Nissan buyers in the US opting for a full-size SUV with off-road aspirations usually got the short end of the stick. The Armada we got here in the States couldn't hold a candle to the global Patrol enjoyed elsewhere on the planet.
That changed with the launch of the third-generation Armada and seventh-generation Patrol. The two are essentially the same vehicle now, with some packaging and tuning changes for various markets.
But the Patrol name holds serious weight amongst off-road enthusiasts the world over. And it's a name that's finally found its way back onto a US-market vehicle. For 2027, the rugged PRO-4X trim swaps the Armada badging to bear the name Patrol.
Prior versions of the Armada could never live up to the capability of the global Patrol. Where that was an off-road-ready full-size family hauler, the Armada was always a soft-roader designed to navigate your local Trader Joe's parking lot. Nissan fixed this when it launched the third-gen Armada for 2025.
Now, Nissan is going a step further by slapping the Patrol name on this rig inside and out. And it deserves the name, too. This is a vehicle with a locking rear differential, adaptive suspension, all-terrain tires, recovery hooks, and a revised front bumper for an improved approach angle compared to the standard Armada.
Nissan will only apply the Patrol badging to the Pro-4X trim, mind you. It starts at $81,265, and it's the only trim that gets the locking rear differential. I do think Nissan should offer it as an option on other trims, especially considering the SL and Platinum technically have slightly higher ground clearance figures.
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