In the auto industry, certain segments tend to have a lot of redesigns at the same time, and that’s certainly been the case for full-size SUVs recently! After many years, Nissan has finally put out an all-new generation of its Armada, and this time around it’s got the space, luxury and technology to truly compete against rivals, like the also recently redesigned Toyota Sequoia. But, who wins in a 2025 Toyota Sequoia vs. 2025 Nissan Armada battle? Well, let’s go ahead and find out!
Pricing and Equipment
Now before we get into it, let’s discuss the pricing and equipment levels.
If you haven’t looked at full-size SUVs in a while, you might be surprised at how expensive these have gotten. We’re looking at the fully loaded examples of both, so on the Toyota that’s the Capstone trim. With 4WD, destination, and just a few options we’re sitting right at $88 grand.
MSRP (Capstone 4WD): $83,665 | Options: $2,370 | Destination: $1,945 | Total: $87,980
You’ll be happy to know the Nissan does reflect a more affordable price tag than the Toyota, but not by as much as you might think. In its top trim, Platinum Reserve with 4WD, our total price over just under $85,000.
MSRP (Platinum Reserve 4WD): $79,900 | Options: $2,900 | Destination: $2,010 | Total: $84,900
By the way, if you want to get the best price from local dealerships and access to invoice pricing info for these two models or any vehicle, we have a tool on our website to do just that.
Exterior Design
Starting with the exteriors, you’ll see handsome and bold designs that show you spent the big bucks for their top trims. The Armada takes the sportier approach between the two with black mesh and some subtle chrome accents. Toyota, on the other hand, goes for chrome to the max degree on this Capstone model. And while points won’t be awarded for design preference, we do have some lighting differences.
Both feature premium full LED projector lighting and LED fog lamps, but it’s only the Sequoia that has dynamic turn signals.
Heading to the sides, both have big boxy shapes and, as expected, are massive length-wise. Even though they are only about an inch apart, you’ll want to stay tuned for the back seats and cargo areas later in the comparison because they are way more different than you might expect.
While neither will fit in the average garage or offer an extended wheelbase version, both will throw in massive wheels. They size in at 22-inches and have premium contrast designs, though only Armada offers several two-tone paint schemes which helps customize its design.
Lengths: Sequoia: 208.1-inches | Armada: 209.6-inches
Heading around to the rear, they feature a boxy and tough look, and for features mostly match each other. Both their lighting is fully LED, but only the Nissan has a hidden rear wiper to keep it from being weathered as much.
Towing is impressive on both, but the Sequoia leads here by about 5.5% at around 9,000 lbs. vs. 8,500 in the Armada.
Armada (Plat Reserve 4WD): 8,500 lbs
Sequoia (Capstone 4WD): 8,980 lbs
Additional Features
Now moving past the designs, both SUVs are loaded with features, like mirrors that heat, fold, automatically dim and include blind spot monitoring.
And as far as all the other safety features, both give you every safety system as standard equipment for 2025. The only difference is our Armada has the optional ProPilot 2.1 system which allows for some hands-free driving and auto lane changing on highways. That’s something worth considering for road-tripping vehicles like these.
Next up, we have the warranties, where they have the exact same coverage since Nissan added complimentary maintenance for 2025 model year.
Armada: Warranty: Basic Warranty: 3yr/36k mi | Powertrain: 5yr/60k mi | Comp Main: 2 yrs/25k mi
Sequoia: Warranty: Basic Warranty: 3yr/36k mi | Powertrain: 5yr/60k mi | Comp Main: 2yrs/25k
Anyway, that’s the end of the exterior comparison, so now let’s get to the impressively luxurious interiors.
Interior Design
So, walking up the vehicles, both are obviously going to have smart entry systems with remote start, however, it’s only the Armada that has it on the fob free for life.
Note: Toyota Remote Connect subscription is required for remote start via phone or fob after the trial period
On the flip side, it’s the Armada that does not have sensors behind the door handle to unlock.
One important difference is that the Armada does not have power running boards as an available option. That makes getting in a bit harder vs. the Sequoia.
But moving past that, and checking out the interiors themselves, they have incredibly luxurious cabins for “mainstream” brands. You’ll struggle to recognize the Armada at all compared to the previous generation since it’s had massive glow up and is now filled with tech and luxury.
But starting with the seats themselves, both Sequoia and Armada have heated and ventilated seats with memory and even massaging functions for the front seats. However, the Sequoia has a few more adjustments since it includes power thy extension and it also has higher-end semi-aniline leather.
Now as far as the broader interior materials, both dresses to impress and have appointments more common to luxury nameplates. Across both upper and middle dashboards, you’ll find leather coverings, real wood accents, and stitching patterns that break up the space. Overall, they seem pretty much equivalent and are incredibly nice.
Now after startup, you will find full digital gauge clusters on both. The Sequoia’s is 12.3 inches and the Armada, after its redesign, gets a big tech upgrade to a 14.3-inch display. That’s about 15% more screen real estate, and both include large head-up displays as well.
Of course, it pretty much goes without saying that both have heated, leather-wrapped steering wheels with power adjustment and rain-sensing wipers. Armada includes high-end leather though, that even extends to the airbag cover.
Storage and Technology
Now the next major area to evaluate is interior storage, where both of them are very large as expected. Both have advantages and disadvantages starting with the main console area. Here, the Sequoia pulls ahead with a larger area fitting a whopping 2 dozen donuts. Both have a good amount of storage area in the front with wireless charging pads, but on the flip side, it’s only the Armada that includes a pass-through storage area underneath.
The reason for that is because the Armada has an electronic shifter, while Toyota kept a traditional one. Regardless of your preference, both display multi-view 360-degree camera systems when in reverse. The Armada’s is a bit more advanced, though, with the ability to expand over both displays and have a detailed 3D spin.
For climate, both have 3-zone automatic setups and have physical knobs to control important functions like temperature.
Both also have knobs to control their audio systems, so let’s sample them. While the Sequoia has a 2-speaker advantage, in our experience with audio systems of all price points, the Klipsch audio has the much richer sound quality vs. the Toyota’s JBL.
Armada: 12-speaker Klipsch Audio
Sequoia: 14-speaker JBL Premium audio
Now moving on to the screens, these are big center points of the interiors. The Sequoia used to have a big advantage here with its 14-inch display, but now Nissan has the slight advantage. It has a 14.3-inch screen which isn’t enough of a difference to score a point. For software, both allow you to use wireless Android Auto and CarPlay, but it’s only the Armada comes with Google apps built in. That allows for things like Google Maps to be natively in the system.
Finally, ending the front areas, both have rear camera mirrors and large power panoramic moonroofs.
Rear Seats and Cargo
But since these are giant 3-row SUV’s, there is still a lot to talk about in the back areas of the cabin. Here, they ironically have the exact same legroom figure and nearly the same headroom as well.
Armada: Legroom: 39.2-inches | Headroom: 37.8-inches
Sequoia: 39.2-inches of legroom | 38.4-inches of headroom
The features are also largely the same, both having their own climate controls, captain’s chairs, heated seats and USB ports. However, the Capstone Sequoia also includes seat ventilation, something only available on the more expensive Infiniti QX80.
Moving past that, only the Sequoia also has rear window sunshades and a household outlet, but fighting back, it’s the Armada’s rear seats that can slide forward and back to adjust space distribution for the second and third row.
Moving on to that next row of seats, we see more significant differences. Before we even get back there, you’ll see that it’s only the Armada’s folding mechanism that would allow a child seat to remain installed.
The advantages continue in Armada’s favor when it comes to space and comfort as well. The Sequoia went away from an independent rear suspension for this new generation which means that even though the legroom number is competitive, the reality is Sequoia feels a lot more cramped. The higher floor reduces thy support and headroom as you can clearly see.
For features, both have vents and power reclining but only the Sequoia has third row sunshades.
Armada: Legroom: 32.9-inches | Headroom: 36.2-inches
Sequoia: Legroom: 28.1-33.7 inches | Headroom: 35.6-inches
The same situation plays out in the cargo area after opening their hands-free power tailgates. The independent rear suspension and lack of battery packs under the floor allow the Armada to deliver significantly more space across all 3 seating configurations. The Sequoia has a cargo management system to try to make up for the raised floor and the way the seats fold, but the Armada is definitely the way to go for max space and versatility.
Armada: Behind 3rd Row: 20.4 cu.ft. | Behind 2nd Row: 56.3 cu. ft. | Maximum: 97.1 cu. Ft.
Sequoia: Behind the 3rd row: 11.5 cu.ft | 2nd row: 49.0 cu.ft | Max: 86.9 cu.ft
Features-wise, they both have power folding third rows, and full-size spare tires, but only the Armada has buttons to fold the second row from the cargo area, and only the Sequoia’s rear glass pops independently from the tailgate.
But it’s still a very tight race, so now let’s take them out on the road!
Powertrains
Now these two have been very different throughout this video, but we see more similarities under their hoods. For these new generations, both have moved to a 3.5L Twin-Turbo V-6 from their previous V8s. That’s not to say they are the same, though, since they have some big differences. The Armada remains a full gas powertrain while the Toyota has a standard hybridized setup. All that equates to 425 and 437 horsepower in the Armada and Sequoia respectively, which isn’t different enough to get a point for horsepower, but torque does lean in the Toyota’s favor with a 12% advantage.
Armada: 3.5L Twin Turbo V-6: 425 hp | 516 lb.ft
Sequoia: 3.5L Twin-Turbo V-6 + Electric: 437 hp | 583 lb.ft
As far as the transmissions are concerned, the Nissan and Toyota have 9 and 10-speed autos that are nice and responsive, and power is put to the ground via 4-wheel drive systems as equipped.
Test Drive and Fuel Economy
But perhaps as important as performance, is ride quality. The Armada has a significant advantage here that begins with that independent rear suspension we already mentioned. It also has full air suspension standard on Platinum Reserve so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the ride is smoother and more controlled than the truck-like feel of the Sequoia. It uses a solid rear axle, adaptive dampers and has an available rear air suspension, mostly useful for just leveling while towing.
Additionally, it’s the Armada with better on-road driving dynamics courtesy of its intelligent digital suspension. That allows the suspension to compensate for body roll and makes it feel surprisingly nimble and more confident on a tighter road.
And as far as sound isolation, here at Car Confections we test every car we review at 55MPH to see how quiet they are. Both come in at good figures, although we can’t officially score them due to the Armada’s figure being tested in Tennessee on the media drive. Here are their figures for your reference.
Armada: 54.0 dB @ 55 MPH
Sequoia: 58.7 dB @ 55 MPH
Finally, when it comes to fuel economy, the Hybrid Sequoia takes the lead. It comes in 3 MPG combined better than the gas Armada which will make a difference over the lifetime of owning these two.
Armada 4WD: 15/19/17 MPG
Sequoia 4WD: 19/22/20 MPG
Value Assessment
In our reviews and comparisons, we are also adding in reliability and resale information to give you a better picture of the overall value beyond just the original MSRP.
Beginning with reliability, we developed the Combined Reliability Index, which takes into account several studies from trustworthy sources, and combines them in a way that gives a more realistic picture. In this respect, the Toyota excels: Toyota takes the number one spot for all vehicle brands 16 spots above the industry average, while Nissan ranks at 2 spots below average.
We also put Mason’s economics degree to work to develop a detailed Predicted Resale Value tool. After 5 years and 60,000 miles, the Toyota takes a significant lead. It comes in at a predicted resale percent of 64.50% and the Nissan 50.56%.
I want to emphasize that if money, reliability or resale value matter less to you personally, feel free to disregard these points. And if you’d like to check out all our data about reliability and resale values, as well as learn about our methodology, make sure to head to www.carconfections.com/resale and www.carconfections.com/reliability. Buying a car is a big decision, and this is a great place to compare all the makes you might be cross-shopping.
2025 Toyota Sequoia vs. 2025 Nissan Armada Winner!
So that’s it for another exciting comparison, between the brand-new and quite impressive Armada and the hybrid Sequoia! Let’s quickly recap here and discuss who should be “your” personal winner.
Sequoia:
- Tows more
- Reliability and resale
- Hybrid powertrain (better MPG, more torque)
- Boujee features (vented rear seats, power running boards, rear sunshades)
Armada:
- Significantly bigger cargo capacity and third-row
- Drive experience (air suspension and better dynamics)
- Technology advantages (Google built-in, ProPilot hands-free)
Now we want to know your opinions, so make sure to head to the comment section and let us know which one you would pick!
Thanks for joining us for another Car Confections Comparison! We’ll catch you next time as we sample the latest automotive delicacies!
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