Compare the2023 Lincoln AviatorVS 2023 Nissan Armada

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Aviator have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Nissan Armada doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

Both the Aviator and Armada have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Aviator has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Armada’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Lincoln Aviator 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 Aviator has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply 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.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Aviator’s optional Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Armada doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Aviator has standard Cross-Traffic Alert with Braking with automatic braking, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the Armada Platinum offers Intelligent Back-Up Intervention.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Aviator uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Armada uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Aviator and the Armada have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Nissan Armada:

	Aviator	Armada
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	2 Stars
HIC	125	258
Neck Injury Risk	26.3%	43%
Neck Stress	167 lbs.	377 lbs.
Neck Compression	26 lbs.	95 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/210 lbs.	877/369 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.9 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29.2%	38%
Neck Stress	187 lbs.	251 lbs.
Neck Compression	129 lbs.	153 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	380/405 lbs.	509/594 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Nissan Armada:

	Aviator	Armada
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1 inches
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	16 inches
HIC	288	437
Hip Force	573 lbs.	684 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Aviator, with its four-star roll-over rating, is 6.8% to 9% less likely to roll over than the Armada, which received a three-star rating.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Aviator the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Armada has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

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

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Aviator 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.

Reliability

The Lincoln Aviator’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Armada’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Aviator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Armada doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in long-term dependability. With 12 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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lincoln 5 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

Engine

The Aviator Grand Touring’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 94 more horsepower (494 vs. 400) and 217 lbs.-ft. more torque (630 vs. 413) than the Armada’s 5.6 DOHC V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Aviator turbo V6 is faster than the Nissan Armada:

	Aviator	Armada
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	6.3 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	14.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.7 MPH	94 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator running on electricity gets better mileage than the Armada:

			MPGe
Aviator
	AWD	Grand Touring Electric Motor	54 city/58 hwy
Armada
			MPG
	RWD	5.6 DOHC V8	14 city/19 hwy
	AWD	5.6 DOHC V8	13 city/18 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Armada:

			MPG
Aviator
	RWD	3.0 turbo V6	18 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6	17 city/24 hwy
		3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	22 city/25 hwy
Armada
	RWD	5.6 DOHC V8	14 city/19 hwy
	AWD	5.6 DOHC V8	13 city/18 hwy

The Aviator Grand Touring can travel with zero emissions for 21 miles. The Armada can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Aviator Grand Touring’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Armada doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Aviator’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 (not available Grand Touring). The Armada doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Aviator has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Armada doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Aviator higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Nissan Armada (3). This means the Aviator produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Armada every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

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

Brakes and Stopping

The Aviator stops shorter than the Armada:

	Aviator	Armada
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Aviator’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Armada S/SV’s standard 70 series tires. The Aviator’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Armada Platinum’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Armada S/SV.

Suspension and Handling

The Aviator offers an available 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 Aviator Grand Touring AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Armada Platinum 4x4 pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Aviator Grand Touring AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Armada Platinum 4x4 (26.5 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Aviator’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Armada’s (39.2 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

Chassis

The Lincoln Aviator may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 900 pounds less than the Nissan Armada.

The Aviator is 9.6 inches shorter than the Armada, making the Aviator easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unibody construction lowers the Aviator’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Armada doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The front grille of the Aviator uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Armada doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Aviator has .6 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more third row headroom and .8 inches more third row legroom than the Armada.

Cargo Capacity

The Aviator’s cargo area provides more volume than the Armada.

	Aviator	Armada
Behind Third Seat	18.3 cubic feet	16.5 cubic feet

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Aviator Reserve/Grand Touring/Black Label’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.

Ergonomics

The Aviator (except Standard) offers an available heads-up display that projects speed, certain gauge, warning, turn signal 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 Aviator’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 Aviator’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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Aviator’s exterior PIN entry system. The Armada doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Aviator’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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Aviator (except Standard) offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Armada doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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

The Aviator’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 Aviator’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 Aviator (except Standard) offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Armada.

The Aviator (except Standard)’s optional Active Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Armada doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Lincoln Aviator outsold the Nissan Armada by 84% during 2022.

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