Compare the2026 Nissan ArmadaVS 2026 Volvo XC90

The Nissan Armada has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The XC90 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Armada Platinum Reserve has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The XC90 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

With its standard ProPILOT Assist 1.1, the Nissan Armada is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Volvo XC90, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Both the Armada and the XC90 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Nissan Armada weighs 623 to 1674 pounds more than the Volvo XC90. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Nissan Armada is safer than the XC90:

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the Armada 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC90. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the XC90 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Armada’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 89 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 29th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Volvo With 27 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Volvo.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 3 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

The Armada has more powerful engines than the XC90:

As tested in Car and Driver the Nissan Armada (base engine) is faster than the XC90 B6 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid:

Both the Armada and the XC90 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Armadas have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The XC90 T8 doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

The Armada has 4.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the XC90 (23.6 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Nissan Armada, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the XC90.

For better stopping power the Armada’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the XC90:

The Armada stops much shorter than the XC90:

The Nissan Armada’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Volvo XC90 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Armada has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The XC90 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Armada has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the XC90; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The front and rear suspension of the Armada uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the XC90, which uses transverse leafs springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Armada’s wheelbase is 3.6 inches longer than on the XC90 (121.1 inches vs. 117.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Armada is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the XC90.

For greater off-road capability the Armada SV has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XC90 (9.6 vs. 8.8 inches), allowing the Armada to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Armada PRO-4X’s minimum ground clearance is 1.7 inches higher than on the XC90 w/Air Suspension (11.6 vs. 9.9 inches).

The Armada offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the XC90 can only carry 7.

The Armada has 57.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XC90 (161.6 vs. 103.8).

The Armada has 2.7 inches more front headroom, 2.9 inches more front legroom, 3.9 inches more front hip room, 6.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 2.2 inches more rear legroom, 3.4 inches more rear hip room, 7.2 inches more rear shoulder room, 1 inch more third row legroom, 6.8 inches more third row hip room and 16.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the XC90.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Armada’s middle and third row seats recline. The XC90’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Armada’s cargo area provides more volume than the XC90.

The Armada’s cargo area is larger than the XC90’s in almost every dimension:

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Armada SL/Platinum/PRO-4X/NISMO’s second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The XC90 doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The Armada’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XC90’s (8500 vs. 5000 pounds).

The engine in the Armada is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XC90. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Armada’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The XC90’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Armada has standard extendable sun visors. The XC90 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Armada is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the XC90, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Armada offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the XC90.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Armada equipped with available HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The XC90, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Nissan Armada empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

The Armada is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The XC90 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.