ATV Connection’s Top 3 UTVs of 2010
Side-by-Sides rated side-by-side
By: Jason Giacchino
When it comes to closing out a decade in style, it’s tough to do better than the UTV industry; a market segment that has been absolutely impressive in terms of growth despite an economic climate where logic would suggest scaling back.
As expected with any industry this red-hot, we are often asked for buying advice and the sad news is that there are so many viable options from so many reputable manufacturers, that it’s difficult even for those of us with luxury of sampling them all to make a single recommendation!
So rather than narrowing our top selection down to a single choice, allow us to take a moment to declare what we’ve concluded to be the Top 3 UTVs of 2010 and before you begin firing up the hate-mail, we realize some of these machines selected may be labeled as 2011 models. The point of this article isn’t to debate semantics so much as it is to recognize those machines worthy of taking a closer look at if you find yourself in the position of purchasing a UTV of your own. Couple this to the fact that we were testing 2011 models in the middle of summer 2010 and the idea of the standard calendar year’s inability to translate becomes clear. Without further delay:
Number Three: Honda Big Red MUV700
Resurrecting the nameplate of one of Honda’s most renowned 3-wheelers (a machine that arguably can be credited for beginning the utility ATV class), Honda pushed just the right combination of buttons in creating the Big Red UTV.
Combining their legendary off-road experience to the safety innovations and comfort of their automotive mastery, the Big Red is the epitome of UTV refinement. 2010 models come equipped with sporty bucket seats while the 2011 makes the move to bench seating for increased occupant space.
A lack of CVT belt in the automobile inspired 3-speed transmission (with reverse) eliminates concerns of belt failure when the conditions become nasty.
Topping it all off of course is the Big Red heritage, a label Honda has used sparingly throughout its rich off-road history; instead reserving it for a select few machines they were certain could deliver when lesser vehicles could not.
Number Two: Can-Am Commander 1000X
Perhaps you are unmoved by massive engine displacement but even still it’s hard not to be awed by the Commander 1000 from Can-Am. Being powered by a performance-tuned 976cc V-Twin powerplant, Can-Am can boast figures of 85 horsepower and top speeds surpassing 70 mph!
However, this is no one-trick pony as indicated by the fact Can-Am specs these beasts with fully adjustable Fox piggyback-reservoir equipped suspension (even high & low speed compression adjustment) and torsion bars at both the front and rear.
If not for Arctic Cat’s omnipotent Prowler XTZ1000, Can-Am would absolutely own the 1000 sport-UTV class. So why the nod to Can-Am over it’s extremely close competition you wonder? The answer comes down to price, with the Can-Am Commander coming in almost exactly ,000 below the Arctic Cat. While either will undoubtedly dazzle their respective owner, a thousand clams to the good goes a long way in these tough economic conditions.
Number One: Polaris Ranger RZR-4
When the Ranger RZR-4 hit the scene midway through 2010, the UTV world was quite literally turned on its collective head. The idea of sharing the thrills and chills of the high performance UTV experience with not one but three passengers was previously reserved to dreamers with good imaginations and work-only UTVs that had been tuned-up.
However, Polaris wasn’t content to simply slap a high-output engine into their more work-friendly Crew edition UTVs in designing the RZR-4. Instead they took their race-winning RZR-S platform and stretched it by two-feet to allow for back-seat accommodations (increasing the RZR-S’ wheelbase by an impressive 26-inches in the process).
The end result is a 4-seater powered by their 760cc inline-twin cylinder boasting a full foot of suspension travel at each wheel and coming in at a total weight actually below many of the two-seaters in its class!
Of course it didn’t take long for Polaris to resume its race-winning ways in the RZR-4 as record books began documenting victories for the UTV almost immediately post-release. Fans of sharing the incredible experience that is off-roading with as many candidates as possible, it’s pretty easy for the editors of ATV Connection to designate the Polaris Ranger RZR-4 the #1 spot of our survey.
http://www.polarisindustries.com/
Agree with our list? Disagree? We want to hear what you have to say!