Nissan Armada to drop V-8

In a rapidly greening auto industry, another automaker is walking away from the gas-guzzling V-8 engine.

Nissan is jettisoning the 400-hp V-8 that powers the three-row Armada SUV, leaving the low-volume Titan full-size pickup as the only nameplate under the brand with the engine.

The next-generation Armada, expected to arrive at U.S. stores in late 2023, will instead be powered by a more fuel-efficient twin-turbo V-6 engine, according to a dealer briefed on the plans.

A Nissan spokesman declined to comment.

"Fuel efficiency is on everybody's mind," another Nissan dealer told Automotive News. "If they can get the same horsepower and torque out of a V-6, why not?"

Nissan is following some other automakers in dropping big V-8 engines from their largest SUVs.

The Ford Expedition has used a conceptually similar turbocharged V-6 since the 2015 model year, while the latest Toyota Sequoia goes a step further with hybridization applied to a turbocharged V-6 as standard.

Jeep is expected to replace the V-8 in the similarly sized Wagoneer with its own turbocharged six-cylinder in the near future, AutoPacific President Ed Kim said.

"Replacing the Armada's V-8 with a turbocharged V-6 isn't so much an advancement as it is a measure to keep up with the times," Kim said.

The Armada, built on Nissan's global Patrol platform, received a freshening early last year that included a new grille, headlights, bumpers and fenders. The rear received a redesigned hatch door and updated LED taillights, while the dashboard is anchored by a new 12.3-inch horizontal display screen.

Nissan Motor Co. is reportedly pivoting away from combustion engines globally.

The Japanese automaker this week confirmed it will end development of new internal combustion engines for Europe, as consumers there shift to electric vehicles.