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Is the Polaris
Ranger RZR the Best Sport UTV?
Find Out in this Exclusive Report.
When you
think about it, the Polaris Ranger RZR is a lot
like being in
a relationship. How? They both involve a lot of compromises. Polaris
Industries noticed, like most ATV manufacturers, that a lot of money
was being spent modifying workhorse UTVs for sportier purposes.
Since the market was speaking loud and clear with its checkbooks and
credit cards, might as well give 'em what they wanted. So they did ...
sort of. See, sporty UTVs are about performance, handling, and looks.
The Polaris Ranger RZR is certainly closer to these attributes than
it's plain Jane sibling, the Ranger. But is it close enough? Let's find
out.
Performance
- 760cc liquid cooled twin with fuel injection. Good power for a
machine in this class. The lightest weight compared to its nearest
competition (Yamaha Rhino and Kawasaki Teryx) provides good
acceleration. Fuel injection seemed to meter well, but the throttle is
a little touchy. Makes it a little harder to control in rough going.
Overall, the Polaris Ranger RZR wins the class in engine performance
right now. I say right
now because this "class" hasn't really been defined yet. So far its
been coined side-by-side, sport UTV, STV, and RUV. The lines are
blurring between these vehicles and pure sport buggies, and for that
matter, off road carts. This is gonna get interesting!
Anyway, some of you may feel that horsepower was compromised so Polaris
could keep a toe in the utility pond. If that's you, there are several
performance enhancing gizmos available, including a turbo kit.
Handling
- Here's where I think most of the compromises show up. On one side you
have the smallest physical size, lightest weight, most wheel travel,
and lowest center of gravity in the class. That usually makes for good
handling.
But in this case, you will compromise on a few things. The 50" track
width is great for tight trails and gives you access to most ATV
trails, but it also means less high speed stability and more
"tippiness". You'll also know what your passenger had for lunch.
Complaints by some about the slow steering at nearly 3 turns
lock-to-lock are heard frequently. Probably a concession to the Polaris
legal department to minimize the chances of a driver induced rollover.
But slow steering in a model intended for sport is not really a great
match.
A lower center of gravity helps out on the tippines and stability
issues, but at a cost of less ground clearance. The long suspension
travel won't help much when you're high centered in the rocks.
Solution? Don't leave home without a winch.
Of course the aftermarket is standing ready with bigger wheels and
tires and wider suspension kits. You can have even longer travel shocks
for those pillow soft landings. So instead of Polaris choosing the
compromises, you get to.
You can check them all out in this article.
Polaris Ranger Accessories Buyer's Guide.
The
Polaris Ranger RZR also comes with All Wheel Drive. It's
engaged
electrically by a rocker switch on the dash. That doesn't necessarily
mean you're in 4 wheel drive. Just that the system is engaged. AWD is
activated when wheel slippage is detected - engages - then goes back
into 2WD when wheel speed is equalized.
Works well enough in
rough terrain, but you may want to leave it in 2WD in more open
country. One thing you don't have control over is the rear
differential, which remains locked all the time. To make a tight turn,
the inside rear wheel will have to be able to spin, or the front may
push.
The Razor also comes with front and rear anti-sway bars.
Good for controlling body roll, not so good when you need full
suspension travel. Sway bars tend to limit wheel travel, even to the
point of picking up the inside wheel. You can always remove them if
wheel travel is more important to you than flat cornering.
Looks
- This is one of those "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" kind of
things. If you just spent over 10 grand on a Polaris Ranger RZR,
chances are you think it looks great. If you own a Teryx or Rhino, you
probably won't be too impressed. My opinion? ... still more utility
than sport.
Once again, if you have the cash, the aftermarket
has your cure. Polaris is even getting in on the game with an extensive
line of factory accessories. A few changes here and there can alter the
RZR's looks dramatically.
Time to answer the big question. Is
it the best sport UTV out there right now? In terms of competition from
major manufacturers like Yamaha and Kawasaki ... I think so. Let me
hedge that bet by saying this whole segment is a moving target and that
usually means new models will be coming on the scene fast and furious.
But
for now, the Polaris Ranger RZR is king of the hill. It's going to be
fun to see how this segment shakes out. Small manufacturers have a good
shot at this too, since no one has a clear definition of even what they
should call these things. I just plan on enjoying the ride!
Related
links:
Polaris
Razor S. New for 2009.
Polaris
Ranger Report.
Polaris
UTV page.
Polaris Ranger RZR Home page.
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Home page.
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