Compare the2023 Lexus LXVS 2023 Nissan Armada

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lexus LX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Nissan Armada doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Lexus LX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Armada doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The LX has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Armada doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the LX. But it costs extra on the Armada.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the LX’s standard CRAWL Control allows you to creep down safely. The Armada doesn’t offer CRAWL Control.

Both the LX and the Armada have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Warranty

The LX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Armada’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the LX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Armada. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Armada ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The LX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Armada’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

The Armada’s redline is at 60050 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The LX has a 5800 RPM redline.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the LX’s reliability 20 points higher than the Armada.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Nissan is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in overall reliability. Nissan is ranked 13th.

Engine

The LX’s 3.4 turbo V6 produces 9 more horsepower (409 vs. 400) and 66 lbs.-ft. more torque (479 vs. 413) than the Armada’s 5.6 DOHC V8.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the LX gets better mileage than the Armada:

			MPG
LX
	AWD	3.4 turbo V6	17 city/22 hwy
Armada
	RWD	5.6 DOHC V8	14 city/19 hwy
	AWD	5.6 DOHC V8	13 city/18 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the LX’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Armada doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus LX higher (5 out of 10) than the Nissan Armada (3). This means the LX produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Armada every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Lexus LX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Armada.

Brakes and Stopping

The LX stops shorter than the Armada:

	LX	Armada
70 to 0 MPH	180 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

The LX Premium/Luxury’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Armada S/SV’s standard 70 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The LX offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Armada’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The LX 600 F Sport handles at .75 G’s, while the Armada Platinum 4x4 pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the LX’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Armada’s (39.4 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

Chassis

The LX is 8.4 inches shorter than the Armada, making the LX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the LX easier. The LX’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31.6 inches, while the Armada’s liftover is 33.7 inches. The LX 600 Ultra Luxury’s liftover is only 31 inches.

The LX has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Armada doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the LX Luxury’s second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Armada doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the LX Premium/F Sport/Luxury/Ultra Luxury’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Armada doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on all models of the LX, using the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. Only the Armada SV/SL/Platinum offers a trailer sway program.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Nissan. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 48% lower rating, Nissan is ranked 18th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Armada SL/Platinum, the LX has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The LX Premium/F Sport/Luxury/Ultra Luxury has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Armada doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The LX’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Armada’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The LX’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Armada’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The LX has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Armada doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The LX’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Armada S/SV/SL’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The LX has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Armada doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the LX has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Armada doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the LX to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Armada doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The LX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Armada SV/SL/Platinum.

Optional air conditioned front and second row seats keep the LX’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Armada doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The LX has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Armada SL/Platinum.

Both the LX and the Armada offer available massaging front seats. The LX Ultra Luxury also has standard massaging second row seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging second row seats aren’t available in the Armada.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lexus LX has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console and one for the rear passengers. Only the Armada SV/SL/Platinum offers wireless charging.

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