2024 Polaris RZR XP First Drive Review | BESTSELLER FOR REASONABLE REASON

We overheard the conversation while testing the brand-new Polaris RZR XP that goes a long way in illustrating how important this machine is to the Minnesota-based company, and the off-road powersports industry as a whole Apparently there is still some debate about the best name for the burgeoning market UTV and side-by-side are both relatively common terms but if all else fails there is little interest in the segment Some people know them by one term better than anyone else: razors.

Of course, the fact that Razor is a colloquial word for RZR, a catchy name like Kleenex and tissue paper, or Google and the search engine, indicates its strong success in the off-road market. Because it is a good product, it is well known. And for the first time since the introduction of his RZR XP 1000 in 2014, an all-new ground-up redesign for 2024 has been made to make the RZR XP even better, faster, more reliable and more durable than ever. Many improvements have been introduced.

The success of the RZR line is, at least in part, due to the wide range of choices Polaris presents to its customers. There are RZRs for kids, RZRs for teens, and RZRs for adults, whether mature men and women prefer spending time on the trail, in the mud, or in vast desert spaces.XP was the original sport, and the expanded RZR range allowed Polaris to target specific customers interested in performance, but also interested in the more subdued, familial or social aspects of the off. There is – the road. It’s the jack-of-all-trades in the RZR lineup.

The RZR XP’s ProStar 1000 in-line twin-cylinder engine is designated Gen2 and produces 114 horsepower, a four-pony increase over the older version. More important than the peak power gain is the engine’s enhanced midrange grunt.This is the most accessible spot for long climbs and slogs in the mud. Cooling has also been improved and the internals have been strengthened (the clutch was born out of a more practical troop model), the driveline has been upgraded to include a strengthened half shaft, propeller shaft and bearings. It sends power through a redesigned low-gear continuously variable transmission.

All of this is bolted to an all-new rigid chassis covered in a nearly fully welded rollover protective cage structure. This was done to make it more powerful and quieter. The old XP was prone to rattling due to the prevalence of bolts in the cage. The round bar has a flat front for easy windshield installation.

Most UTVs lined up have blocky, angular bodywork, and the Polaris RZR XP is no exception. and I like the rear lighting elements. It’s stylish and looks bright enough even during the day. The doors are traditional front-hinged units, unlike past models.

A 7-inch touchscreen dominates the Ultimate model’s interior, and Polaris’ Ride Command software is easy to use and easy to learn. It worked fine even with gloves on. Sadly, that central screen is the only source of information in the cabin. There is no gauge in front of the driver. Sport (starting at $20,999, with additional shipping and setup fees that vary by country) and Premium ($22,999) get the Gauge but lose Ride Command. Premium purchasers get the base Rockford Fosgate system. Our Ultimate ($25,999) test rig has an upgraded audio system, and we had no problem connecting our phones via Bluetooth to listening to music or podcasts on the trail.Upper dash left and side cubby with some weather protection, optional truck Polaris calls it a tonneau, but it’s big enough for camera equipment, a jacket, gloves, and a change of clothes.

Our test unit was a two-seater model, and each front perch felt roomy enough for a 6-foot-plus, 230-pound driver. Over-the-shoulder, his four-point seatbelt harness is manually adjustable, and a sternum strap keeps the unit properly positioned across your chest. The seat is adjustable fore and aft, and the position of the steering wheel is also adjustable. We surveyed riders of various sizes in our test group and had no complaints about real-world comfort. It also works as a wrench for changing tires.

The ride of the Polaris RZR XP is also comfortable. Walker Evans Racing Needle Shocks offer a wide range of customization via 16-click adjustable shock mount knobs, with 20 inches of travel equivalent to 16 inches of front wheel travel and 18 inches of rear wheel travel. It has 14 inches of ground clearance, which sounds like a lot until you hit a rock the size of a small child on the trail. Luckily, when we bottomed out a few times, it didn’t cause undue discomfort and a skid his plate along the bottom of the rig prevented damage to critical components. Bigger wheels and tires (29-inch on Sport models, 30-inch on Premium and Ultimate) help ease ground contact, especially on his four-seater models with wheelbases from 90 to 117 inches.

The new XP retains its original width of 64 inches. This said Polaris represents a solid compromise between stability and maneuverability. That’s a good thing – on tight trails in the woods, there are some branches that swing away from the bodywork and cage. roll finished. On the other hand, if the XP is narrower than this, it feels very tippy top heavy and twitchy. As it is, quick turns at high speed produce plenty of lean, but we didn’t feel like we could tip over while behind the wheel.

There are two forward speeds, labeled high and low, accessed by a traditional shift lever between the seats. It works fine, but the shifter movement is blurry like a rubber ball pan. It’s not a big deal, considering that’s what most of the time you select a gear and forget about it. A low gear keeps the engine centered in the powerband and puts less strain on the CVT, so it’s easier on long climbs. It is suitable. High gear, as the name suggests, is good for fast trails without serious inclines.

The engine’s 114 pony pales in comparison to some of Polaris’ own 200-horsepower turbocharged models, but it’s good enough for the real world of muddy trails.remember the original jeep wranglerThe ‘s fuel-injected 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine produced 117 horsepower and was tasked with hauling more mass than the RZR XP’s 1,500-1,900-pound dry weight.original mazda Miata spun out 116 hp.

More important than peak power is engine handling. It doesn’t get heavy or overworked as long as you choose the right gear. We didn’t do a top speed run – whatever it is, should break nearly every speed limit in America – but it’s stable in a range estimated to be between 45 and 55 miles per hour. A quick bump on the throttle at low-to-mid speeds gives a fun tail-happy antic, and the slide is very easy to control as a result.

Despite the extra protection from the elements that the spicier roof system and unit’s optional low windshield provide the outward-facing XP, well…if your route is splatooned in deep puddles, this ride get wet. After a few hours on the trails in Windrock Park, Tennessee, we were half soaked and half covered in dirt, but that’s part of the fun.

And that’s what a rig like the Polaris RZR XP is all about. It can be used for transport, exploration, hunting, and sometimes light work. But overall, they’re great fun for pilots, and the RZR XP perfectly lives up to its mission as a solid sport that can do just about anything you want. It’s not the fastest unit available, nor the sportiest, but it covers just enough base to maintain its status as America’s best-selling sports unit. America’s best-selling razor.

https://ift.tt/5Dx9Hwq 2024 Polaris RZR XP First Drive Review | BESTSELLER FOR REASONABLE REASON

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