2022 Ford Expedition vs 2021 Nissan Armada

The 2021 Nissan Armada underwent a significant facelift, aligning its exterior design with Nissan's new signature look. The SUV featured a new grille, front fenders, bumpers, and LED headlights and taillights, giving it a modern appearance while retaining its traditional beefy and athletic body styling. The Armada was available in S, SV, SL, and Platinum grades, with the Midnight Edition Package exclusive to the SL trim. The highest Platinum trim level included body-color over fenders, dark-painted roof rails, and an acoustic windshield and front side windows. Depending on the trim, the Armada rode on 18-, 20-, or 22-inch aluminum alloy wheels, all wrapped in all-season tires. Despite the updates, the interior remained somewhat dated, with design choices that made the SUV appear past its prime.

In contrast, the 2022 Ford Expedition received exterior styling revisions and updated infotainment tech. The front featured a new grille, headlights, and bumper, while the rear got revised taillights, tailgate trim, and a new bumper. Redesigned wheels were introduced across the model lineup. The Expedition was available in XL STX, XLT, Limited, King Ranch, and Platinum trims, with prices ranging from just over $55,000 to just under $84,000. A new Timberline trim was also available, adding off-road capabilities. Inside, the Expedition boasted a redesigned dashboard with the new Sync 4 and Sync 4A infotainment systems, the latter featuring a 15.5-inch touchscreen display. The test vehicle's MSRP was $80,155, including various options and packages.

The 2021 Nissan Armada was equipped with a 5.6-liter V8 engine paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission, delivering 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel. The SUV came standard with rear-wheel drive, with automatic four-wheel drive available. Despite its weight of over 6,000 pounds, the Armada was a capable off-roader with a skid plate, double-wishbone suspension, and Hitachi twin-tube shock absorbers. However, its fuel economy was on the low end, with RWD models getting an EPA-estimated 14 mpg in the city, 19 mpg on the highway, and 16 mpg combined. The Armada had a best-in-class towing capacity of 8,500 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2022 Ford Expedition featured a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, producing 380 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, with higher output versions available. The engine was paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive standard and four-wheel drive optional. Fuel economy ranged from 17 mpg to 19 mpg in combined driving, with observed fuel economy at 16.2 mpg. The Expedition's powertrain could tow between 9,000 and 9,300 pounds, depending on the model and equipment. The SUV's driving dynamics were enhanced by the Stealth Edition Package's sport-tuned suspension, though the ride quality could be harsh on imperfect pavement. The Expedition excelled on the highway, offering a comfortable and quiet ride.

The 2021 Nissan Armada offered practicality and functionality for families, with standard running boards and in-cabin handles for easy entry and exit. The new 12.3-inch touchscreen was a standout feature, though some controls were difficult to reach. The first and second-row seats provided comfort, with power-adjustable options and available captain's chairs. The third-row seating was less comfortable for adults due to limited legroom. Cargo space was 16.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 49.9 cubic feet behind the second row, and 95.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. However, the high load floor made loading and unloading challenging.

The 2022 Ford Expedition excelled in comfort, with available power running boards for easy entry. The interior offered plenty of room for passengers, with power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The second-row captain's chairs provided ample legroom and comfort, with their own climate controls and cupholders. The third-row seat was easy to access and offered good leg support, though headroom could be tight for taller passengers. Cargo space was 19.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 104.6 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. The Expedition Max offered even more cargo space.

The 2021 Nissan Armada featured a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, the largest in its class, with navigation, a six-speaker stereo system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, USB ports, a WiFi hotspot, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Available features included a wireless charging pad, 13-speaker Bose audio system, rearview camera mirror, and a second-row entertainment system. The analog tachometer and speedometer, along with a functional steering wheel, provided limited control of the driver information screen and infotainment system.

The 2022 Ford Expedition introduced the next-generation Sync 4 and Sync 4A infotainment systems. The standard Sync 4 system included a 12-inch touchscreen, while Sync 4A featured a 15.5-inch touchscreen with a single physical dial for stereo volume. Both systems included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FordPass Connect, natural voice recognition, and a connected navigation system. Higher trims added features like SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, wireless smartphone charging, and Bang & Olufsen premium sound systems. The Expedition also offered an upgraded rear-seat entertainment system with Amazon Fire TV and Pro Trailer Backup Assist 2.0.

The 2021 Nissan Armada came with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and rear automatic braking. Additional safety features included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear door alert. However, the Armada lacked advanced driving assist technologies like Nissan ProPilot Assist or Super Cruise. The NHTSA gave the Armada a three-star rollover rating due to its 23.7-percent rollover risk.

The 2022 Ford Expedition offered three Ford Co-Pilot360 packages. The standard package included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, a driver monitoring system, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, speed-limit-sign recognition, intersection assist, and evasive steering assist. The Co-Pilot Assist 2.0 package, standard on higher trims, included a surround-view camera system, rear automatic emergency braking, and Active Park Assist 2.0. The Expedition also offered Road Edge Detection and BlueCruise hands-free driving technology.