I'm new user to this site and a long time ATV owner who's in the market for a new UTV. If this is in the wrong area, please let me know.
I'd like either a pure utility or sport/utility combo UTV, something I can take the family riding in occasionally while still being able to do some work around the property. The utility aspect is a must to help justify it to the wife, but it needs to be weekend ride capable. My kids are also pretty small now so the rides will be easy trails/dirt roads and stuff like that. I'm looking for something with 4-6 seats and a dump bed (dump bed being the key to claiming its utility status). No pure sport UTV is going to pass the wife test, yet. We'll look at that again in 3 or 4 years when the kids are a little bigger.
So far, I've looked at the Ranger Crews, Viking VI, Mule ProFXT, Commander Max, Gator 825i S4, and the Honda Pioneer. I'm also keeping my eyes on the Defender Max whenever it makes it to market. The only thing people near me seem to ride are Rangers, Rzrs, and the occasional Viking 3-seater. The Gator people like them, but never leave the farm with them. No one I know has the Mule, Commander, or Pioneer, nor are they even really considering them.
If you have any of these UTVs, please tell me about them. What do you like about it? What do you hate? What is a minor annoyance that can be fixed with add-ons? Extol the virtues or tell me if they're utter crap.
Here's where I am now in my decision process: the only thing I hated about my recently deceased 2002 700 Sportsman is the lack of engine braking, which the Rangers also do not have, except in the hunting edition 2/3-seaters. For that reason, and that reason alone, the Ranger is in last place in my mind. Sure, it's great in every other way, but I had one bad/dangerous experience on the Sportsman that has ruined it and made it a requirement. I know I can add engine braking via aftermarket, but it's possible that poof goes the warranty if I do. Some have suggested that I use an EBS from a RZR which might not void it. Either way, I just can't take my family out on something without the engine hold back nor can I buy something that expensive and immediately void the warranty.
I've been told the Vikings are super dependable but loud, at least the 3 seaters owned by people I know are, and they don't have tilt steering. I'm a big fat guy and that makes it hard to get in and out. I'm fine once I'm actually in it, but the in/out squeeze is there. Also, there's a concern in my mind that the Viking might not have enough power in the absolutely massive crew configuration. They are also very inexpensive.
The Gator 825i S4 is out because my gut touches the non-tilting steering wheel.
The Pioneer 5-seater makes you choose between cargo and passengers, which I'm not impressed with. Hondas are always reliable and this year's model has tons of room for the driver, but that one seating/cargo issue is hard to get past. I'm also not enthused about the flip up seats in the back and the potential for dirt/mud getting down in the cracks between them when laid down. Also, the depth from the top of the seat to the bottom of the rear floorboard seems to be for very short people. Any adults able to sit back there comfortably?
The Mule has room and seems like a good compromise between cargo and passengers, but it's at least 200lbs more than anything else with similar horsepower to the Viking VI. Internet reviews have said the flat bench seats don't have a lot of padding and can be uncomfortable on long rides. I also don't know anything about the reliability of modern Kawasakis, but they are the only one with a 3-year warranty included. The last one I hadwas rock solid, but that was 20+ years ago and things change. The Teryx looked good but was a little tight and didn't have a dump bed.
Both the Pioneer and the Mule give me pause because the back row is sitting on what is part of the dump bed. It just seems like you could be one malfunction away from chucking people out of the vehicle or at least causing a serious injury. It's the same thing for rumble seats, even with a roll cage. (Rumble seats completely out.)
My wife hates the center console in the Commander. She wants to be closer to my 2 year old if we go riding. Other than that, it looks like a great machine.
The Defender MAX looks really good in theory and the 3-seater sits great. I just may have to wait several months to get it.
I've only seen most of them in the showroom and on the lot. The weather here has been rainy for the past couple of weeks/months (and today) and most of the dealers have agreements with adjacent land owners to allow offroad test drives, but only when it's bone dry, so I've only managed to drive the Mule around a parking lot and nothing at all on the others. This week or weekend, I plan to try to sample them all, get prices, and figure out financing options.
So, let me know about your experiences so I can pick the right one for me and my family. Anything you can tell me will let me know what to look out for and question the dealer about during my test rides.
Thanks!
I'd like either a pure utility or sport/utility combo UTV, something I can take the family riding in occasionally while still being able to do some work around the property. The utility aspect is a must to help justify it to the wife, but it needs to be weekend ride capable. My kids are also pretty small now so the rides will be easy trails/dirt roads and stuff like that. I'm looking for something with 4-6 seats and a dump bed (dump bed being the key to claiming its utility status). No pure sport UTV is going to pass the wife test, yet. We'll look at that again in 3 or 4 years when the kids are a little bigger.
So far, I've looked at the Ranger Crews, Viking VI, Mule ProFXT, Commander Max, Gator 825i S4, and the Honda Pioneer. I'm also keeping my eyes on the Defender Max whenever it makes it to market. The only thing people near me seem to ride are Rangers, Rzrs, and the occasional Viking 3-seater. The Gator people like them, but never leave the farm with them. No one I know has the Mule, Commander, or Pioneer, nor are they even really considering them.
If you have any of these UTVs, please tell me about them. What do you like about it? What do you hate? What is a minor annoyance that can be fixed with add-ons? Extol the virtues or tell me if they're utter crap.
Here's where I am now in my decision process: the only thing I hated about my recently deceased 2002 700 Sportsman is the lack of engine braking, which the Rangers also do not have, except in the hunting edition 2/3-seaters. For that reason, and that reason alone, the Ranger is in last place in my mind. Sure, it's great in every other way, but I had one bad/dangerous experience on the Sportsman that has ruined it and made it a requirement. I know I can add engine braking via aftermarket, but it's possible that poof goes the warranty if I do. Some have suggested that I use an EBS from a RZR which might not void it. Either way, I just can't take my family out on something without the engine hold back nor can I buy something that expensive and immediately void the warranty.
I've been told the Vikings are super dependable but loud, at least the 3 seaters owned by people I know are, and they don't have tilt steering. I'm a big fat guy and that makes it hard to get in and out. I'm fine once I'm actually in it, but the in/out squeeze is there. Also, there's a concern in my mind that the Viking might not have enough power in the absolutely massive crew configuration. They are also very inexpensive.
The Gator 825i S4 is out because my gut touches the non-tilting steering wheel.
The Pioneer 5-seater makes you choose between cargo and passengers, which I'm not impressed with. Hondas are always reliable and this year's model has tons of room for the driver, but that one seating/cargo issue is hard to get past. I'm also not enthused about the flip up seats in the back and the potential for dirt/mud getting down in the cracks between them when laid down. Also, the depth from the top of the seat to the bottom of the rear floorboard seems to be for very short people. Any adults able to sit back there comfortably?
The Mule has room and seems like a good compromise between cargo and passengers, but it's at least 200lbs more than anything else with similar horsepower to the Viking VI. Internet reviews have said the flat bench seats don't have a lot of padding and can be uncomfortable on long rides. I also don't know anything about the reliability of modern Kawasakis, but they are the only one with a 3-year warranty included. The last one I hadwas rock solid, but that was 20+ years ago and things change. The Teryx looked good but was a little tight and didn't have a dump bed.
Both the Pioneer and the Mule give me pause because the back row is sitting on what is part of the dump bed. It just seems like you could be one malfunction away from chucking people out of the vehicle or at least causing a serious injury. It's the same thing for rumble seats, even with a roll cage. (Rumble seats completely out.)
My wife hates the center console in the Commander. She wants to be closer to my 2 year old if we go riding. Other than that, it looks like a great machine.
The Defender MAX looks really good in theory and the 3-seater sits great. I just may have to wait several months to get it.
I've only seen most of them in the showroom and on the lot. The weather here has been rainy for the past couple of weeks/months (and today) and most of the dealers have agreements with adjacent land owners to allow offroad test drives, but only when it's bone dry, so I've only managed to drive the Mule around a parking lot and nothing at all on the others. This week or weekend, I plan to try to sample them all, get prices, and figure out financing options.
So, let me know about your experiences so I can pick the right one for me and my family. Anything you can tell me will let me know what to look out for and question the dealer about during my test rides.
Thanks!
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