“Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!” This line, from a famous Monty Python sketch, probably wouldn’t have applied to the Spanish Armada. The English under Queen Elizabeth were expecting the invasion from the largest fleet of warships ever assembled and succeeded in winning that battle. However, I doubt anyone was expecting the amazing new 2022 Nissan Armada Midnight Edition, a special edition model of Nissan’s full-size, three-row SUV. The 2022 Armada is the latest redesign of this venerable SUV with more features for fun and performance than ever before.
Nissan debuted the Armada in time for the 2004 model year as the first full-size luxury SUV in its lineup. This was all part of the Nissan Revival Plan, with a goal of positioning Nissan to recapture the marketplace for mid-priced luxury vehicles. The Nissan Armada was designed to give drivers a vehicle with room for up to eight passengers, with a choice of rear-wheel drive for better fuel economy and four-wheel drive for improved traction. The Armada proved such a successful addition to Nissan’s lineup that the company came out with a second-generation model for 2017.
The second-generation Armada was even larger than the first models, providing even more passenger and cargo space. With a name worthy of the Spanish Armada in size and scope, the Nissan Armada has actually proven more successful historically, with a successful invasion of America’s cities and suburbs.
An Engine More Powerful Than a Mighty Fleet
Nissan has equipped the new 2022 Armada with the most powerful engine this SUV has ever had. The 5.6-liter Endurance V8 features direct fuel injection and variable valve timing with its 32 valves in a dual overhead cam configuration, improving engine efficiency. It is capable of 400 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 413 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, giving the Armada best-in-class standard horsepower for its segment.
The 2022 Armada pairs this powerful engine with a 7-speed automatic transmission that has adaptive shift control and downshift rev-matching. This gives you greater control over your Armada than the Duke of Medina Sidonia had over his fleet of Spanish galleons. The wider gear range on this transmission will also give you better fuel efficiency, a major concern when driving a larger vehicle.
In general, you should get solid fuel economy with the 2022 Armada. Rear-wheel drive models will give you an estimated 14 miles per gallon in city driving and 19 miles per gallon on the highway, while choosing the available automatic four-wheel drive will reduce fuel economy slightly to 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 miles per gallon on the highway. That’s not bad for a full-size SUV with a powerful V8 engine.
One added benefit of choosing the Armada with its powerful Endurance V8 is the ability to tow heavy trailers and carry lots of stuff in the trunk. The 2022 Nissan Armada has a best-in-class trailering capacity of 8,500 pounds. That is the type of number you usually see with a pickup truck. As for cargo, you can fit up to 1,650 pounds in its trunk, which can expand from 16.5 cubic feet all the way to 92.6 cubic feet with the two rear rows of seats easily folded down.
A Midnight Edition for All Seasons
Nissan offers the 2022 Armada in four trims, the S, SV, SL, and Platinum. The new Midnight Edition is built on the SL. As such, it has many of the same luxury features as the SL but with a number of exclusive touches. If you are planning an invasion or just want the coolest-looking Armada ever launched, then you really should consider the Midnight Edition. This model rides on 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, which feature a 12-spoke design. These are fitted with 275/60R20 all-season tires.
Like the 2022 Armada SL, the Midnight Edition has a power liftgate, which will make accessing your cargo and luggage easier than ever. This is especially handy when you are coming from an invasion of your local shopping mall. You and your passengers are also going to enjoy having a power sliding glass moonroof. This will allow you to bring the outdoors inside your Armada, although I would probably desist from having an archer or musketeer utilize this feature, as the local police may not be amused by your attempts to re-enact the Spanish Armada.
The Midnight Edition gets its name from its embracing of an ebony aesthetic. The black exterior paint job is striking, with the color scheme carried throughout the vehicle. This includes black painted roof rails, a black painted grille, and black Nissan logos. The exterior rearview mirrors are not just painted black, but are also heated to allow for easier defogging and defrosting in colder weather. The LED turn signals and puddle lamps will let other drivers know where you are heading, even if they aren’t red and green like the port and starboard markers on an actual ship. Finally, the Midnight Edition does have black-painted front and rear skid plates, making it an ideal model if you plan to take your Armada off-roading.
Nissan carries the Midnight Edition’s looks over to its luxurious interior. The black leather-appointed seats are so comfortable that you may have trouble getting your passengers to disembark when you reach your destination. Black interior trim, a black cargo mat, and special Midnight Edition floor mats complete the package. These are the kind of looks King Philip II of Spain wished he had when he sent his ships out on their ill-fated invasion. Maybe things would have gone better for the Spanish Armada had they decided upon a Midnight Edition color scheme?
Standard Features for All Armadas!
One thing that makes the 2022 Nissan Armada stand out from other full-size SUVs and Iberian invasion forces is its dedication to making safety and infotainment standard on all models. While other automakers often require you to pay a premium for technology, Nissan has embraced its Intelligent Mobility concept by making these features standard on all models of the Armada.
Nissan Safety Shield 360 is a suite of intelligent driver assistance technologies that are designed to enhance vehicle and passenger safety. For example, blind spot intervention will let you know if another vehicle is traveling in your blind spot when you go to change lanes. As soon as you signal, the system will give you audio and visual warnings so you can avoid a collision. Similarly, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection will alert you if there is another vehicle or pedestrian in your path and will instantly engage the Armada’s emergency brakes to avoid a collision or minimize the damage caused by an impact. These are just two of the many different intelligent safety features that come standard on the Armada.
The 2022 Armada also features the NissanConnect system with a 12.3-inch color touchscreen display. This includes Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, a trial subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, hands-free texting, and a Wi-Fi hotspot, so your passengers can stay connected wherever you go. If you choose the Midnight Edition, you will also receive wireless cellphone charging and a Bose premium audio system with 13 speakers and Bose AudioPilot Noise Compensation Technology. This will give you and your passengers access to an incredible sound system, even if all they want to listen to are Spanish sea shanties from the 16th Century.
Expect the Unexpected With the Armada Midnight Edition
The 2022 Nissan Armada is shaping up to be the flagship of the full-size SUV market. With the most powerful standard engine as well as plentiful standard safety and infotainment features, there is no other full-size SUV that can defeat this powerful vessel. The Midnight Edition takes a great thing and makes it even better, with exceptional styling and the capabilities provided by its unique features. Still, no matter which Armada you choose, you and your passengers are going to enjoy riding in a luxury vehicle that is even more impressive than the largest Spanish galleon.
