UTV Tests

System 3 build to show off tires By the staff of Dirt Wheels Photos by Pat Carrigan We have seen companies in the UTV industry build some projects that are astounding. Most start with the latest and greatest high-performance sport UTV, then proceed to go big with the power, suspension and detailing. Cars become rolling-equipment catalog showpieces, and often with price tags that would make some folks turn just a little green. Tire and wheel company System 3 has a reputation for going in unique directions and…

Stand out in the crowd By the staff of Dirt Wheels You would think that Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, is in charge of new-model color selection for current UTVs. The Ford Model T launched the company’s success, and Ford was famous for saying that the Model T was “available in any color you want, as long as you want black.” We get it. Black is the “cool” color. But, we like a little color in our machines, so we should be overjoyed with the 2021 Polaris RZR Turbo S Lifted Lime LE (Limited Edition),…

Full cab, heat, AC, power windows and more! By the staff of Dirt Wheels Polaris’ Ranger lineup has been a trusted industry leader for over a decade, and for good reason. The base model comes standard with a great selection of features like plenty of torque, a 2500-pound towing capacity, front bumper, full skid plate and a comfortable cab. The NorthStar Edition is like the Cadillac of the Ranger collection. It comes stock with the fully enclosed Polaris Ranger Pro Shield cab system with glass windows and in-cab heat…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels Photos by Juli Moore/Dirt n Dunz Photography UTV PROJECT: CAN-AM X3 Dune enthusiast Daniel Zul first discovered the magic sandbox known as Glamis and the excitement of throwing sand in 2006. Like many of us off-road maniacs, he caught the bug from friends while in high school. At that time the fun was happening on quads. A few years of Glamis trips went by on the quads, but eventually the UTV market hit. After some time Zul made the jump to a Can-Am Maverick X3. From his point of…

Not your dad’s old CommanderBy the staff of Dirt Wheels Shortly after the announcement of the Can-Am’s revamped Commander, we had a truck and trailer show up at the shop and drop one off. We were given a week with it, so we quickly cleared our schedules to put as much time in the new machine as possible. WHAT’S NEW? Basically, Can-Am took the Maverick Sport chassis, drivetrain and cockpit, and designed new bodywork for it bumper to bumper, or, in this case,  the tailgate. The Commander is not available in a…

Two great ways to conquer challenging trails By the staff of Dirt Wheels Polaris introduced the RZR XP 1000 Trails & Rocks model in 2016 and updated it for 2021 with Turbo S styling and LED lighting. It has a group of staunch supporters. In contrast, Kawasaki introduced the Teryx KRX 1000 in 2020 and the Trail Edition in 2021. In terms of mechanics, there is no real difference between the standard KRX and the Trail Edition; there are product additions that prep the Trail Edition for serious trail abuse. The…

One wicked “Stepchild” By Lane Lindstrom Zbroz Racing has built a number of project vehicles over the years. We’ve lost count and so have they, but their latest is definitely one of the most unique. “Stepchild,” Zbroz Racing’s latest build, will turn heads pretty much anywhere it goes—snow, sand, desert, mountains or wherever. Stepchild certainly caught our eye and piqued our interest. So, we dug a little deeper, and here’s what we discovered. Let’s start with the name. Not everyone names their project vehicle, but…

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…

When an engine builder tricks out the Pro XP By Allen Knowles and the staff of Dirt Wheels When new UTVs come out, we often have them for a day or two of testing at a new-model introduction. That gives us enough information to share our impressions with you. Other times we end up with the unit to do more testing and even make modifications. That is the case with our RZR Pro XP 4. We’ve had it long enough to log lots of miles in the hands of CT Racing’s Allen Knowles. Knowles has been a racer and engine builder for…

Large, in charge and brainy By the staff of Dirt Wheels Can-Am’s Maverick X3 Max X rs Turbo RR Smart-Shox looks down at lesser machines from the very top of the Can-Am sport UTV model line. It may not actually be the highest-performing model, but it has the sheer size, speed and sublime capability in the fast rough that make it hard to ignore. All that while carrying up to four people in complete luxury. The four-seat 72-inch-wide flagship was truly groundbreaking when it arrived in 2017. It did more than raise the…

KRX e-suspension and wider, longer-travel Teryxs By the staff of Dirt Wheels Kawasaki has already announced a full 2021 lineup without hinting that more updated UTV models were coming. We don’t mind the secrecy, since the “Green Machine” has been hiding welcome additions. The new and latest variation of Kawasaki’s Teryx KRX 1000 line is the Teryx KRX 1000 eS. We are happy to say that the principle feature of the KRX eS is Kawasaki Electronic Control Suspension (KECS) featuring Fox 2.5 Live Valve internal bypass…

Finally, a General for the west By the staff of Dirt Wheels Our history with the Polaris General has been a long and pleasant one. From the first two-seater we gelled with the combination of sporty power, nimble handling, a bed for work, a tow hitch for convenience and an interior we love to spend time in. A long-wheelbase four-seater did nothing to hurt our opinion of the General line. Then, with the 2020 General XP and XP 4, longer travel and a wider stance made us even happier. Now, in the second year, the General…