ATV vs. UTV SHOOTOUT!

SCRAMBLER XP 1000 vs. ACE 900 XC vs. RZR XP 1000:

Which machine should you choose, a 4-wheeler with handlebars or a 4-wheeler with a steering wheel? To help you decide, the Dirt Wheels crew gathered up several different machines and put them though a vigorous comparison out on the trails.

For our purposes we felt that the Polaris Sportsman Scrambler XP 1000 can ably represent sport quads and two-up quads. It is a rowdy, bare-knuckled 4×4 fully capable as a racer yet domesticated enough for trail fun. Since the Scrambler is at the pinnacle of 4×4 quad performance and, at the moment, standing pretty equal to the 1000cc Can-Am sport 4×4, we wanted to compare the brash and bold end of the Ace lineup, so we chose the potent Ace 900 XC. To represent UTVs, we opted for the well-regarded Polaris RZR XP 1000. We could have found a lower-priced unit than the Velocity Blue LE with Ride Command, but that is the unit we have, and it stands in for all UTVs, whether two- or four-seat.

Polaris’ Scrambler XP 1000 seemed like a monster when it was released, but as we spend more time with it, we are continually amazed by how civil it is despite being monstrously fast. The fact that Fox Podium X shocks are standard helps a lot. Our machine was tested as we currently race it, with a higher-mounted Fasst Co. Flexx handlebar, beadlock wheels and taller tires. The Ace 900 XC is box stock, but it boasts slightly more suspension travel than the Scrambler. Our RZR 1000 had 30-inch Tusk Terrabite desert tires to prevent flats, but was otherwise stock with just over 200 miles on the machine.

So, at the end of our comparison what was the verdict? You can find out in the new June 2017 issue of Dirt Wheels. Make sure you get a copy at your local newsstands if you don’t already have a subscription.