Phoenix, AZ - In 1999 Polaris first
introduced its Ranger as a 500cc work horse targeted
at the utility and farming market. However in recent
years there has been a demanding increase in recreational
market for these UTV’s. With Yamaha releasing
their UTV, the Rhino in 2004, the sales of UTV’s
for recreational use has sky rocketed, but has still
let many customers wanting more from their UTV. The
Ranger RZR attempts to answer that call.
Polaris invited ATVriders.com to the release of their
newest side-x-side aimed at the customer wanting nothing
but razor sharp side-x-side performance. I was fortunate
enough to be one of the test drivers for this new
side-x-side as we pushed the limits in the deserts
of Arizona. When I first saw this new Utility Terrain
Vehicle, it screamed speed. It screamed handling.
It screamed everything I would want in a side-x-side
as a recreational rider. As I dove further into this
new vehicle, I learned that it was more than just
another side-x-side, it was the beginning of a new
era in this rapidly evolving market. The Ranger RZR
is a mere 945lb dry weight, that’s 104lbs lighter
than the nearest competitor. Combine the RZR’s
low weight with the twin cylinder 800cc EFI Polaris
engine that has been totally redesigned specifically
for this project and you have a terrific start to
the ultimate UTV.
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Polaris
Ranger Rzr is the smallest and lightest in its
class, and it has the lowest center of gravity
along with the fastest acceleration and top
speed of any other Side-By-Side |
So does it deliver? That’s the question I wanted
answered as we drove to the testing grounds. Walking
up to the RZR, I could immediately tell how much smaller
this UTV is compared to the competition. At only 50
inches wide, the RZR is 4.5” narrower than the
Rhino, making it the only UTV capable of riding on
trails and tighter areas that were once limited to
ATV’s. Climbing inside the RZR there is a noticeable
amount of leg room. Thanks to the engineers for pushing
the firewall further forward and giving the seats
4 inches of adjustability so even us drivers at 6’3”
and above can cruise around without having our knees
in the dash. With the mid-engine placement, the seats
were lowered seven inches over the competition giving
it a lower center of gravity helping to offset the
narrow stance and still giving it superb handling.
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For
improved rider comfort the Rzr is equipped with
tilt steering along with an adjustable length
passenger T-bar |
Once behind the wheel I started looking at the dash
panel and was excited to see that the RZR came stock
with a VDO performance speedometer and digital gauges
included. On start up, I began to look for the parking
brake and the head technician began to explain that
the “Park” gear was the brake. They designed
the Ranger RZR so that the parking gear would actually
engage machined notches inside the transmission case,
not another gear, but the actual case. This would
completely eliminate the need for a mechanical parking
brake, save the brake pads and reduce the total weight
of the vehicle.
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three
position adjustable seat belt that is stretchable
to provide for enhanced rider comfort |
Heading down the trail I could immediately feel the
suspension working. Although at lower speeds, it was
rougher than other UTV’s, the faster I went,
the better the suspension soaked up the terrain with
its 9.5 inches of wheel travel and its exclusive rolled
IRS rear suspension. The steering on the RZR was responsive
and light in the wheel. However it did tend to push
in the tighter turns a slight amount when the AWD
was engaged. The seat belts have a huge improvement
over the competitors. No more bruising when the belt
locks. These belts have a built in stretch cord allowing
the belt to stretch a few inches which slows your
body down, rather than the knee jerk reaction found
in competitors three point harness. Another big improvement
was the added side nets that come with each unit.
Accompanied with the raised body sides and the additional
shoulder protection bars, there was plenty of safety
features in this vehicle designed to keep the occupants
inside. While driving the Ranger RZR, the power was
unbelievable. A very quick throttle response thanks
to the even firing 800cc twin cylinder fuel injected
engine. Very quick acceleration and a top speed of
55mph easily surpassed the competition leaving them
in the dust.
www.polarisindustries.com
2100 Highway 55
Medina, MN 55340
(763) 417-8650
