The Nissan Armada may be getting a refresh for the coming 2021 model year, but it’s not exactly bringing in a lot of new changes. The naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V8 engine will remain, albeit with an increased output of 400 horsepower (from the previous 390) and 413 lb-ft of torque (versus 2019’s 394). It also won’t be getting the nine-speed automatic transmission like the Titan pickup and will instead have to make do with the current seven-speed unit.
In short, the changes are likely going to be more on the aesthetic side instead of performance enhancements. But if a report published by Motor Trend is to be believed, Nissan could be gearing up for another Armada upgrade.
“The development timing didn’t work out to add the nine-speed to the [2021] Armada,” Brent Hagan, a product planner for Nissan, told the publication. He also said that while the Armada “[doesn’t] really need [the nine-speed transmission], it is something you can bet we’re considering and looking at in the future.”
However, instead of improving the SUV’s straight-line performance the way it did for the Titan, the main role of the nine-speed would be to help with fuel economy. If the Armada gets better fuel economy numbers with the new gearbox, it will be on par with the all-new 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, which are both powered by an optional 6.2-liter V8.
Nissan did not say when it plans to launch the nine-speed transmission on the Armada, but it’s likely happening within the next two years.
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