Nissan Armada, Rogue earn top honors in inaugural U.S. News 2026 Best Adventure Vehicles Awards

Two Nissan vehicles were named to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Adventure Vehicles Awards list. The 2026 Armada PRO-4X was named Best Large SUV for Off-Roading and the 2026 Rogue was named Best Compact SUV for Road Trips.

Nissan is the fastest-growing mainstream automotive brand in the U.S. over the past 12 months1, with Armada and Rogue helping lead the charge. Armada sales grew 72% in fiscal year 2025, while Rogue rose 17%.

“The Rogue and Armada PRO-4X are great adventure rigs, but for very different reasons,” said John Vincent, senior editor of vehicle testing at U.S. News. “The Rogue is a comfy, roomy highway cruiser with many safety features and better gas mileage than any other non-hybrid compact SUV. The Armada PRO-4X has 11.6 inches of maximum ground clearance, spectacular off-road angles for a big SUV, 516 lb-ft of torque2 and a lot of heavy-duty hardware.”

The inaugural Best Adventure Awards reflect growing reader interest in rugged, outdoor vehicles. U.S. News evaluated whether vehicles had off-road optimizations, like all-terrain tires and locking differentials; fuel economy ratings and cargo space for road trip vehicles; and the vehicle’s overall score from the U.S. News Best Cars rankings.

Nissan Armada: Full-size confidence with premium interior features

The Nissan Armada delivers effortless capability off-road and elevated on-road comfort. Its first-ever PRO-4X grade was designed to confidently tackle rough terrain, and is equipped with an electronic locking rear differential, Adaptive Electronic Air Suspension3, all-terrain tires, eight selectable drive modes and a metal underbody skid plate. Advanced camera technologies, including Invisible Hood View6, Front Wide View6 and 3D Intelligent Around View® Monitor6, help drivers spot obstacles off-pavement.

Armada delivers comfort and poise on the way to and from the trailhead, with a twin-turbo, direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 engine rated for 425 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. It has a standard towing capacity of up to 8,500 pounds4. New for the 2026 model year, the first-ever Armada NISMO injects even more distinctive style and excitement into the SUV, including NISMO-specific suspension, steering, exhaust and engine tuning.

For more on the 2026 Nissan Armada, including features, specifications, pricing and photos, see the full press kit.

Nissan Rogue: Family-friendly design and flexible storage space

Nissan’s best-selling SUV5, Rogue offers a compelling package for families and recently posted its strongest April retail performance since 2021, with a 52% year-over-year sales increase. Rogue is thoughtfully designed for road trips with up to 36.5 cubic feet of cargo space6 behind the second-row seats to help everyone bring along all they need for adventure. Rogue front-wheel-drive models also have best-in-class gas engine fuel economy7, making road trips more affordable in the face of rising gas prices.

Rogue also gives drivers added reassurance for every drive with available Nissan Safety Shield® 3608, while available ProPILOT Assist provides steering assistance to help make road trips and highway driving more convenient. Rogue Rock Creek grade additionally empowers drivers to venture beyond the pavement, with all-terrain tires, Hill Descent Control, and a unique front fascia.

Rogue is proudly assembled at Nissan Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant, with its standard Variable Compression Turbo (VC‑Turbo) engine built at Nissan Decherd Powertrain Plant, both in Tennessee.

For more on the 2026 Nissan Rogue, including features, specifications, pricing and photos, see the full press kit.