At first glance, you might look at the 2023 Armada and think, “It’s just a Nissan.” However, its looks will deceive you. They sure deceived me. When I opened the driver’s side door to my top-trim Platinum tester, I was blown away by everything it had to offer. Considering all of the comfort and elegant design details, the Armada Platinum feels like a luxurious living room on wheels.

The 2023 Nissan Armada Platinum offers three rows of comfort

If you have a large family or need extra space, the 2023 Nissan Armada is a great choice. It can fit up to eight people in relative comfort and offers three spacious rows with vents, cupholders, and USB ports to keep everyone satiated. My Armada Platinum tester for the week came with quilted leather and can fit seven people due to the captain’s chairs in the second row.

There’s plenty of space up front for the driver and passenger since the Armada provides a lot of head and leg room. The seats are also super comfortable and feel like La-Z-Boy chairs with their power adjustability and a large amount of support. I could probably fall asleep in one if needed. Especially since there they are heated and ventilated. One thing to note is that the Armada remembers if the seat heating or ventilation was on when you turned off the car, so they turn automatically the next time you get in.

The second row is just as comfortable as my tester came with the option captain’s chairs. These seats offer power adjustability, plenty of support, and soft quilted leather as well. Did I mention that the Armada’s cabin feels like a living room?

It feels that way partly due to the large center console that divides the two seats. Inside, you’ll find two wireless headsets connecting to the two 8-inch monitors in the front-seat headrests. They’re a little old-school (since most kids have tablets now), but they should keep your passengers occupied until you reach your destination.

The third row is easy to access with the pull of a handle on the captain’s chair. The second-row seat folds forward easily to reveal an access point. Once back there, there’s a decent amount of room for three child-sized occupants. I wouldn’t put any adults back there for a long ride.

The Nissan Armada drives smoothly and turns on a dime

So far, driving the Nissan Armada has been a pleasant experience. A large V8 engine under the hood pumps out 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. That’s plenty of power to get the 6,000-pound beast moving quickly when you need it to. It’s also enough to tow up to 8,000 pounds.

Driving around town, the Armada moves along smoothly, and the acceleration is decent once you get the car going. One surprising part of the driving experience is making a U-turn. Despite the large SUV’s heft, it’s easy to turn on a dime with its exceptionally tight turning radius. Also, the Armada doesn’t feel unwieldy to drive as it feels smaller than it really is.

The 2023 Nissan Armada is a good solution if you need a capable three-row SUV

So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by my 2023 Nissan Armada Platinum test car. It drives smoothly, it’s comfortable, and it’s far more opulent than I could have imagined. Don’t let the Armada’s looks fool you; its interior is much better than you think it is. It’s good enough for the whole family – you know, like a living room.