UTV Test

A UTV born for the badlands By the staff of Dirt Wheels Dirt Wheels hasn’t had the opportunity to test the RZR XP 1000 Trails & Rocks model since 2016. Since then we have seen that the model is a popular choice for serious trail hounds, including some of the Rally on the Rocks ride leaders. For 2021 the Trails & Rocks gets a full makeover with strong styling cues and LED lighting from the RZR Turbo S. In addition to the new profile, the machine is a lush Metallic Polaris Blue with color-matched suspension…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 CAN-AM MAVERICK X3 TURBO From the earliest introduction of the Can-Am Maverick X3 line, the byword has been” performance.” One year there was a normally aspirated model, but we never saw one. We have only experienced X3 versions with factory-installed turbos, and the lion’s share of those are intercooled turbos. Now there is the new 2020 Can-Am Maverick X3 Turbo. In 2018 Can-Am started selling a lower-priced non-intercooled model simply called the X3 Turbo. That put it at 120…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels BATTLE-PROVEN RZR S 4 Polaris introduced the four-seat RZR S at the Sand Show in Orange County in 2018. In addition to a few complete cars, including ours, Polaris had a bare rolling chassis on display. Of course, we had already tested and spent time in the two-seat RZR S. Its 72-inch track width, amazing computerized Dynamix suspension, long travel, and 32-inch tires on 15-inch wheels were impressive. For us, though, the RZR S two-seater squatted under acceleration, and the rear end…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels X3 CAN-AM MUDDER The off-road and side-by-side culture is thriving these days. Stock and modified machines are dotting the trails and tracks across the country and around the world. What’s interesting is how different regions of this country build machines for their particular terrain. Many of these examples are way beyond stock equipment. From the $150,000 desert racers out West to wild mud rigs of the south, they sure do draw a lot of attention. We recently caught up with a builder…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 CAN-AM MAVERICK X3 X RC TURBO RR When Can-Am introduced the Maverick X3 X rc Turbo R in 2018, it was an immediate sales success. Not only did it have that great 72-inch track width and long-travel suspension like the premium performance X3 X rs Turbo R, but it came stock with highly desirable features. For 2020, the model designation includes an “RR” that replaces the “R” of that 2018. The single R designates 172 horsepower and the double RR reveals that the 2020 has a whopping 195…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 CAN-AM DEFENDER PRO HD10 DPS. Can-Am’s Defender line has been a real hit since it was introduced five years ago. There are many models of the Defender, and arguably the standout of those models is the pair of Defender Pros—the DPS and XT. We have come to expect a certain look for rec-utility UTVs: short front end, big cab area and a compact bed area. Can-Am has changed that look with the Pro. The concept began when a Can-Am engineer was looking at a Crew model. He realized that a…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 CAN-AM MAVERICK VS. HONDA TALON. Can-Am and Honda make two of the newest and most impressive 1000cc, normally aspirated, trail-focused UTVs on the market. It seemed only natural to get them together for a rigorous comparison to see which one has the goods for trails, and to find out where they excelled. Can-Am sent the all-new 64-inch 2020 Maverick Sport X xc that starts at a price of $21,199. It faced off with the $19,999 Honda Talon 1000 X. Of the two available two-seat Talons,…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 HONDA TALON 1000X-4 & 1000X-4 FOX LIVE VALVE We were in the room when Honda announced the 2020 Talon 1000X-4 and Talon 1000X-4 Fox Live Valve to the dealer network. There was no mistaking the dealers’ excitement; however, our enthusiasm was somewhat tempered by the announcement that the 1000X-4 siblings would be based on the shorter-travel 64-inch Talon 1000X rather than the long-travel, wider Talon R. A great percentage of long-wheelbase, four-seat sport UTVs are sold where…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels ASSAULT’S ADVENTURE GENERAL 4 As cool and purposeful as race machinery looks, few people ever bother to drive a race build for recreation. The sad truth is, the restrictions required by race organizations (largely for crash safety) are anything but user-friendly. Assault originally created this General 4 as a racer for a NORRA Baja-based 1000-mile rally-type stage race. While it was hoped the car would make a successful weapon for that one race, the General idea (see what we did…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 CAN-AM DEFENDER LIMITED HD10 In this fifth year of the Defender, there are nearly 20 variations of the model, and the Limited is the top dog. The Limited is a cab model, meaning that it has a fully enclosed cab with sealed doors, glass windows, and even a front windshield wiper. Can-Am has other Defender cab models, including six-seat Max models, that all have a heater and defroster. The Defender Limited (in a single cab or Max) has a heater, but it also has air conditioning!…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels CAN-AM X3 TURBO R When it comes to the Can-Am sport UTV line, the Can-Am Maverick X3 X rs Turbo R sits right at the top. 2019 is the third year for the long-travel, 72-inch-wide flagship. It was truly ground-breaking when it arrived in 2017. It didn’t just raise the bar for sport UTVs, it bent, spindled, folded, and mutilated the bar with more power, more suspension, and more high-performance features than any other machine. Those who love and crave horsepower numbers will remember…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels FIRST RIDE: KAWASAKI TERYX KRX 1000 We have been anxiously waiting for our turn behind the wheel of the recently announced Teryx KRX 1000. Kawasaki produced a remarkable desert test course for the drive. Thankfully, it wasn’t a fluffy, kiddy track, but one with fast smooth sections where we almost tick the governed top speed of 68 mph indicated. A variety of stunning steep and rocky climbs and descents were added to the real terrain. There were a number of tight, twisty areas, and some were…