New Side-By-Side UTV Thoughts?

[Mennoniteman]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a Polaris Ranger 1000, the test drive was impressive. Any thoughts, or what else should I look at? What brand or model do you have that you like? What accessories are a must have?

This would be for general use, trail riding, running on the road, wood cutting, trail maintenance, sightseeing with 6 ppl, hunting, fishing etc. I tend to haul my ATV's on trailer multiple times a year. We rarely use a winch, snow is plowed with the tractor, we don't need a cab, that's what the jeep is for, not quite ready to go electric because my experience is the first of any new model tends to be painful. One of my friends said either to buy a Defender or a Ranger, and the Polaris dealer is closer. Mule has no dealer close. I like Yamaha but the Wolverine1000 seemed to have belt lag on takeoff on the test drive. I looked at a Pioneer 1000-5, the shorter length is attractive, but the tight rear seating is a big sacrifice. Also, Honda's availability right now is limited with dealer stock only. My neighbor had a Mahindra and the axle bearing flew off...

Another unrelated thought on side by sides, the newer closed cab UTV designs with cab heat and A/C like the Polaris Expedition seem to be selling for more money than a new Bronco, Wrangler, or 4-Runner? A decked out UTV for more money still doesn't seem to match up to a Jeep Wrangler, what am I missing here besides the 10" narrower width?

 

[T-Max]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a Polaris Ranger 1000, the test drive was impressive. Any thoughts, or what else should I look at? What brand or model do you have that you like? What accessories are a must have?

This would be for general use, trail riding, running on the road, wood cutting, trail maintenance, sightseeing with 6 ppl, hunting, fishing etc. I tend to haul my ATV's on trailer multiple times a year. We rarely use a winch, snow is plowed with the tractor, we don't need a cab, that's what the jeep is for, not quite ready to go electric because my experience is the first of any new model tends to be painful. One of my friends said either to buy a Defender or a Ranger, and the Polaris dealer is closer. Mule has no dealer close. I like Yamaha but the Wolverine1000 seemed to have belt lag on takeoff on the test drive. I looked at a Pioneer 1000-5, the shorter length is attractive, but the tight rear seating is a big sacrifice. Also, Honda's availability right now is limited with dealer stock only. My neighbor had a Mahindra and the axle bearing flew off...

Another unrelated thought on side by sides, the newer closed cab UTV designs with cab heat and A/C like the Polaris Expedition seem to be selling for more money than a new Bronco, Wrangler, or 4-Runner? A decked out UTV for more money still doesn't seem to match up to a Jeep Wrangler, what am I missing here besides the 10" narrower width?

View attachment 25892

You may not need a cab, but everyone I talk to says to get the roof. Sweet machine though! Let us know how it ends up. My wife and I have had our eye on one for a while!

 

[Elkaddict]

MM,
I’ve spent lots of time in various Rangers, and when they work, they really work very well. I’m not a fan of their reliability however. A large ranch I hunt runs 8-12 of these. They have to keep alot of spare parts on hand to try keep them running. On multiple occasion, there have been several broken down at the same time.…. These do get used hard.

I’d suggest you look at the Kawi FTX Pro. It will seat six, or you can fold down the back row and gain bed space. Ours has been flawless and we’ve never needed the 3 yr warranty. We work it hard. I’ve hauled many tons of lime, fertilizer and wood. I put 1/2 windshields on my SxSs to blow dust up and over. I prefer it to fighting to keep a full windshield clean. I also install a roof on my SxSs too keep the rain/snow off of me.

A Montana rancher-outfitter friend runs 3 of these. He puts 15-20,000 miles on them and trades in on a new one. He’s never had a single issue despite really hard use. He has set 2 of them up with heated cabs….which is nice when chasing Muley’s in mid November, but not so nice in the heat of summer.

They are not as fast as the 1000cc Ranger but will do 40mph. I’ve never felt the need for more power. They ride like a Cadillac.

 

[yoderjac]

I looked hard at Polaris, particularly the new electric with the LI batteries. I just could not justify the cost. In my case, I wanted something a bit more maneuverable that a 1000 series. I ended up going with the Honda Pioneer 700. I like Honda's reliability.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I looked hard at Polaris, particularly the new electric with the LI batteries. I just could not justify the cost. In my case, I wanted something a bit more maneuverable that a 1000 series. I ended up going with the Honda Pioneer 700. I like Honda's reliability.

Battery power is cheaper and better for a Milwaukee string trimmer, but it looks like it'll be a while until it's cheaper and better for UTV's...

 

[RGrizzzz]

We have two Polaris Rangers and are generally happy with them. A 2014 Diesel(900) and a 2018 Ranger EV (570) that I converted to Li-Ion. Get the roof. Windshields and rear glass are nice too. Get a tilt windshield if you get one. Both have winches. I think we used one once, when spreading lime when it was wet.

 

[yoderjac]

Battery power is cheaper and better for a Milwaukee string trimmer, but it looks like it'll be a while until it's cheaper and better for UTV's...

I was willing to pay a premium for the quiet, but not that much. The new Polaris looks like the only thing I see with LI that can do pretty much what a gas UTV can do. Lead-acid is just not worth it. I'm guessing the push to electrify cars will eventually make electric UTVs viable from a price perspective.

I ended up making a split purchase. I got the Honda Pioneer for the normal UTV tasks and I got an e-bike for hunting. After I shoot a deer, I typically want to wait before recovery. I now take the e-bike back to camp and get the Pioneer for deer retrieval.

 

[yoderjac]

As for accessories, I got a windshield and roof and front winch. I build my own bracket and bought a small winch from Harbor Freight for bed winch that I use to winch deer into the bed of the UTV. Mine came with a tilt bed.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I was willing to pay a premium for the quiet, but not that much. The new Polaris looks like the only thing I see with LI that can do pretty much what a gas UTV can do. Lead-acid is just not worth it. I'm guessing the push to electrify cars will eventually make electric UTVs viable from a price perspective.

I ended up making a split purchase. I got the Honda Pioneer for the normal UTV tasks and I got an e-bike for hunting. After I shoot a deer, I typically want to wait before recovery. I now take the e-bike back to camp and get the Pioneer for deer retrieval.

Which Pioneer?

 

[yoderjac]

I got the 700 Deluxe with the dump bed. I wanted something more maneuverable than the 1000 series.

 

[Drycreek]

MM, I had a 2009 Ranger (bought new) until I bought the CanAm Defender in 2018. I’ve heard many a horror story about the Polaris Ranger but none of it came true for me. I had zero isdues with it, and my son has it now, still with no issues. I like my Defender better, but that’s probably because it’s several years newer with lots of storage plus power steering which the Ranger didn’t have. I’ve owned Mules in the past, but those were the old slow, rough riding ones that don’t compare to the FXT. I also had a Kubota diesel, nice machine, but heavy and slow. I like orange in tractors but not UTVs.

I really think you can get a good one or a bad one in any brand but you’ll probably be happy with a Ranger.

 

[RGrizzzz]

Another unrelated thought on side by sides, the newer closed cab UTV designs with cab heat and A/C like the Polaris Expedition seem to be selling for more money than a new Bronco, Wrangler, or 4-Runner? A decked out UTV for more money still doesn't seem to match up to a Jeep Wrangler, what am I missing here besides the 10" narrower width?

Weight

 

[cutman]

Do people not look at John Deere and Kubota for UTVs? I have 2 gators and used Kubotas for years with no issues.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Do people not look at John Deere and Kubota for UTVs? I have 2 gators and used Kubotas for years with no issues.

They are good farm vehicles, but less suspension, smaller engines and lower speeds for the same price puts them in a different category. Probably a better choice for a durable farm hauler, but slower on the road/trail.
The Polaris Ranger XP 1000 will go 65 MPH, or 70-80 MPH after a clutch kit and tune. I don't want to drive this fast, but on occaision I may go 40 on a straight run from one area to another, and that's well beyond the capacity of the kubota diesel.

 

[yoderjac]

They are good farm vehicles, but less suspension, smaller engines and lower speeds for the same price puts them in a different category. Probably a better choice for a durable farm hauler, but slower on the road/trail.
The Polaris Ranger XP 1000 will go 65 MPH, or 70-80 MPH after a clutch kit and tune. I don't want to drive this fast, but on occaision I may go 40 on a straight run from one area to another, and that's well beyond the capacity of the kubota diesel.

Yep, different approaches fit different needs. In my case, I rarely drive over 10 mph. I like to be able to carry tools and such into the field to work, but I also want to squeeze into tight places for deer retrieval. That is why I opted for the smaller size. I went to a UTV when my ATV became unreliable (Kaw Prairie). I figured the SxS would be easier to get in an out of as I age. I don't trail ride for fun like many. Our farm is less than 1 square mile.

I chose the Honda Pioneer 700 because of the smaller size than the 1,000 series. I chose the deluxe only because of the power steering for tight maneuvering.

Different folks will have different uses and different UTVs will work better for them.

The weight you mention is a big issue for me. We have clay soil and use logging roads on rolling terrain to access the property. After a rain, standing water makes for quick pot holes for a truck. The much lighter and smaller UTV allows for maneuvering around standing water and creates fewer pot holes when you do have to go through it.

I will say that I know some guys buy imported used mini-trucks instead of a UTV.

 

[Mennoniteman]

You are so right, light weight on one of these is a factor as long as they are built with enough strength. Here I show a few weight comparisons listed in order of apples to apples models (one point, I need 2 row seating-6 seats- for grandchildren, the most important feature, so those are the only ones I'm looking at):
Can Am Defender Max DPS 1771lbs.
Polaris Ranger XP 1000 weighs 1894lbs.
Honda Pioneer 1000-6 1936 lbs.
John Deere XUV855M S4 2109 lbs (less hp).
Kubota RTV-X1140 2370lbs (less hp).

 

[yoderjac]

You are so right, light weight on one of these is a factor as long as they are built with enough strength. Here I show a few weight comparisons listed in order of apples to apples models (one point, I need 2 row seating-6 seats- for grandchildren, the most important feature, so those are the only ones I'm looking at):
Can Am Defender Max DPS 1771lbs.
Polaris Ranger XP 1000 weighs 1894lbs.
Honda Pioneer 1000-6 1936 lbs.
John Deere XUV855M S4 2109 lbs (less hp).
Kubota RTV-X1140 2370lbs (less hp).

Yes, I think my Pioneer 700 deluxe is about 1300 lbs.

 

[Drycreek]

The only UTV I ever got stuck was my Kubota, and man was it stuck !

 

[Mennoniteman]

The only UTV I ever got stuck was my Kubota, and man was it stuck !

pictures?

 

[George]

G