Polaris RZR comparo review

Posts: 676

Today was the first real "test" of my new RZR. I used to own a 1000cc buggy so I will use that for a comparison.

Terrian: Over 100 miles of desert trails, hill climbs, river crossings, some rock climbing, some open flat areas, and varying altitude and temp.'s.

Breakage/issues: Nothing broke, but I did manage to make the hood fly off. Looks like that may be my fault as I had a heavy unsecured item in the hood storage area.

Suspension: I am mixed on this. I think the buggy had a better (smoother) ride at lower speeds. The RZR seems to be tuned for 30mph or more. Less then that and it rides "rough". Not overly so, but definately stiff. The RZR never felt tippy, surprising since its so narrow, but I felt more confortable in the buggy for 50mph+ sweepers.

Engine/speed: The 1000cc has a higher stock top speed of 67mph vs the RZR's 58mph. (You can remove the spacer and hit 67mph I have heard) 0-40 I think the RZR would win. This thing launches incredibly well for being on dirt. My girlfriend actually asked if the front end was lifting up. 40mph to top speed I think it would be pretty equal until the RZR signed off and the buggy continued to a higher mph. The RZR's fuel injection worked perfectly all day. The changes in temp and altitude seemed to have no effect at all.

trans: I give this one to the RZR. Since its a 2 speed auto (low, high) it was easy as selecting a gear and go. While I like shifting, it is no fun when on hill climbs or going over rocks which was common today.

Auto 4 wheel drive: Worked perfect all day. I am confident that a 2 wheel drive vehicle would have gotten stuck today. Between the mud, rocks, and mud covered rocks, 4 wheel drive was a must. I did notice that the "auto 4 wheel" really makes a difference in how the RZR handles. In 2 wheel it will push at higher speeds. In Auto 4 wheel, you can point and floor it.

Overall I am very happy with the RZR. It went everywhere I pointed it without issues. While expensive, at the end of the day it was worth it to not worry about breakage etc.

A few things to note:
Even after the high initial cost, the RZR still needs skid plates.
Also "required" will be the heavier throttle spring as its very touchy.
The 50" width was a big benefit as I was able to follow the lines of the utility quads I was riding with. This also helped in a few very tight trails that another 2 inches may have stopped me.

Conclusion: If you can afford it, get the RZR! But if you are not restricted by width and want more top end at a lower costs, the buggy is the way to go. I just wish they made a buggy at the prices we want with the reliability of the name brands!

Posts: 104

I recently bought my kids a mini buggy and my lady and I were looking at one for ourselves in the near future. After all the reading i've been doing I think something like the rzr would maybe be better for us. We have a Honda Rancher and the warranty and dependability of these big name companies can't be beat. Hope your ride was all you wanted it to be congrats and happy holidays.

Posts: 6290

Great review, thanks for taking the time to put it all down. Thanks!

-Jamie

Posts: 3573

Thanks for the great review, Ed. I have to agree on all points. I too thought the Rzr would be tippy but it feels like the harder you push it the more stable it feels. The only time I put mine on it's side was crawling over some very uneven terrain. One corner went up as the opposite one went down and it just slowly laid over. Not even a scratch--I was going that slow.

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