The Titan 2008.5 offers only one engine, a 5.6 liter V8 with 317 horsepower. There is no V6 because, in spite of its killer looks, the Titan was built to work. It also only has one transmission, a five speed automatic with overdrive. This combination gives it a respectable 12 miles per gallon city and 17 miles per gallon highway.

The 2008.5 came in Crew and King Cab, the latter with four full doors. Both had a seven foot bed, but you could get an eight foot bed with the King cab. The bigger cab sat five adults in reasonable comfort, though it advertised six. (The truth is, no one can sit comfortably in the front middle of any vehicle.) It would haul almost ten thousand pounds.

The 2008.5 2WD has three trim options: XE, SE and LE. These have the amenities you would expect, growing in price and quality as you step up in class.

The second generation Nissan Xterra was launched in 2005 as a vehicle that seated five. The vehicle came with a V6 engine with 265 horsepower. The Xterra was available in three models; the S, the Off-Road, and the SE. The S and the Off-Road models came equipped with a six speed manual transmission, while the SE version came equipped with a five speed automatic transmission. Close competitors to the Xterra include the Honda Element and the Mazda Tribute in size and features. All versions were equipped with anti-lock disc brakes, airbags on the side in the front and shock absorbers manufactured by Bilstein. A system to avoid the vehicle from skidding was optional on the S version, but was part of the equipment offered on the Off-Road and SE versions. The SE versions were equipped with 17 inch tires and the other versions were equipped with 16 inch tires. In 2006, an entry-level model was added to the lineup.

The vehicle was available with either rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. The Xterra was available in three models; the entry level, the XE V6 and the SE. The entry-level models had a four-cylinder engine, a manual transmission, and two-wheel drive. The XE V6 and SE models had a 3.3-Liter V6 engine and either a manual or an automatic transmission. The XE and SE models were available with either two-wheel or four-wheel drive. All models came equipped with anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, and skid plates for the engine/transmission. In 2001, the SE model came equipped with 16-inch tires, and the new stereo system included a CD player that could store five CDs and was located in the dashboard. In addition, the stereo system buttons were located on the steering wheel. In 2002, a supercharged V6 engine became available with the four-wheel drive vehicles.

Much like its French cousin, there is global disagreement about the pronunciation of the brand’s name, which is “NI-san” in the United States, but “nis-san” elsewhere in the English-speaking world.

For the entire twelve years since the award was created, the Nissan VQ engine, a proprietary V6, has been featured among Ward’s 10 Best Engines. A new generation of this engine will premiere on the next generation Infiniti, G35, the future GT-R, and the 2007 Nissan 350Z. As well, the 2007 model-year Altima and SPEC-V Sentra will feature an updated 2.5VQ 4-cylinder engine.

On Sunday, 2nd August, Nissan will reveal its new global electric vehicle to the media at the company’s new headquarters in Yokahama, Japan. We’ve already shown you a couple of teaser shots released by Nissan, but today we found a new rendering of the dedicated EV that was created by the crew over at Japan’s Best Car magazine. Judging by the teaser photos, the CGI shouldn’t be too off from the actual production model.

Unveiled today at Nissan’s Japanese headquarters in Yokohama, the zero-emissions Nissan Leaf is a dedicated, mass production electric-vehicle that is slated for launch in late 2010 in Japan, the United States, and Europe. Slightly larger than the Tiida, the medium-sized five-door hatchback is based on a unique platform and it is equipped with a fully electric drivetrain that consists of a 107HP electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack that can be charged through any home outlet providing a driving range of more than 160km (100 miles).

The Rogue is powered by a 170 horsepower four-cylinder 2.5 liter engine with a continuously variable transmission. It comes in either front wheel drive, rated at 22 miles per gallon city and 27 miles per gallon highway, or all wheel drive, which lowers the fuel economy number by one mile per gallon across the board. The comparable Mercury Mariner has a fuel efficiency rating of 20 mpg city and 26 mppg highway.

The Rogue gets a five passenger rating, and can hold four adults in reasonable comfort; however, the biggest problem, as with any compact, is with getting in and out. Once you are inside, the Rogue has some nice features. These include available six way adjustable driver and four way adjustable passenger front seats, tilt wheel, power locks and windows, remote keyless entry, security alarm and immobilizer key system.

The Rogue may be compact, but it is all about using the space it does have. There are almost thirty cubic feet of storage space behind the rear seat. Of course, it has a 40/60 split rear seat and folding rear and passenger seats, and with the back seats down you more than double the available storage.

It doesn’t stop there. There is a storage area under the cargo space. There are pockets on the front doors and in the back of the front seat. The cargo area has four tie down hooks and you can get a model with two retractable luggage side hooks. There is even a cargo light to help get it all in and out in the dark. Outside you can get a silver luggage rack, halogen headlights, variable intermittent rear wiper and body color bumpers and mirror.

Nissan always seems to pay close attention to safety, and the Rogue is no exception. Airbags everywhere (dual stage for front seats) are just a start. There are anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake force distribution, traction control and a vehicle dynamic system outside. Inside, in addition to airbags, there are Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) and child safety rear door locks. In between there are crumple zones and an energy absorbing steering column.

The Rogue comes in two trim levels: the S and the SL. Base price on the S is $20,220. The SL base runs $21,810. This is for front wheel drive. Add about twelve hundred dollars to each model for all wheel drive. Each comes with a lot of standard items, but you can add about $1,500 in upgrades to the S and several thousand to the SL.

All in all, the 2009 Nissan Rogue is a great value for a small family. Inexpensive to buy and drive and with better room than most small cars, it might be just what you’re looking for.

Both are powered by a 317 horsepower, 5.6-liter, V8 engine, and come with a five-speed automatic transmission. Both front-wheel and four-wheel drive are available.

Estimated fuel efficiency on both the SE and LE is 13 mpg city, 19 highway on the 4×2 and 13/18 for the 4×4. Both have a 28 gallon fuel tank. Interior passenger volume is 188.4 cubic feet with cargo capacity at 20 cubic feet when all seats are up and 97.1 when they are down. Maximum ground clearance for the Armada is 9.86 inches to 10.69 inches. The driver’s seat is adjustable eight ways, the fold-down front passenger seat six. The second row is a 40/20/40 on the SE and fold-flat captain’s chairs on the LE. The third row is a 60/40 split flat-folding bench seat.

The standard audio system on the SE is an eight-speaker AM/FM in-dash 6-CD unit with MP3/WMA capability. The LE has a ten-speaker Bose audio system. Both models of the 2007 Nissan Armada are pre-wired for satellite radio and a back-seat DVD entertainment system is an option.

It is available in 2 trims that each come in either rear wheel drive or 4 wheel drive configurations. Both the SE and LE trims come with 2nd and 3rd row bench seats and will comfortably seat 8 passengers, though if you can live with room for 7, a no cost upgrade to 2nd row captains chairs is available. With fuel prices at a premium and true sport utility increasing the bottom line with its associated costs, only those who can truly appreciate and make use of the Armada’s impressive towing, hauling and 8 passenger transportation capabilities should be considering this hard working SUV.

The roomy and capable Armada SE comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, an auto dimming rear view mirror, a power adjustable driver seat, power adjustable pedals, power windows, mirrors and door locks; front and rear controlled dual zone climate control, and an 8-speaker audio system with CD changer and MP3 capability. The upscale LE replaces the 18 inch rims with 20 inch alloy wheels, a power lift gate, keyless start, power adjustable and heated front seats with leather upholstery, and a premium 10 speaker Bose audio system with satellite radio. Most of the LE’s features are available as options for the SE. Additional options include a rear seat DVD entertainment system, a sun roof, a power fold feature for the 3rd row seat, Bluetooth connectivity, auto dimming side view mirrors and a navigation system that includes the ability to store digital music on its 9 gig internal hard drive.

Robust power is provided to the entire Armada lineup via its 317 horsepower, 5.6-liter V8 engine that is available with or without a flex fuel option. Both 2WD and 4WD versions come with a 5 speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is disappointing, even for this gas gobbling class, with EPA estimates of 13 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. The strength of the powertrain is amongst the best in its class though, as when properly equipped the Armada can tow up to 9100 pounds.

Undeniably, the 2008 Nissan Armada is very capable and roomy under a variety of circumstances and it is priced below similarly equipped models in its class. However, with an increasing amount of smaller, more fuel efficient cross overs and smaller SUV’s satisfying the majority of an American family’s daily driving requirements, unless you need its super sized cabin and heavy duty towing features purchasing a 2008 Nissan Armada would not be an economically wise decision.

SUVs; however, the latest 2009 Nissan Armada might prove that they’ve corrected any problems and are not giving up the fight. This full-size SUV features a 5.6L V8 engine that generates 317 horsepower. The eight-passenger model is equipped with solid safety features, a wealth of off-roading capabilities, and premium interior additions. While the exterior is basically unchanged from the prior year’s model, the modern chiseled build is still as bold and muscular as ever.

Though the 2009 Armada shines in some respects, the fuel economy is subpar at 12 city MPG and 18 highway MPG. The EPA ranks the Armada as one of the least fuel efficient SUVs and estimates that it emits more greenhouse gases than many others on the market, including the Cadillac Escalade. However, its 9,100-lb towing capacity (with premium towing package) makes it one of the most capable full-size SUVs available. The tow package includes a receiver hitch, 7-pin wiring harness (compared to most SUV tow packages that only include a 4 or 5-pin harness) and automatic leveling rear suspension. This rear suspension senses when a load is being towed or hauled and will automatically adjust the struts and shocks to better balance the load.

Inside, the 2009 Nissan has been given a few additions like Bluetooth phone capability, heated front seats, and side mirrors that can be electronically folded down or dimmed when another vehicle’s headlights produce a glare. Also available is a premium sound system powered by Bose with a 6-disc in-dash CD changer, twelve quality sound speakers and XM Satellite Radio. If buyers upgrade to the Driver’s Package, not only will they get the Bose stereo system, they’ll also receive a power liftgate, a rearview monitor for viewing behind the vehicle while in reverse and an automatic dimming rearview mirror. The Premium Package allows buyers to advance to leather seating, a power driver’s seat, and a keyless ignition system.

For a base price of $36,130, buyers will get a basic SUV with solid power but will have to add on several upgrade packages to achieve the level of “luxury SUV.” The price might rule out single buyers or families at a lower price point, but those that are looking to both seat many passengers and tow heavy loads will find a solution with the 2009 Nissan Armada.

Newer Posts »