2010 Nissan Armada Platinum

The rear-wheel-drive 2010 Nissan Armada Platinum represents the pinnacle of the Armada lineup. A feature-laden, eight-passenger, five-door, full-size SUV, like its SE and Titanium siblings, the 2010 Armada Platinum is powered by a standard 5.6-liter variable-valve-timed (VVT) V8 engine and five-speed automatic with overdrive and tow-haul mode. The pair generates 317 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque, good enough to haul 9,100 pounds of trailer when properly equipped. This power comes at a cost, however, as the EPA rates the 5.8-liter V8 at 12/18 mpg.

In addition to the wealth of standard features in its SE and Titanium compatriots, the 2010 Armada Platinum offers 20-inch chrome alloy wheels, heated front seats, memory settings for the driver’s seat and mirror, rear-seat DVD entertainment, voice-activated DVD-based navigation, Bluetooth hands-free communications technology, and wood-trimmed interior accents. A luxurious additional option package to the towing package, splash guards, and cargo organizer are the rear leather captain’s chairs.

Finally, the list of standard safety features included with the 2010 Armada Platinum, indeed for the entire Armada trim lineup, begins with four-wheel disc ABS, traction and stability control, dual front side-mounted airbags, front, rear, and third-row side curtain airbags, and a remote anti-theft alarm system, and goes on to include rear parking sensors (and an available rear-view camera system), dusk-sensing headlights, and child seat anchors.

By Eric Tallberg