Nissan’s lineup has undergone a major refreshening in the past few years as they’ve introduced new versions of the Rogue, Frontier, Pathfinder, Sentra, Versa, and Z.
More new models are on the horizon as a dealer has told Automotive News a redesigned Armada will be launched in the United States late next year.
Little is known about the model at this point, but the source said the current 5.6-liter V8 engine will be replaced by a new twin-turbo V6. There’s no word on specifications, but the V8 develops 400 hp (298 kW / 406 PS) and 413 lb-ft (559 Nm) of torque on premium gasoline.
Also Read: Nissan Bumps 2022 Armada Base Price By $400, SUV Tops Out At $69,795
Those are respectable numbers, but the V8 carries a hefty penalty at the pump. The SUV returns 14 mpg city, 19 mpg highway, and 16 mpg combined with rear-wheel drive and adding four-wheel drive drops those numbers 1 mpg across the board.
That appears to be the reason behind the engine switch as another dealer told the publication, “Fuel efficiency is on everybody’s mind. If they can get the same horsepower and torque out of a V6, why not?”
Nissan isn’t the only automaker dropping a V8 engine for a twin-turbo V6. Quite the opposite as the 2023 Toyota Sequoia saw its old 5.7-liter V8 replaced by a hybridized twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 that develops 437 hp (326 kW / 443 PS) and 583 lb-ft (790 Nm) of torque. Furthermore, the 2022 Lexus LX saw its V8 replaced by a twin-turbo V6 with 409 hp (305 kW / 415 PS) and 479 lb-ft (649 Nm) of torque.
While the report only mentions the Armada, it’s reasonable to assume the twin-turbo V6 will also be offered in the Patrol overseas. We can also expect it to power the redesigned Infiniti QX80 in the future.
