Buying a used vehicle is a great way to save money, especially if the model you're looking for has depreciated by a healthy amount. Not all vehicles depreciate at the same rate, though. For owners selling a car that depreciates faster, it will undoubtedly be a pain, but for the buyer, it will likely be a blessing. Sometimes, however, there's a reason why certain vehicles depreciate faster. It could be a perception that it isn't reliable, while others are simply more trivial, like image and popularity, for example.Thankfully, in the case of today's Nissan SUV that you should buy used, there's nothing much to worry about when it comes to ownership. It depreciates faster than the competition, and it's also one of the fastest depreciating Nissan SUVs. Let's explore this Nissan model to see what's good about it, and if there's any catch to why it depreciates the fastest among the brand's SUVs. Where Nissan As A Brand Stands CarBuzz But first, in order to understand where this Nissan SUV is positioned when it comes to its used value, we have to evaluate where Nissan stands in the first place. Japanese Brands Dominate Resale Nissan USA Unsurprisingly, it is Japanese brands that dominate the top 5 list of CarEdge's automotive brands with the best five-year resale value. Arranged from one to five, these include Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Mazda, and RAM. Cars that last long have a long useful life, and Japanese brands have pretty much mastered the art of making durable cars. That's because used car buyers are likely to purchase a car they know will still serve them for a long time and will be easy to maintain.At the bottom of the list among mainstream brands are Dodge and Chrysler—unsurprising considering how their vehicles in 2026 are the least modern, and versus the Japanese, they don't have the same reputation for durability and ease of maintenance. When taking into account luxury brands, more Stellantis brands—namely Alfa Romeo and Maserati—are at rock bottom with their 34.4 and 24.7 five-year resale value, respectively. So, Where Is Nissan? Nissan As for Nissan's position as a brand, well, let's just say they aren't the best. They're not even near where the four aforementioned Japanese brands are positioned. Nissan is in 14th place, which is way off the pace of its peers. The only other Japanese brand below Nissan is Mitsubishi, which is in 17th out of the 19 mainstream brands on CarEdge's rankings. So, what's the catch with Nissan, and does it mean that their cars are less attractive than what the four top Japanese brands for resale value offer? Say Hello To The Nissan Armada 2023 Nissan Armada S _ Driving angle in dirtThe fastest-depreciating SUV in Nissan's lineup—heck, even their entire range—is theNissan Armada. This is a full-size SUV worth considering as a used purchase, due to how much these vehicles cost in three or even five years. How Much A Used Armada Costs Nissan A three or five-year-old Armada means looking for a previous-generation model. The refreshed Armada only came out in 2025, which means that used examples of the current model will be few and far between. Yet, you'd be surprised that one or two-year-old models suffer the steepest depreciation.In just a year of usage, CarEdge has determined that the Armada is already set to lose 37.87 percent of its value, or about $27,918. By the three-year mark, depreciation slows down somewhat, but a huge chunk of money is still lost. Three-year-old examples will have an average resale value of $33,956 or a whopping 53.94 percent depreciation. By the fifth year, a Nissan Armada will have a resale value of just $24,947, or 66.16 percent depreciation. Now that is rapid depreciation, even by full-size SUV standards—let alone one made by a Japanese automaker. How The Armada Fares Industry-Wise Nissan Unfortunately for Nissan, the Armada full-size SUV is its fastest-depreciating SUV and also the second-fastest-depreciating vehicle that CarEdge has analyzed. It ranks 184th out of 185 vehicles, and, unfortunately for the brand, the bottom five of the list include two more Nissan models—the Leaf and the Titan XD. Only the hydrogen-fed Toyota Mirai depreciates faster than the Armada, but that's more of an outlier rather than the rule in Toyota's lineup.Speaking of which, its chief rival, the Toyota Sequoia, depreciates at half the pace of the Armada. CarEdge says that a one-year-old Sequoia will have depreciated by a mere 9.49 percent in its first year, while a three-year-old model will depreciate by 34.1 percent or have a resale value of $51,755. The gap between the Armada and Sequoia widens in the fifth year, as the Toyota is set to retain 62.9 percent of its value versus the Armada's 33.84 percent. Yikes! Here's a table comparing the depreciation rates of the two full-size SUVs. Here's What An Armada Offers Nissan The previous-generation Nissan Armada didn't capture as much attention as the likes of the Toyota Sequoia or even American rivals like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition. Yet, in my opinion, there's so much to like about the previous Armada, making it such an underrated choice among full-size SUVs. Underrated But Bold Nissan From a design perspective, this is where I think the Nissan is better than the Toyota. The previous Armada came out in 2017, while the previous-generation Sequoia dates back to 2007. Versus the current hybrid Sequoia, though, which debuted in 2022, I would lean towards the Toyota. Anyway, the Armada, I think, is such an underrated full-size SUV, whose regal design is matched with rugged cues to highlight its near-luxury demeanor.That carries over inside the Armada as well. All three versions of the previous Armada, whether it's the SV, the mid-range SL, or the downright luxurious Platinum, have equipment levels that are deserving of what a full-size flagship SUV should have. Soft-touch materials, as well as generous lashings of leather, dominate the cabin of the SL and Platinum. Go for the Platinum, and you'll get rear-seat entertainment, a digital rearview mirror, a DVD rear entertainment system with USB and HDMI ports, and two wireless headphones. Powerfully Refined And Reliable Nissan Now, if you think there is a catch in owning an Armada in terms of reliability, well, there isn't. The Armada's 5.6-liter Endurance V-8 is known for its durability. RepairPal ranks the Armada at 3.5 out of 5, which is 2nd out of the 14 full-size SUVs ranked by the publication. The average total annual repair or maintenance costs on an Armada is $550, which is lower than the segment's average of $784. So clearly, there's nothing mechanically wrong with the Armada. Overlooked? Probably, but not necessarily undesirable.Going back to the engine, the 5.6-liter V-8 produces 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque through a seven-speed automatic, and depending on the variant, you get either rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). It already has a built-in tow hitch receiver, but the max 8,500-pound capacity isn't available until you get the Trailering Package that's included on the optional Driver Package (standard on SL and Platinum). The Armada is also known for its soft and plush ride, but this is at the expense of handling. Then again, you don't plan to take this vehicle on track, right?
