Rent Nissan Armada 2020 in Dubai

Need a big SUV that swallows a whole family and their bags without renting two cars? We hand over the Nissan Armada 2020 across Dubai with payment kept flexible and settled on delivery, so you sort the car first and the rest at the door. This is the older-year, full-size V8 hauler: three rows, a genuinely large boot, and proper four-wheel drive for the odd run into the dunes. It costs less to rent than the newer Armada or a fresh Patrol, and for a large group that trade-off is the whole point. The catch is the thirst and the size, and we'll be straight about both below.

Who this Armada is really for

This is a body-on-frame SUV built to carry eight people and their luggage in comfort, not to nip around town. If you're a family of six or seven flying in for a holiday, or a group splitting one vehicle for a week, the Armada moves everyone in one go. The 5.6-litre V8 makes 390 horsepower, so even loaded with passengers and cases it never feels like it's working hard. Where it stops making sense is a couple running errands. For two or three people the running cost is money you're burning for space you won't use, and a mid-size SUV will do the job for far less fuel.

Three rows and the boot: does everyone and everything fit

Eight seats across three rows, and unlike a lot of "seven-seaters" the Armada's third row takes adults for a real journey, not just kids on a short hop. Behind that third row you still get around 17 cubic feet of boot, enough for a full set of airport cases when the SUV is loaded to capacity. Drop the third row and it opens up to roughly 95 cubic feet, which is van territory.

For a typical Dubai use case, two parents, four kids and a week of mall hauls and beach trips, you won't run out of room. The honest limit is when all eight seats are full and you also need big luggage: the boot fills fast, and a roof box starts to make sense. For airport pickups at DXB or DWC with a full group, plan on third row up and cases stacked, and it works.

The V8 and how often you'll refuel

No way around it, this engine drinks. The tank holds about 98 litres, and in Dubai's stop-start traffic with the AC running flat out you should expect somewhere around 15 to 16 litres per 100 km. On an open cruise down Sheikh Zayed Road it eases off, but city figures are what you'll live with. That gives a usable range of roughly 600 km between fills, so on a busy week of school runs and errands you'll be at the pump every few days, not weekly.

If fuel cost is a deciding factor for you, this is the number to weigh. The Armada is cheaper to rent than newer big SUVs, but the V8 claws some of that back at the station. For a group splitting costs it's still the affordable way to move everyone. For one or two people, it isn't.

Heat, cooling and the long highway runs

A cabin this size takes a minute to cool after it's been baking in a 45-degree car park, but the Armada has vents feeding all three rows, so once it catches up everyone in the back is comfortable, not just the front. Park in shade for the first day or two and crack the windows before you set off and it copes well with peak summer.

On the move it's in its element. The V8 and the long wheelbase make E11 cruising effortless, overtaking is a non-event, and at airport-run speeds the cabin stays quiet and settled. It's a relaxed motorway car, far happier eating distance than threading through traffic.

The size, parking and the desert

Here's the real cost of all that space. At over 5.3 metres long and just over 2 metres wide, the Armada is a handful in tight Dubai parking. Marina ramps, older mall bays and multi-storey corners need patience and a careful eye on the mirrors. Speed bumps are no trouble with around 229 mm of ground clearance, but parallel parking in a busy spot is a real job. If most of your week is dense urban driving and small bays, this size will wear on you.

The flip side of that clearance and the four-wheel drive is genuine off-tarmac ability. For a weekend run out to Hatta or a sensible dune excursion with someone who knows the route, the Armada has the hardware to back it up, unlike the soft crossovers in its price range. Air down the tyres and keep your speed sensible, and it'll get a big group to the desert and back in comfort.

A few Dubai basics worth stating plainly. Salik tolls and any RTA fines during your rental are the renter's responsibility. Seat belts are required in every row, and children under four need a proper child seat, which matters more here than usual since you may well be filling all three rows with family.

Specs at a glance

Our recommendation

Rent the 2020 Armada if you're moving a big group: six, seven or eight people who need to travel together with their bags, on a budget that the newer Armada or a current Patrol would stretch. It's comfortable, quick enough loaded, and capable on the odd desert day, and the older-year rate is what makes it the value pick for that job.

Skip it if you're one or two people, or if your week is mostly tight-bay city driving. The fuel and the size will frustrate you, and a mid-size SUV does that work cheaper and easier. And if you want the newer cabin tech and a more polished drive for a big group, step up to the latest Armada or a Patrol and pay for it. For pure people-and-luggage value, though, this one earns its keep.