So, let’s take a deep look at the 2017 Nissan NV van and its closest competitor.

Continue reading for more information.

Nissan is preparing to launch an all-new, three-row SUV based on its Navara pickup truck. The body-on-frame SUV will be called the Terra and will be designed primarily for the Asia Pacific market, though its availability will eventually widen. The Terra is part of Nissan’s “M.O.V.E to 2022” initiative to increase sales of its frame-based vehicles over the next four years by a whopping 40 percent.

It was back in 2016 when we first saw Nissan testing a Navara-based SUV. Since then, the trail had grown cold – that is, until Nissan made an official announcement accompanied by several photos on February 26, 2018. The announcement nailed down both the SUV’s name and its debut location at the 2018 Beijing Motor Show in April.

Nissan is still quiet on the official details, but with such a close relation to the Navara pickup, we’ve put together a speculative review covering the Terra’s expected equipment.

Update 02/26/2018: Nissan released official photos of the new 2018 Terra SUV. Based on the Navara pickup, this three-row traditional SUV will go on sale this spring in China, followed by other markets around the globe.

Nissan’s third generation Murano launched for the 2015 model year bringing a new level of luxury and comfort to the brand’s high-volume, midsize, two-row crossover segment. Much of that refinement is thanks to the parts sharing between the Murano and the latest generation Maxima sedan. Ample passenger room, loads of cargo space, and the familiar 3.5-liter V-6 are all instantly recognizable in this crossover.

Nothing changes for 2016, including the Murano’s bold, futuristic styling and plush interior. Nissan gives its customers four trim choices to choose from – six if you count the two trim levels with the hybrid powertrain option. The base S, at $29,740, might rank at the bottom of the Murano list, but it still offers a ton of modern convenience features. Most folks will opt for the mid-range SV and SL trim packages – with the SL offering slightly more standard equipment and available options than the SV. And ranking one step below the Infiniti brand, the Murano Platinum offers all the fine fixin’s like heated and cooled leather seats, LED headlights, 20-inch wheels, and a panoramic moonroof – all for a starting price of $39,180.

I recently had the chance to sample a 2016 Murano decked out in the Platinum trim and fitted with the optional AWD system. The long list of features and standard amenities was astounding, even making the Jaguar F-Pace I drove the week before seem almost basic.

So what’s it like to live with the Nissan Murano? Surprisingly pleasant. Find out why below.

Continue reading for the full review.

The reimagined Titan is all-new for 2017 and closely follows its quasi heavy-duty big brother, the Titan XD. Both trucks share styling and interior designs, but not everything is equal. The half-ton Titan is built to compete against segment stalwarts including the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram 1500. As such, Nissan has expanded the Titan’s cab configurations to include Single, King, and Crew Cabs, along with adding trim levels that span the gambit of customer needs. The Titan does lack the drivetrain variety offered by the others, but the updated 5.6-liter V-8 and seven-speed automatic transmission are competitive.

As for how the half-ton Titan stacks up against the larger Titan XD, the Titan carries the same styling design as the Titan XD. It measures 79.5 inches wide – the same as the Titan XD – though is 14.7 inches shorter. That length is subtracted from both the bed area and the nose, just ahead of the fuel-filler door and the front tires, respectively. This can be attributed to the Titan’s unique half-ton frame, not found under the Titan XD. Nissan says even the lug nuts are different. The cab sizes remain the same, too, with the standard Titan offering all three cab configurations, meaning Single, King, and Crew Cabs are present. Three bed sizes are available, measuring 5.5, 6.5, and 8.0 feet in length. The Titan comes in five trim levels: S, SV, PRO-4X, SL, and Platinum Reserve.

Update 06/20/2017: Nissan has announced pricing for 2017 Titan King Cab models. Check the Prices section for the full details.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Nissan Titan.

Nissan USA has been busy over the last couple years developing the new Titan XD and “standard duty” Titan pickup trucks. However, once the Titan rolls into dealerships for the 2017 model year, Nissan’s attention will turn to the Frontier.

Currently in it second generation, the Frontier has been around since 2004 with nearly imperceptible changes beyond a minor facelift for the 2011 model year. A spartan interior and bare-bones powertrain make the current truck feel old, yet somehow charming in its classic style. Nevertheless, time marches on and the next Frontier is headed our way.

Ironically enough, Nissan already has its next version of the Frontier. It’s called the NP300 Navara and has been on sale since the 2015 model year. Of course, the Navara isn’t’ offered in the U.S., but countries around the world enjoy its larger size, modern aesthetics, and car-like interior. The U.S.-spec Frontier is the last hold-out for the second-generation body.

All signs and sense point to Nissan offering a U.S.-spec version of the NP300 Navara, with tweaks to comply with safety and emissions. That means the global Navara might get new powertrain options before coming stateside. What those are, it’s hard to say, but expect them to be more powerful and efficient over the Frontier’s current 2.5-liter four-cylinder and 4.0-liter V-6.

In anticipation of the next-generation Frontier, we’ve created a rendering based on the current NP300 Navara pickup. Until Nissan finally breaks cover with the next Frontier, this gives us a glimpse at what we can expect.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2018 Nissan Frontier.

Hot on the heels of the 2016 Nissan Titan XD hitting showrooms, Nissan has released this, the Titan Warrior concept, at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Built on the back of a Titan XD, the Titan Warrior concept shows just how aggressive the truck can become, and just how daring Nissan can be.

"Truck buyers have a seemingly insatiable appetite for more content and more unique offerings," said José Muñoz, executive vice president of Nissan Motor Company and chairman of Nissan North America. "Even though our all-new 2016 Titan XD just started arriving at Nissan dealers nationwide last month, we are already exploring new territory where Titan might go in the future."

It’s highly unlikely the Warrior concept will make production, but we’re betting that Nissan is paying close attention to the public’s reaction to this truck’s highly modified off-road suspension and vastly reworked exterior appearance. Perhaps the automaker has something up its sleeve to battle the Ford F-150 Raptor.

Besides the design study, the Titan Warrior concept was built to pay tribute to Nissan’s off-road racing heritage, dating back to the old Hardbody pickups that raced in the Dakar Rally. It also builds atop the recent “Project Titan” build that used crowd sourcing to construct the most hard-core first-generation Titan pickups to ever come from Nissan. The truck was then used by two U.S. Military veterans to traverse some of the toughest terrain in Alaska in a build-up to the launch of the 2016 Titan XD.

So lets jump into what Nissan has done with this Titan Warrior concept.

Continue reading to learn more about the Nissan Titan Warrior Concept.

The Titan made its debut back in 2004 and hasn’t changed much since. Sure, there was a mild refresh back in 2008, but the bones remained unchanged. Nissan only offered two cab and bed configurations, one engine, and the choice of two- or four-wheel drive. That’s all changing for the 2016 model year.

Nissan has decided to expand the Titan into a pair of pickups – the regular Titan carrying the half-ton designation, and the Titan XD, a sort of go-between for customers who need the extra towing and hauling capabilities of a heavy-duty, but who don’t want to pay for 900 pound-feet of torque and a 30,000-pound tow rating. When asked to describe the new Titan XD, Richard Miller, Director of Product Planning for the truck, says to think of the Titan XD as a three-quarter ton truck from 2003. It has 500-plus pound-feet of torque and can tow roughly 12,000 pounds. That’s exactly where mainstream 2500-series trucks were at in the mid-2000s.

Miller and his design team know they’re marketing the Titan XD to a niche customer. Still, their research apparently shows there’s profit to be made in this middle ground. Helping expand the Titan’s marketability is an increased number of build configurations, trim levels, and (coming soon) engine options. No longer will the Titan be a one-size-fits-all truck. Single cabs, base trim levels, and eight-foot beds are part of the mix, as well as the range-topping Platinum Reserve trim with all the proper luxury trimmings. The combinations won’t be as extensive as those from Ford, Chevy, or Ram, but are said to cater to a much wider audience than before.

In order to find out more about the Titan XD, I took a trip to the Arizona desert just outside Scottsdale. These roads are very familiar to the Titan XD. Nissan’s R&D testing center is a two hours’ drive south and engineers spend many hours tuning the Titan XD on the six-percent grades found in the mountains outside of town.

So how’d the Titan XD stack up? Keep reading to find out.

Continue reading for the full driven review

The Nissan Frontier soldiers on another year with little in the way of changes. In fact, the only updates to the aging Frontier are three new color choices and a moon roof option in the Crew Cab SV model. Beyond that, the midsize pickup is the same the day it received its last refresh in 2009. Well, except for a change in price that’s just as subtle.

However Frontier is still a competitive truck, despite several new entries in its class. A fully boxed frame, two engine choices, two- and four-wheel drive options, and game-changing cargo management gadgets in its bed. What’s more, the Frontier still offers a good ole manual transmission with nearly all of its trim levels, including the rugged PRO-4X off-road edition. You won’t find that in the Toyota Tacoma or Chevrolet Colorado.

Don’t expect the Frontier to muddle on looking neglected by Nissan. Rumors are already swirling about the truck’s replacement. Word has it Nissan will turn its focus on the Frontier once the 2016 Titan XD and 2017 Titan are on the market. If that holds true, we could see a new Frontier by 2018 or so – about the same time the Colorado, Canyon, and Tacoma could be getting facelifts. Still, that’s only speculation.

So lets take a look at what the current 2016 Frontier has to offer and the slight changes Nissan gave it.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Nissan Frontier.

Every fall, dozens of journalists from all over Texas and around the country gather to compare, test, and crown the winner of the “Truck of Texas” competition. It’s a coveted award from the Texas Auto Writers Association that signifies Texas’ collective approval of a truck. And not only are trucks involved, awards go out for the SUV and CUV of Texas.

I already touched on the topic in the preview piece, but awards are also given to the winner in each vehicle category and for various things like “best connectivity” and “best powertrain.”

This year’s competition was fierce. There were 84 vehicles present from 21 automakers entered into 17 different categories. Evaluating the field were 69 TAWA members comprised of journalists and social media influencers.

So let’s get down to the results. Keep reading for the full breakdown.

Continue reading for the results of the 2015 TAWA Truck Rodeo

In 2014 I put together a list of ten cool cars that we can’t have in the U.S., which included vehicles that are mostly restricted to the European and Australian markets. With Nissan having just launched the Patrol Nismo, it’s time to update that list as this SUV isn’t coming to North America.

Developed specifically for the Middle East, the the Patrol Nismo was unveiled in Dubai, where Nissan just launched its high-performance sub-brand. Though it may sound hard to believe, the SUV is exactly what its name says: a beefed-up Patrol created by the same people that are responsible for the awesome GT-R Nismo and Juke-R. Sure, it may not be powered by the almighty twin-turbo, 3.8-liter V-6 found in the AWD supercar, but it has plenty of power to brag about, as well as a long list of Nismo add-ons inside and out.

Unfortunately, the Patrol Nismo is being offered exclusively in the United Arab Emirates for the time being and that’s not likely to change anytime soon. And it’s all bad news for the U.S. too, as the Patrol isn’t available in North America and bringing the Nismo-badged version here doesn’t make any sense for the Japanese. But despite its limited availability, the Patrol Nismo is an SUV worth looking into, and that’s exactly what we’ll do in the review below.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Nissan Patrol Nismo.

When it comes to the mid-size truck market, what was once a booming segment has dwindled in recent years to just a small handful of models. Since its introduction back in 1997, the Nissan Frontier has garnered strong sales that have permitted the truck to survive when names like Ranger and Dakota couldn’t. The latest generation of the Frontier arrived in 2004, and Nissan is replacing it with an new model later this year, but how well has the current model aged in the last 10 years?

Nissan sent me a decked out, off-road-ready Pro-4X model to test so I could find out. I have tested other Frontiers over the last few years, but this model comes loaded with more performance, equipment and luxury than any other Nissan truck I have driven. With an upgraded suspension, 4WD, a locking rear differential and chunky tires, this Frontier was just begging to flogged.

And flogged it was. Over the course of my time with the Frontier it tackled daily commutes, farm work, off-road shenanigans, and the snow and ice that came from one of the worst winter storms my current home state of Tennessee has seen in more than a decade. I think I have a pretty solid handle on just how well this machine performs.

Read on to learn more about the 2015 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

The Nissan Navara, the global version of the Frontier, is getting a new special edition package with the help of Salomon, a well-known mountain sports brand. The truck builds off the mid-grade Tekna trim level and comes equipped with several unique appearance upgrades both inside and out. Don’t mistake this for a mundane special edition, though, as Nissan is only building 500 examples and will be giving a £250 voucher for Salomon gear, roughly worth $386 at today’s exchange rates.

Salomon edition Navaras are easy to spot thanks to the Salomon logo on the doors, hood and tailgate, along with the chrome door handles, chrome fog light rings, and a chrome accent bar along the front valance.

Nissan is also making the Salomon edition more attractive with the pricing as well. The automaker says it would normally cost more than £1,300 ($2,000) to add the extra options included with the truck, but customers are only getting charged £750 ($1,150) over the Tekna trim level. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Click past the jump to read more about the Nissan Navara Salomon.

One of the best parts about my job is the ability to try out cars and trucks of all different shapes and sizes. I get to experience fast and rare machines like Lamborghinis and Nissan GT-Rs, but I also get to test things like the Toyota Prius and Nissan Versa. Nothing could have really prepared me for what showed in my driveway the other day though; the new 2015 Nissan NV200 cargo van.

With just two seats, a rubber floor, and no headliner, this was a true workman’s van that was created to make the lives of small business owners across the world easier. I’m never one to shy away from testing a car though, so over the following week I spent as much time as possible beating the Nissan NV200 as hard as I could. I drove it through muddy fields and rough gravel trails, I filled it with hay and horse feed, and I even tried to put some random things inside of it like a motorcycle.

Despite everything I threw at it, the little panel van just begged for more. It’s a smartly designed machine with solid fuel economy, intelligent details, and a face only a mother could love.

Click past the jump for the full review

The Nissan Murano arrived in 2003 and it ushered in a new era for Nissan. It was Nissan’s first crossover for the States, and it was supposed to be a more luxurious alternative to the utilitarian products the company offered like the Xterra. It used the same VQ engine that is found in the Maxima and the 350Z, and it was offered with AWD. In 2007 Nissan introduced the second-generation car that was more luxurious, had a pile more standard and available features, and it had some nicer looks. I had a chance to review a 2012 model and I thought it was wonderful to drive. While it was pretty, it didn’t stand out much from the competition, and the available equipment was only on par.

Now for 2015 Nissan has bestowed upon the world an all-new Murano, and it is the mot radical change Nissan has made to any of its models in about it a decade. It makes use of an all-new design that looks to set the future design direction for the whole company, and it looks like a concept car that accidentally hit showrooms. New interior design, a modified CVT transmission, and new standard and optional equipment all come together to create a crossover that is not only the best in Nissan’s lineup, but potentially the best one on sale today.

Nissan gave me the chance to spend a whole week with one of these new five-door family haulers to see if it still drives as good as the old one.

Continue reading to learn more about the all-new 2015 Nissan Murano

Needing the right tool for the job often requires ingenuity. That’s exactly the case at Nissan’s Stanfield, Arizona proving grounds. The team of engineers needed a truck-like vehicle to haul test gear, but something that got great gas mileage around the 3,050-acre complex.

Meet Sparky, the wild idea a few Nissan engineers cooked up while trying to solve the dilemma. The team started with a stock Nissan LEAF, the all-electric hatchback and combined it with several parts scavenged off a Nissan Frontier pickup. The combination is something of a Frankenstein, but it gets the job done.

Not using a drop of fuel, little Sparky makes his way across the grounds and helps out with testing of future Nissan products. "I needed a project for a team building activity so we can bring the team together. We had a need for a truck. Something to drive around, a shop truck," says Roland Schellenberg, one of Nissan’s masterminds behind Sparky.

Helping build Sparky was Arnold Moulinet. “I went home and stayed up till like four in the morning making all kinds of designs for what would work,” he says. “We basically got the stock Leaf, and after reviewing a bunch of designs of pickup trucks that we have here at Nissan, we decided to go with a Frontier bed.”

Now the Nissan development team has an electrically powered mini truck that functions as park of the team. “It’s something that we all put together,” says Schellenberg. “We all share, so it has a little bit of everybody in there.”

Nissan has been building midsize trucks since 1985, with models stretching all across the globe. Here in U.S., the Hardbody and then Frontier have filled the slot, but overseas in nearly every other country, it’s been the Navara. Now for 2015, the Navara moves into its twelfth generation with the NP300 Navara.

While we were expecting Nissan to announce the U.S.-spec Frontier sometime soon, the automaker has been quiet on the details. We do suspect many if not most of the Navara’s details will transfer over to the Frontier, but we cannot be certain. That’s especially true when considering the powertrain options.

As for the new NP300, the updates are more evolutionary than revolutionary. A more ridged high-strength frame holds still the independent, coil-over suspension up front with a leaf spring suspension out back. Power comes from two — so far — improved engines: a 2.5-liter, inline four-cylinder, gasoline mill and a 2.5-liter, inline four-cylinder, turbo-diesel. Both engines are more efficient and powerful, helping the truck do more with less fuel. A seven-speed automatic and a six-speed manual transmission are offered with both engines.

An electric, shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system is available and is assisted by Nissan’s Vehicle Dynamic Control system, Hill Start Assist, Hill Decent Control, and Active Brake Limited Slip. That last feature uses the brakes to apply force to a spinning wheel in low-traction situations on both the front and rear axles. The mechanical differential then sends power to the opposite wheel.

These nitty-gritty features all work together to get make the Navara look like a solid contender for Nissan in the upcoming years. As far as the U.S. version, it appears we’ll have to wait a bit longer for any news. But when it comes, rest assured that TopSpeed will have it covered.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Nissan NP300 Navara.

The 2014 Nissan Xterra checks a lot of boxes on the "Needs" lists of buyers, but even with its relative versatility, customers are likely to veer towards other models. This is not for lack of quality, but rather because it looks So. Dang, Boring.

But even if aesthetics aren’t a particular strong suit for the Nissan, you should be happy to know that the Xterra is one of those SUVs that doesn’t really care about its looks. It’s all about its function and versatility and to be fair, it has both of those attributes in abundance.

That’s what you stand to receive with the 2014 Xterra. It may not have the prettiest face at the party, but it’s all sorts of smart and has the endurance and capacity to be by your side wherever you go. Whether its taking your kids to soccer games or heading out to the woods during a long weekend, Nissan’s resident off-road SUV can handle both tasks handily.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Nissan Xterra.