2025 Nissan Armada vs 2025 Honda Pilot

The 2025 Honda Pilot was available in several trims, including the Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition. The Sport trim was the most affordable, but it lacked many appealing amenities, making the leather-lined EX-L model a more recommended choice. Prices ranged from $40,200 to $54,580, plus a $1,395 destination charge. The Black Edition, evaluated in Southern California, featured a Modern Steel paint color and no additional options, bringing its MSRP to $55,975, including destination. This edition was based on the Pilot Elite and featured black wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, and black badges. Inside, it boasted black leather seats with red perforation accents, red contrast stitching, and red ambient lighting. The Black Edition's custom look was more suited for suburban environments, while the Pilot's overall design aimed for a rugged appearance. The interior was thoughtfully designed with quality materials, though the digital driver display and infotainment system appeared dated.

The 2025 Nissan Armada featured a strikingly high beltline, similar to its luxury counterpart, the Infiniti QX80. The grille and front fascia appeared taller, aided by the SUV's higher ground clearance. The PRO-4X trim was the only one to feature a skid plate. The new front lighting signature included C-shaped LED lines, and the large grille made a strong impression. From the side, the third-generation Armada appeared larger and more business-like, with a parallel beltline and distinctive D-pillar. The PRO-4X trim added black plastic cladding for a rugged character. The Armada's rear featured standard LED taillights, with a fashionable red lightbar on the PRO-4X and Platinum Reserve trims. Wheel sizes varied from 18-inch on the SV to 22-inch on the Platinum Reserve. The interior of the Platinum Reserve and PRO-4X trims was comfortably outfitted, with leather seats and premium materials. The Armada's cabin offered a luxurious feel, especially with the Chestnut with Rye theme in the Platinum Reserve test car.

The 2025 Honda Pilot was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, generating 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain allowed most Pilot models to tow up to 5,000 pounds. The Pilot offered various driving modes, including Normal, Econ, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand. Models with Honda's Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) AWD system featured hill descent control and up to 7.3 inches of ground clearance, with the TrailSport offering 8.3 inches. The AWD system's torque vectoring allowed up to 70 percent of engine output to flow to a single rear wheel, or 75 percent in the TrailSport. The V6 provided good acceleration, though the transmission occasionally felt slow to downshift. Fuel economy was unimpressive, with an average of 20 mpg on the evaluation loop, falling short of the EPA rating of 21 mpg in combined driving. The Pilot's handling was predictable and secure, with a compliant suspension that benefited typical driving situations. The Black Edition's 20-inch wheels and tires contributed to its driving dynamics.

The 2025 Nissan Armada featured a new powertrain with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, inspired by the high-performance GT-R. It produced 425 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, an increase of 25 horsepower and 103 lb-ft over its predecessor. The seven-speed automatic transmission was replaced with a nine-speed automatic. All trims, except the PRO-4X, were available with either rear-wheel drive or Nissan's Intelligent Four-Wheel Drive. The PRO-4X trim was 4WD-only and included dedicated 20-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, an electronic locking rear differential, and metal underbody skid plates. The Armada's adaptive electronic air suspension, shared with the Platinum Reserve, provided a 33-degree approach angle, 25.5-degree breakover angle, and 24.5-degree departure angle, with 9.6 inches of ground clearance. The Armada could tow up to 8,500 pounds when properly equipped. The updated electric power steering provided a nice sense of engagement, and the adaptive air suspension added comfort on-road and off-road.

The 2025 Honda Pilot excelled in form and function, with three rows of comfortable seats and thoughtful storage solutions. However, the Black Edition's front passenger seat had only a four-way adjustment, lacking height and cushion tilt adjustments. The front seats were comfortable and supportive, with heating and ventilation. The second-row seats were roomy, with a removable center section for captain's chairs. The third row was habitable for adults if the second row slid forward. The Pilot featured a remote engine starting system, triple-zone automatic climate control, and a panoramic sunroof. Cargo space included 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 48.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 86.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2025 Nissan Armada introduced a push-button transmission, freeing up center console space for a wireless charging pad. The Armada Platinum Reserve featured "Zero Gravity" seats, which were comfortable but felt deep. The front seats offered up to 12-way adjustment with four-way lumbar support. Heated front seats were standard on the SL trim, with cooling available on higher trims. The second-row bench seat was standard, with captain's chairs available on Platinum trims. The third-row seats offered power one-touch folding. Cargo volume increased across the board, with 20.4 cubic feet behind the third row, 56.3 cubic feet behind the second row, and 97.1 cubic feet with all seats folded. The Armada's headroom and legroom varied depending on the presence of a sunroof, with improvements in third-row legroom.

The 2025 Honda Pilot's technology appeared dated, with smaller display screens compared to rivals. The Black Edition featured a 10.2-inch digital gauge panel and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, text-messaging support, and wireless smartphone charging. The navigation system, HondaLink subscription services, Wi-Fi access, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system were also included. However, the wireless CarPlay function had issues, and the voice recognition system was hit-and-miss. The Bose audio system was adequate but not exceptional. The Pilot's CabinTalk feature allowed the driver to communicate with passengers over the stereo speakers.

The 2025 Nissan Armada came standard with two large screens, 12.3-inch displays on the SV and SL trims, and 14.3-inch screens on the PRO-4X, Platinum, and Platinum Reserve. The screens were housed together but kept flat. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with six USB-C ports. The SL trim added a wireless charging pad and Google Built-In, which allowed Google Maps to be viewed on the driver-information display. A head-up display was optional starting at the SL trim level. The base Armada SV had a six-speaker sound system, while a 12-speaker Klipsch Premium Audio System was standard on higher trims. The Klipsch system was demonstrated by product specialists, highlighting its merits.

The 2025 Honda Pilot was equipped with Honda Sensing safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Black Edition also had parking sensors and a multi-view camera system with TrailWatch technology. However, the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems had issues, and the road sign recognition system conveyed inaccurate data. The Pilot earned high marks in crash tests, with the IIHS naming it a Top Safety Pick+ and the NHTSA giving it a five-star overall rating.

The 2025 Nissan Armada featured Nissan's ProPILOT Assist suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies. The basic version was found on the SV and PRO-4X trims, while ProPILOT Assist 1.1 was standard on higher trims. ProPILOT Assist 2.1, available on the SL, Platinum, and Platinum Reserve, added hands-free highway-driving assist technology. The Armada also came with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included traffic-sign recognition, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. A surround-view camera was standard on the SL trim, with a 3D Around View Monitor on higher trims. The camera system was tested with a "blindfold" applied to the windshield, demonstrating its usefulness.