For years the Nissan Armada has sat on top of the brand’s U.S. lineup as the largest, most powerful, and highly capable SUV. Despite this, it has never been one of the best sellers in its segment. Thankfully, the 2021 Armada just received some major improvements, which should help change that. According to Nissan, the refreshed Armada gets a refined new look, excellent interior tech, and tons of horsepower.

The 2021 Nissan Armada gets an all-new look

As if the Nissan Armada needed any more road presence, the large SUV now gets an even larger front grille. Although the front fenders may appear quite similar to those in the current-generation model, they are all-new for 2021. If you look closely at the brand-new LED boomerang-shaped headlights, you’ll see that the fender actually curves into them. To strengthen the Armada’s overall look, Nissan added color-matched over-fenders and dark roof fails. The result here is that these tweaks help the gargantuan SUV appear more robust than ever.

The changes continue at the 2021 Nissan Armada’s rear end. This is where you’ll find a brand-new set of rear taillights. Like with the front end, you get a set of LED lights. Additionally, the rear now sees the Armada name displayed in a horizontal dark-colored panel that connects the rear taillights. Although this is a design cue we’ve seen throughout the auto industry in recent years, it works quite well on the back of the Armada.

In terms of colors, many of the main ones carry over, such as Hermosa Blue Pearl, Mocha Almond Pearl, Gun Metallic, Super Black, Brilliant Silver Metallic, and Aspen White TriCoat. However, there is a brand-new Coulis Red Pearl, which the vehicle in the press images above features.

There is a new massive 12.3-inch screen

Despite being marketed as a premium product, the last-gen Nissan Armada’s infotainment system seemed to stem directly from the early 2000s. That is no longer the case with the 2021 model. Now you’ll get a massive 12.3-inch screen as standard. Additionally, you get wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, although Android Auto still requires a wired connection. There’s also a brand-new seven-inch display situated in the instrument cluster, although a fully digital dash isn’t available.

Other notable additions include an intelligent rear-view mirror that comes standard on Platinum trim levels. The Armada Platinum also gets a family entertainment system as standard, which features two eight-inch monitors embedded into the headrests. Add on to that the available seating for eight, and you’ve got yourself a serious road trip vehicle.

As you’d expect, these higher trim levels likely won’t be cheap. As of writing, Nissan has yet to publish official pricing for its newest SUV.

There’s a 400-hp V8 under the hood

Aside from utilizing a durable and off-road-ready ladder frame design, the 2021 Nissan Armada benefits from a powerful engine. Under the hood lives a naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V8 developing 400 hp and 413 lb-ft. Buyers can expect to get up to 8,500 lb of towing capacity from both the all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive models when properly equipped. The only transmission available is a seven-speed automatic.

For the RV and towing fans, the 2021 Nissan Armada adds a standard Trailer Brake Controller for the SV, SL, and Platinum trims. Additionally, you can get Trailer Sway Control on the higher SL and Platinum trims. However, performance comes at the cost of fuel economy since the large SUV is set to consume an average of 16 mpg in the RWD models and 15 mph in the AWD models.

All in all, these updates should help the enormous Nissan break through the crowd of large SUVs available.