The 7 Best Tires for the Nissan Armada
Few SUVs are as big, bold, and beautiful as the Nissan Armada. If you’re choosing tires for this mighty crossover, pick those that magnify its strengths and mitigate its weaknesses.
The Michelin Defender LTX M/S is one such tire. This all-season touring tire has the load-carrying capacity to withstand the massive weight your Armada will put on it. At the same time, it rolls pretty easily, offsetting this SUV’s below-average fuel economy.
Are you into off-roading? The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KM3 might suit you more. BFG’s flagship mud-terrain tire can easily withstand the rigors of off-roading. Plus, you can count on it to offer a stable ride regardless of the terrain you’re driving it on.
The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 is another excellent pick for the Armada, especially if you live/drive in an area that gets plenty of snowfall. However, if you frequently drive on the highway, BFG’s All-Terrain T/A KO2 tire might be more up your alley.
#1. Michelin Defender LTX MS
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Several qualities make Michelin’s Defender LTX MS one of the best tires for Nissan Armada.
First up, it makes the Armada’s ride a bit less soft. This not only helps the SUV stay steady on small to medium bumps but also reduces shaking and bouncing on larger bumps.
Secondly, it’s an extremely fuel-efficient tire (as long as you stay on the road). That is great news considering that the EPA’s estimates put the Armada’s mileage at 12 mpg in the city and 15 mpg on the highway, below-average numbers for any SUV.
Also, many drivers complain about the Armada’s absent-minded steering response. If you too feel that way, here’s some good news for you – the Defender LTX MS is quite fast to react to steering inputs. You can thus execute quick lane changes with ease.
Another thing you may love about this tire is its 70,000-mile treadwear warranty. An average US driver (who drives around 15,000 miles per year) can thus get up to five years out of it.
Pros
- Delivers a refined ride, even on broken roads
- May improve your Armada’s fuel economy
- Backed by a 70,000-mile treadwear guarantee
Cons
- Doesn’t come cheap
#2. Continental CrossContact LX25
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Wondering why any Armada owner would want to pair their SUV with the CrossContact LX25?
How about the fact that this tire can minimize body roll? Due to its supreme road grip, this tire stays glued to the road, even when you’re driving at the limit. You can thus count on it to keep the Armada perfectly centered even while attacking bends at speed.
Also, just like our top pick, the CrossContact LX25 can enhance your SUV’s mileage. You don’t have to take my word as proof. Multiple drivers who have posted their experience on Reddit (here, here, and here) also vouch for its excellent fuel economy.
Yet another thing to like about the LX25 is that it absorbs bumps like a champ. A vibration-absorbing foam inside the tread makes sure of that. You’d thus be able to enjoy your Armada’s quiet cabin.
Lastly, this tire has the letters D, W, and S in the tread. When the S is worn away, the snow traction takes a hit. Same for wet and dry. As such, just by looking at the state of the letters you’d know how well this tire may perform in specific weather conditions.
Pros
- Excellent road grip helps minimize body roll
- Absorbs small road bumps like a champ
- Backed by a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty
Cons
- Doesn’t come cheap
#3. Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3
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While not as popular among the SUV crowd as the two above (mainly because it was released in 2023), the Scorpion AS Plus 3 is every bit as dependable.
An all-season tread compound not only helps this tire offer amazing performance in dry and wet conditions. It also makes this a capable performer on snow, an area where many A/S tires lack. This means you won’t have to replace it when the weather turns.
However, it isn’t just the tread compound that’s responsible for this tire’s excellent year-round performance. 3D sipes in its tread – which link together for more stiffness on dry roads and open up for enhanced grip in the snow – also deserve credit.
Although its fuel economy is impressive (internal tests show it’s one of the most fuel-efficient tires Pirelli has ever produced), it’s not surprising. Why is that? Many of this tire’s predecessors – Cinturato All-Season, Verde All-Season Plus 2 – also maximized mileage.
All of the above isn’t to say that this tire cannot handle the fun stuff. Pushed to the limit, it demonstrates excellent steering response, high cornering grip, and superb lateral tracking. Plus, with a 70,000-mile warranty, it won’t require replacement soon.
Pros
- Performs reliably on dry, wet, and snowy roads
- Will soften the blow at the gas pump
- Holds its own when pushed to the limit
Cons
- Ride could be more refined
#4. Yokohama Geolandar CV G058
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If you’re looking for a pocket-friendly all-season tire for your Armada, Yokohama’s Geolandar CV G058 should be on your shortlist. However, there’s more to it than the budget asking price.
Take, for instance, its superb performance on wet roads. Thanks to aggressive biting edges and multiple circumferential grooves, it offers the combo – short braking distances and high aquaplaning resistance – that sets up the best tires in the rain from the rest.
The same 2D and 3D sipes that keep this tire planted on slippery roads also help it perform well in light snow conditions. But they aren’t alone. This tire also has multiple serrated grooves around its shoulders that lend it added grip in wintry conditions.
A soft sidewall portends good news for those seeking a comfortable driving experience. Another thing plus-ride seekers will appreciate about this tire is the five-pitch variation in the tread, considering it cancels out road noise for a quieter ride.
Another thing this tire has that many in the same price bracket lack is a flat profile and chamfered edges. Both design elements expand their contact patch for longer tread life. Small wonder, then, that Yokohama backs it with a 65,000-mile guarantee.
Pros
- Comes at an affordable asking price
- Superb performance in dry and wet conditions
- Delivers a quiet and comfortable ride
Cons
- Slightly muted steering feedback
#5. Cooper Discoverer ATP II
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Few all-terrain tires can balance off-road performance and highway handling. Fewer still can remain quiet while doing both. The Discoverer ATP 2 ticks both boxes with aplomb.
A unique tread design is primarily responsible for the above versatility. Featuring flat spike blocks (the likes of which are a rare sight on all-terrain tires), it helps this tire make good contact with the surface, resulting in improved handling and grip.
At the same time, you can expect a quiet and comfortable ride as long as you stick with the highway. A completely flat footprint maximizes road contact and, in turn, reduces noise and vibrations, thereby letting you enjoy the driving experience.
This is surprising, considering it has a high number of biting edges, irregularly shaped blocks and dense siping. All three elements which come in handy in wet, winter, and mild-off-road conditions, making the Discoverer ATP a reliable performer year-round.
Bear in mind, though, that while it can handle dirt and gravel paths, the Discoverer ATP II may get stuck in deeper mud or loose dirt. Its tread is a bit too flat to handle some of the more difficult off-road situations as the upcoming models on our list.
Pros
- Balances off-road performance and highway handling
- Performs reliably on in light wintry conditions
- Delivers a quiet and comfortable ride on the highway
Cons
- Struggles a bit in deeper mud and loose dirt
#6. BFGoodrich T/A KM3
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The BFGoodrich TA KM3 tire promises to be an excellent choice for Armada owners who use this SUV for hitting the trails.
Mainly because it features the tread pattern needed to offer adequate traction on mud, rocks, and loose gravel. Deep voids and aggressive biting edges in the tread help it easily navigate harsh terrains without breaking as much as a sweat.
An armor-plated sidewall further enhances this tire’s off-road credentials. Strengthened against sharp objects such as rocks, stones, and other debris common on off-roads, the sidewall lowers the risk of punctures, thus solving a key problem.
Yet another quality that makes this tire one of the best for off-roading is this tire’s ability to conform to road obstacles. A high load-carrying capacity is another reason you may want to install it on your Armada, an SUV that is rated to tow up to 8,500 lbs.
To further sweeten the deal, the TA KM3 comes with mud phobic bars. These are raised rubber edges that don’t let mud, dirt, or other road debris fill up inside the tread. Thanks to them, the contact patch stays dry, boosting this tire’s grip in muddy and loose soil.
Pros
- Offers adequate traction on mud, rocks, and gravel
- Strengthened sidewall lowers the risk of punctures
- Mud phobic bars for added traction on dirty surfaces
Cons
- Lags its closest rivals in rainy conditions
#7. Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
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The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 has all the qualities that one might expect to see in one of the market’s best snow tires for trucks.
The first of which is that braking distances on snow are extremely short. Thanks to a tread design that traps snow to boost traction, this tire doesn’t take much to come to a halt in harsh wintry conditions. The risk of fender bends is thus greatly reduced.
Another thing we like about this tire is that it doesn’t skid on ice. A tread compound that remains flexible no matter how low the temperature drops is the main reason for that, though aggressive sipes (biting edges) in the tread area also play their part.
The 3PMSF (Three Peak Mountain Snowflake) symbol on its tread further underlines this tire’s excellent credentials for driving in harsh winter. Awarded by EU authorities, any tire wearing this emblem can safely carry you from A to B on snow and ice.
Pros
- Carries the 3PMSF emblem
- Puts up high resistance to aquaplaning
- Delivers excellent traction on snow and ice
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a treadwear warranty
How We Picked
Here’s how we picked the best tires for Nissan Armada:
- High load carrying capacity: As noted above, the Armada is rated to tow up to 8,500 pounds in both 2WD and 4WD versions. It’s thus essential to pick tires with a higher load-carrying capacity to avoid any issues.
- High fuel efficiency: Given the fact that the Armada guzzles fuel, we only picked tires with low rolling resistance to potentially improve this SUV’s mileage.
- Tire Type: Since the Armada is a truck-based SUV with a powerful V8 engine, it makes sense to equip it with highway, all-terrain, or mud-terrain tires. Regular all-season touring tires may not be able to withstand the stress it places on tires.
- Driving conditions: If you live in an area where it doesn’t snow at all or infrequently, all-season or all-terrain tires may cut it. However, if your area experiences harsh wintry conditions, make sure to pick the Blizzak DM-V2 from the above list.