2021 Honda CR-V vs 2021 Nissan Armada

The 2021 Honda CR-V, despite its practical design, looked quite similar to other compact crossovers in the market. Its styling was almost indistinguishable from competitors, with only minor details like the grille and some chromed plastic features setting it apart. The CR-V was available in eight colors, but most were shades of gray, black, or white, with vibrant colors like Aegean Blue Metallic and Radiant Red Metallic being rare and limited to higher trims. Inside, the CR-V offered black, gray, and ivory cloth or leather, with more upscale materials like wood panels and chrome available in higher trims. However, competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson offered more distinctive styling, especially in mid-tier trims.

In contrast, the 2021 Nissan Armada underwent a significant facelift, aligning it with Nissan's new signature exterior design. The redesigned exterior featured a new grille, front fenders, bumpers, and LED headlights and taillights, giving it a modern look while retaining its traditional beefy and athletic body styling. The Armada was available in several trims, with the Midnight Edition Package adding dark accents for a more aggressive look. The SUV rode on aluminum alloy wheels ranging from 18 to 22 inches, depending on the trim. Despite its updates, the Armada's interior remained somewhat dated, with design choices like rouched material and abstract patterned hard plastic inlays detracting from its overall aesthetic.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was not designed for high-performance driving but offered smooth and steady acceleration with its 190-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It took about 7.8 seconds to reach 60 mph, which was competitive within its segment. The CR-V featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that provided a predictable driving experience, though it lacked the engagement of conventional transmissions found in competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. The CR-V came standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available as an option. Its suspension setup, consisting of a MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear, provided decent handling and ride quality.

The 2021 Nissan Armada, on the other hand, was equipped with a robust 5.6-liter V8 engine producing 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque when running on premium fuel. Paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission, the Armada offered strong performance, though its fuel economy was on the lower end of the segment. The SUV came standard with rear-wheel drive, with automatic four-wheel drive available. Despite its size and weight, the Armada was a capable off-roader, featuring a skid plate, double-wishbone suspension, and Hitachi twin-tube shock absorbers. It had a maximum towing capacity of 8,500 pounds, making it a strong contender for those needing to tow heavy loads.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was designed to fit five people comfortably and carry their gear. It offered 102.9 cubic feet of passenger volume and 75.8 cubic feet of total cargo volume with the rear seats folded. The CR-V's cargo area could be accessed via a manual tailgate on lower trims, a power tailgate on the EX-L, and a hands-free power tailgate on the Touring trim. However, only the top-tier Touring trim came with roof rails as a standard feature.

The 2021 Nissan Armada, as a full-size SUV, provided ample space for passengers and cargo. It featured a new 12.3-inch touchscreen, though some controls were hard to reach due to the broad dashboard. The front seats were power-adjustable, and higher trims offered second-row captain's chairs, reducing seating capacity from eight to seven. The third row was less comfortable for adults but could fit in a pinch. The Armada offered 16.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 49.9 cubic feet behind the second row, and 95.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. However, its high load floor made loading and unloading challenging for petite individuals.

The base 2021 Honda CR-V LX came with a 5-inch color screen and Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trims featured a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The audio system ranged from a 180-watt system with six speakers in the Special Edition and EX trims to a 300-watt system with a subwoofer in the Touring trim. Charging ports were plentiful, with USB ports in the front and second rows, and a wireless phone charger in the Touring trim.

The 2021 Nissan Armada boasted a class-leading 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, standard navigation, a six-speaker stereo, satellite radio, Bluetooth, USB ports, a WiFi hotspot, and wireless Apple CarPlay. Higher trims offered a 13-speaker Bose audio system, a rearview camera mirror, and a second-row entertainment system. The Armada Platinum trim included all these features as standard.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in safety, earning a five-star NHTSA overall crash test rating and an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It featured the Honda Sensing system, which included a multi-angle rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and auto high-beam headlamps. The only feature not standard on the base LX trim was blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2021 Nissan Armada had not been fully rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, though it received a three-star rollover rating from the NHTSA. It came standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and rear automatic braking. Additional safety features included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear door alert. However, it lacked advanced driving assist technologies like Nissan ProPilot Assist.