We overheard a dialog whereas testing the brand-new Polaris RZR XP that goes a good distance towards explaining how essential the machine is for the Minnesota-based firm, and for the off-road powersports trade as a complete. Apparently, there’s nonetheless debate about the very best identify for the burgeoning market – UTV and side-by-side are each comparatively widespread phrases, but when all else fails, anybody with even a passing curiosity within the section is aware of them by one time period greater than every other: Razor.
Razor, in fact, is the spoken type of RZR, and the truth that it’s such a recognizable identify – it’s like Kleenex and tissue paper or Google and search engines like google and yahoo – is indicative of its robust success within the off-road market. It’s additionally so well-known as a result of it’s a superb product. And for the primary time because the RZR XP 1000’s introduction in 2014, there’s an all-new, ground-up redesign for 2024 that introduces a variety of enhancements to make the RZR XP higher, sooner, extra dependable and extra sturdy than ever earlier than.
The RZR line’s success is due no less than partially to the big selection of decisions Polaris presents the client. There are RZRs for youths, RZRs for teenagers, and RZRs for adults, whether or not these full-grown women and men desire to spend their time on trails, within the mud, or in wide-open desert areas. The XP is the unique sport side-by-side, and the enlargement of the RZR vary has allowed Polaris to focus on a selected buyer, one which’s all for efficiency, positive, but in addition within the extra sedate, familial or social side of off-roading. It’s the jack-of-all-trades within the RZR lineup.
The RZR XP’s ProStar 1000 parallel-twin-cylinder engine is designated Gen2 and produces 114 horsepower, up 4 ponies in comparison with the previous model. Extra essential than the height energy achieve is the engine’s beefed-up midrange grunt, proper the place it’s most accessible for lengthy climbs or slogs via the mud. Its cooling capabilities have been additionally elevated, its internals strengthened (the clutch got here from the extra utilitarian Ranger mannequin), and the driveline upgraded to incorporate stronger half shafts, prop shaft and bearings. It sends its energy via a redesigned repeatedly variable transmission with decrease gearing.
All of that’s bolted to a totally new, stiffer chassis topped by a cage construction for rollover safety that’s nearly utterly welded. This was performed to make it stronger and quieter – the previous XP was susceptible to rattling as a result of prevalence of bolts within the cage. The spherical bars are flattened up entrance to make mounting a windshield simpler.
Most side-by-side UTVs have blocky, angular bodywork, and the Polaris RZR XP isn’t any exception. That’s to not say it doesn’t function distinctive detailing, nevertheless. We particularly just like the entrance and rear lighting components, that are each trendy and brilliant sufficient to see even through the day. The doorways are conventional front-hinged models, in contrast to previous fashions.
A 7-inch touchscreen dominates the inside of Final fashions, and Polaris’ Experience Command software program is simple to make use of and study. We operated it with out difficulty even when carrying gloves. Sadly, that central display is the lone supply of knowledge within the cabin – there aren’t any gauges in entrance of the driving force. The Sport (beginning at $20,999 plus a extra supply and setup fees that modify throughout the nation) and Premium ($22,999) get gauges however lose Experience Command. Sport consumers don’t get an audio system whereas Premium consumers get a base Rockford Fosgate system. Our Final ($25,999) check rig featured an upgraded audio system, and we had no points connecting our telephones via Bluetooth to hearken to music and podcasts whereas out on the path. There are cubbies with some degree of weather-proofing to the left and facet of the higher sprint, and an elective truck of kinds – Polaris calls it a tonneau – is large enough for digicam tools, jackets, gloves and a change of garments.
Our check unit was a two-seat mannequin, and every of the entrance perches felt roomy sufficient for our little-over-6-foot, 230-pound driver. Over-the-shoulder four-point seat belt harnesses are manually adjustable, and a sternum strap retains the entire unit nicely positioned throughout the chest. The seats supply good fore-aft adjustability, and the steering wheel place can also be adjustable. We polled riders of differing sizes in our check group and no person had any actual consolation complaints. There’s a passenger-side seize deal with that’s mounted on a quick-release slider for adjustability, and when eliminated it doubles as a wrench for altering wheels and tires.
Snug additionally describes the Polaris RZR XP’s experience. Walker Evans Racing Needle Shocks supply a variety of customization by way of shock-mounted knobs with 16 clicks of adjustability, and their 20 inches of journey equate to 16 inches of entrance wheel journey and 18 inches of rear wheel journey. Floor clearance sits at 14 inches, which seems like rather a lot till you encounter boulders the scale of babies on the path. Happily, after we did backside out a handful of occasions, it didn’t end in any undue harshness, and the skid plates alongside the rig’s backside forestall harm to vital parts. Bigger wheels and tires (Sport fashions get 29-inch tires, Premium and Final get 30-inchers) will assist alleviate grounding, particularly on four-seat fashions with wheelbases that stretch from 90 to 117 inches.
The brand new XP retains the unique’s 64-inch width, which Polaris says represents a stable compromise between stability and maneuverability. That’s a superb factor – on tight trails via the woods, there’ll absolutely be some branches twanging off the bodywork and cage as you roll via. Then again, if the XP have been any narrower, it could really feel awfully tippy-top heavy and twitchy. As it’s, a fast flip at pace will produce loads of lean, however we by no means felt prefer it may tip throughout our time behind the wheel.
There are two ahead speeds labeled excessive and low, accessed by a standard shift lever between the seats. It really works fantastic, however the shifter’s motion is imprecise, prefer it’s transferring in a pot of rubber balls. Contemplating it’s largely a choose-a-gear-and-forget-it affair, that’s not too huge a deal. Low gear is nicely chosen for lengthy climbs because it retains the engine within the meat of its powerband and places much less pressure on the CVT, which in flip diminishes the modifications of burning up transmission belts. Excessive gear is, as its identify implies, the suitable selection for higher-speed trails that don’t have severe inclines.
The engine’s 114 ponies pale compared to a few of Polaris’ personal 200-ish-horsepower turbocharged fashions, however in the actual world on muddy trails, it’s loads. Keep in mind that the unique Jeep Wrangler’s fuel-injected 2.5-liter 4 supplied up 117 horsepower, and that it was tasked with lugging round a hefty chunk greater than the RZR XP’s 1,500-1,900-pound dry weight. The unique Mazda Miata spun out 116 hp.
Extra essential than peak energy is the engine’s tractability. It by no means feels prefer it’s lugging or working too onerous, as long as you’ve chosen the suitable gear. We didn’t carry out any top-speed runs – it ought to interrupt nearly any pace restrict in America, for no matter that’s value – but it surely felt secure at what we’d estimate to be the 45-55 mph vary. A fast bump of the throttle at low- to medium speeds leads to enjoyable tail-happy antics, and the ensuing slides are very simple to manage.
Regardless of the extra safety from the weather that the spiffier roof system and our unit’s elective low windshield present over the outgoing XP, nicely … you’ll get moist on this experience in case your route is splatooned with deep puddles. We bought half soaked and half caked in grime after a number of hours on the paths of Windrock Park in Tennessee, however that’s all a part of the enjoyable.
And that’s actually what rigs just like the Polaris RZR XP are all about. They might be used for transportation, exploring, looking, and typically even light-duty work. However total, they’re only a blast to pilot. The RZR XP fills its mission completely as a stable sport side-by-side that may do absolutely anything you’d wish to do. It’s not the quickest nor the sportiest unit out there, but it surely covers sufficient of the bases that it’s nearly positive to proceed on because the best-selling sport ‘ute in America. Scratch that. Finest-selling razor in America.
