Compare the2025 Chevrolet SuburbanVS 2024 Nissan Armada

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

Safety

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The Suburban (except LS with front bench seat) has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Armada doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Suburban 4WD’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 Suburban has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Rear Cross Traffic 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.

Both the Suburban and the Armada have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 available all wheel drive.

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

	Suburban	Armada
OVERALL STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	2 Stars
HIC	146	258
Neck Injury Risk	23%	43%
Neck Stress	312 lbs.	377 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	95 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	152/161 lbs.	877/369 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	233	255
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.9 inches
Neck Compression	66 lbs.	153 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 Chevrolet Suburban is safer than the Nissan Armada:

	Suburban	Armada
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	25	27
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1 inches
Hip Force	118 lbs.	144 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	16 inches
HIC	239	437
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	39 G’s

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

Warranty

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

There are almost 3 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Suburban’s warranty.

Reliability

The Armada’s redline is at 60050 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The Suburban has a 5100 to 6000 RPM redline.

The Suburban 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.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Suburban has a standard 220-amp alternator (250-amp - Suburban Diesel). The Armada’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Suburban second among large suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Armada isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 6th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 15th.

Engine

The Suburban’s optional 6.2 V8 produces 20 more horsepower (420 vs. 400) and 47 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 413) than the Armada’s 5.6 DOHC V8.

The Suburban’s 3.0 turbo diesel produces 82 lbs.-ft. more torque (495 vs. 413) than the Armada’s 5.6 DOHC V8.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Suburban
	RWD	5.3 OHV V8	15 city/20 hwy
		6.2 OHV V8	14 city/20 hwy
	AWD	5.3 OHV V8	15 city/18 hwy
		6.2 OHV V8	14 city/18 hwy
Armada
	RWD	5.6 DOHC V8	14 city/19 hwy
	AWD	5.6 DOHC V8	13 city/18 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Suburban V8’s fuel efficiency. The Armada doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Suburban’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.

The Suburban has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Armada (28.3 vs. 26 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Suburban 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.

Transmission

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

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Suburban’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Armada:

	Suburban	Armada
Front Rotors	16.1 inches	13.8 inches

The Suburban stops shorter than the Armada:

	Suburban	Armada
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Suburban RST’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Armada (285/40R24 vs. 275/60R20).

The Suburban’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 SV’s standard 70 series tires. The Suburban RST’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 Suburban RST offers optional 24-inch wheels. The Armada’s largest wheels are only 22-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Suburban 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Suburban’s wheelbase is 13 inches longer than on the Armada (134.1 inches vs. 121.1 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Suburban Z71 Air Ride has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Armada SL/Platinum (10 vs. 9.2 inches), allowing the Suburban to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Suburban 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 Suburban offers optional seating for 9 passengers; the Armada can only carry 8.

The Suburban has 16.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Armada (170.8 vs. 154.5).

The Suburban has 1.4 inches more front headroom, 2.6 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front hip room, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear legroom, 2.9 inches more rear hip room, 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.8 inches more third row headroom, 8.3 inches more third row legroom, .6 inches more third row hip room and 2.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the Armada.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Suburban	Armada
Behind Third Seat	41.5 cubic feet	16.5 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	93.8 cubic feet	49.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	144.5 cubic feet	95.4 cubic feet

The Suburban’s cargo area is larger than the Armada’s in every dimension:

	Suburban	Armada
Max Width	49.5”	49.2”
Min Width	49.4”	49.2”
Height	36.5”	35.2”

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Suburban’s (except LS) optional 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 Suburban Premier/High Country’s available liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind 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

The Suburban 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Suburban can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Armada can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

The Suburban (except LS) offers an available heads-up display that projects speed, warning 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 Suburban’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 Suburban’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Armada’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open 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 Suburban’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Armada doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Suburban’s standard Keyless Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Intelligent Key standard on the Armada doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The Suburban’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 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.

The Suburban’s Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist 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.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Suburban owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Suburban will cost $410 to $1410 less than the Armada over a five-year period.

The Suburban will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Suburban will retain 54.17% to 56.59% of its original price after five years, while the Armada only retains 44.85% to 46.08%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Suburban is less expensive to operate than the Armada because typical repairs cost much less on the Suburban than the Armada, including $180 less for a starter, $167 less for front struts and $305 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The Chevrolet Suburban outsold the Nissan Armada by over two to one during 2023.