Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2023 Nissan Armada

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX 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.

The GX’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Armada doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Lexus GX 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.

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

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

Both the GX 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

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

The Armada’s redline is at 60050 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The GX 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 GX’s reliability 61 points higher than the Armada.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GX second among midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Armada isn’t in the top three in its category.

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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Nissan is ranked 15th.

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

The GX has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Armada. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The GX stops much shorter than the Armada:

The GX’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 GX has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Armada doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX 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 GX handles at .73 G’s, while the Armada Platinum 4x4 pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Lexus GX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 850 pounds less than the Nissan Armada.

The GX is 1 foot, 4.8 inches shorter than the Armada, making the GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GX is 5.7 inches narrower than the Armada, making the GX easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The design of the Lexus GX amounts to more than styling. The GX has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .35 Cd. That is lower than the Armada (.37). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GX get better fuel mileage.

The GX has .4 inches more rear headroom and .9 inches more third row legroom than the Armada.

The GX 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.

The GX’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Armada’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on all models of the GX, 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.

The GX has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Armada doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

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.

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

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

The GX’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.

Insurance will cost less for the GX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the GX will cost $545 to $1545 less than the Armada over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GX is less expensive to operate than the Armada because it costs $264 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the GX than the Armada, including $26 less for front brake pads and $259 less for front struts.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus GX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Lexus GX outsold the Nissan Armada by almost three to one during 2022.