Speed isn't fun without comfort, so the engineers gave the Ranger RZR a snazzy little tilt steering system, an adjustable grab bar for the passenger and seats that adjust. And like most sport-utes, the RZR isn't all play and no work (very important for justifying it to the spouse). Its cargo bed is rated for 300 pounds and has 12 tiedown points and can be fitted with several PURE Polaris Lock & Ride accessories, including gas-can holders and a creative dual-gun rack. The RZR also has a receiver hitch and a 1500-pound towing capacity, underhood storage and a myriad of cabs and cargo systems. Best of all, its MSRP of $9999 is only $700 more than the standard tandem-seat X2 800.
We were impressed!
Polaris brought us out to Phoenix, Arizona, for our first meeting with this new side-by-side. The January air had a bite, yet we think the Minnesota-based crew members were happy they weren't home shoveling snow for a few weeks. That cold air wasn't even noticeable once we reached the Hieroglyphic Mountain riding area, where the Polaris gang had an 11-12-mile loop set up for us to give the new Ranger RZR a thorough shakedown. It was a good mix of terrain, from pea-gravel river beds to rock-infested waterfalls to challenging hills that were certainly steeper than the 15-degree inclines we were warned not to exceed during the Draconian safety brief. Solo or two-up, the RZR made short work of the hills and displayed quite clearly one of the highlights of the new design-its true all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. It automatically engages when the vehicle needs more forward traction and reverts back to 2WD automatically when AWD is no longer needed. No stopping is needed, just push the dash-mounted switch (under 10 mph, we noticed) and it transforms from a rear-end-sliding sport to a rock-crawling mountain goat instantly. We tried both settings (on and off) of the AWD and couldn't really discern a difference unless we were trying to slip the rear end around. If activated, the system detected the skid and engaged all four wheels, curtailing our fun like a stern look from the teacher.
Of course, the 760cc twin sitting right behind us was another instigator in more-than-usual instances of editor high jinks. After the group ride, when we were done documenting the RZR on film, we set out for a fast lap around the loop with our Polaris chaperone, Glenn Bode, in tow aboard a Sportsman ATV. Brian and I took turns at the helm and as passenger-white-knuckling the little handlebar as the pilot kept the gas peddle mashed to the floor. This little machine has some giddyup and lots of potential. The big, rolling whoops in the river bed had the RZR kicking like a mule and both of us laughing as we tried to get it settled down. The firm but supple seats and the seat belts with their shock absorbers (to take the sudden shock of hitting those big bumps) helped the stock suspension with soaking up the impacts.
Power was good, better than the rest of the crowd, and that low cg only made cornering sketchy in an off-camber turn on the steep side of a hill. We know this thing can still be put on its side-the scratches and dings from another group showed on our test rig. But they must have been talented, as it's pretty easy to keep the rubber down on the RZR.
Future?
We decided about halfway around our fun loop that we needed one to test ASAP. In fact, as soon as we were back in the pits, we were in front of Polaris Media wrangler Donna Beadle asking, "When can we get one?"
Yeah, it's that good, and with part of the work already done by Polaris, aftermarket companies should have this thing ripping in short order-the key is how much performance is hidden in that 760cc EFI twin. The RZR is basically what folks have been clamoring for ever since they discovered sharing the off-road adventure next to your buddy is a hoot and they're cheaper than a full-blown Jeep. We'll keep you posted as soon as we get our hands on a production unit (these were all preproduction models) to spend some quality time with in a few months.