Nissan has a lot of solid SUV options in its lineup, and most of them offer a good balance of features for their price. That being said, one Nissan SUV didn’t score so well this year, and it’s not only the worst ranked Nissan SUV of the 2023 model year, but it’s also at the bottom of its segment. 

Here’s how Nissan’s SUVs were ranked

U.S. News said that the best Nissan SUV right now is the Rogue. It’s a compact SUV, and it has an overall score of 8.2 out of 10.

That high score also made the Rogue the fourth best SUV in its segment. Then there’s the Pathfinder. It’s a midsize SUV, and it has an overall score of 7.9 out of 10. Despite the relatively high score, it was only ranked 14th in the segment.

After that is the Kicks, which is a subcompact SUV that has an overall score of 7.8 out of 10. This was a decent score for the segment, as that made it the eighth best subcompact crossover.

Then there’s the Murano, and it’s another midsize SUV. It has an overall score of 7.6 out of 10, and that made it one of the worst options in the segment as it was ranked 19th out of 22. 

Why the 2023 Nissan Armada did so poorly in its review

The worst SUV in Nissan’s lineup, however, was the Armada. It’s a full-size SUV, and the car critic gave it an overall score of 6.6 out of 10.

That makes it the worst Nissan 2023 SUV, and the lowest ranked SUV in its segment. Its main positives are in its cabin, as the Japanese automaker gave the full-size SUV a luxurious interior loaded with standard features. It starts with three rows of seats, and that allows it to carry up to eight people.

Since it’s a full-size SUV, car shoppers are probably expecting that the Armada has plenty of space, but that isn’t the case. The first two rows are spacious and luxurious.

However, the third row is cramped, and although it’s large enough for adult passengers, it won’t be as comfortable as the first two rows. Similarly, the Japanese auto giant didn’t give the SUV that much cargo capacity.

It maxes out at 92.6 cu. ft. of space, which is decent, but the problem is that it lacks cargo capacity when the seats aren’t folded down. With the seats up, the Armada only has 16.5 cu. ft. of space, which is below average.

Additionally, the large SUV doesn’t handle well, and its only engine option has a terrible fuel economy of 14 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on highways, for 17 mpg combined. That’s bad even compared to other large SUVs. 

There are many better options than the 2023 Nissan Armada

Since the Armada received the worst overall score in its segment, every other option is going to be a better choice. The best option in the full-size SUV segment right now is the Jeep Wagoneer, and it has an overall score of 8.5 out of 10.

Just like Nissan, Jeep gave the Wagoneer a luxurious interior that’s spacious and upscale. Jeep also gave the SUV some powerful engines.

That said, the Wagoneer costs $59,000, and that’s much more expensive than the Armada’s $50,000 price tag. Another great option that’s on the cheaper side is the Ford Expedition. It starts at about $53,000, and it has an overall score of 8.2 out of  10.

The Expedition has a well-designed and well-equipped interior, and it’s spacious as well. However, one of its few flaws is that its cargo space is mediocre for the class.