ATV Adventures: Product review – 2024 Polaris RZR XP Ultimate
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- The new Polaris RZR XP Ultimate.
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- The new Polaris RZR XP Ultimate.
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- Lynn Blamires
Because of the changes Polaris made to the XP 1000, Nick Faulkner of Young Powersports invited me to take a ride in this new machine to get my take on what’s new. This wasn’t some ride around the block. No sirree, this was a ride into the snow-packed Monte Cristo Mountains.
I have a 2021 Polaris XP 1000 Premium, so I was interested in making some comparisons between mine and this new one. The basic difference is big. My XP 1000 was designed for riding in the sand. When Polaris realized that the riding we do out here in the West is on trails, they set about to redesign the XP.
We unloaded at Dry Bread Pond, which is further east of the snowmobile parking lot by Ant Flat Road on Highway 39. We rode the highway to the Curtis Creek Trailhead on the other side of the Monte Cristo Campground because there was very little parking at the trailhead.
The first thing I noticed was the smooth takeoff from our staging area. The “Polaris bump” I am used to didn’t happen. The acceleration was quick and smooth. They have redesigned the driveline with stronger half shafts, prop shafts and bearings. They have also improved the transmission with larger clutches and better venting. This makes it run cooler, extending the life of the belt.
The chassis is 25% stronger than my 2021 XP. It has a full-coverage skid plate, and it comes standard with 14.5 inches of ground clearance. The new XP comes with 30-inch tires. Nick put 32-inch tires on this machine, improving the ground clearance.
As we turned onto the Curtis Creek Trail, I noticed that this XP was quieter than mine. Polaris made a significant effort to reduce vehicle noise and they did a good job.
The steering wheel is a little smaller than the one on my RZR. It was tight, making this RZR XP fun to drive. From straight up, there was only three-quarters of a turn to go all the way to the left or right.
Polaris dropped the 1000 from the name, but they boosted the horsepower to 114. The lines are smooth with the connecting joints on the roll cage moved under the plastic. The roll cage is stronger and it features full-size doors with more protection.
The instrument cluster is in the center of the dashboard, tilted slightly to the advantage of the driver, and it is full of information. The machine features a 7-inch glove-touch display. Ride Command with topographic mapping is only found on the Ultimate in the RZR XP lineup. Bluetooth and USB smartphone connectivity, AM/FM and weather radio, speedometer, odometer, trip meter, tachometer, coolant temperature, volt meter, hour meter, service indicator, clock, gear indicator, fuel gauge by percent of fuel remaining, hi-temp light, seatbelt reminder light, fault code display, DC outlet and the ambient temp are in this package. Whew, that is a mouthful.
The front end has been redesigned to include a tubular front bumper with delta-shaped accent lights on either side of the headlights and a horizontal bar-shaped accent light between them. The delta-shaped lights will serve as the turn signals when a street-legal kit is installed. The dashboard has three storage boxes — one in the dash and one on either side on top.
I liked the roomier cab, but the back seat was cramped. The harness that held me in the front seat was complicated because it wasn’t adjusted for me. I prefer a three-point harness that doesn’t need adjusting. The seat wasn’t as comfortable as my RZR’s seat.
We rode mostly on packed snow, which was slick, especially in the turns. Nick only yelled at me twice.
Despite the snow, our weather was mild. We arrived in Randolph for our traditional burger and fries in 67-degree temperatures.
We came into town on Old Canyon Road and went out on the north side of the reservoir on New Canyon Road. The mountains were cloaked in a beautiful winter setting. We enjoyed glimpses of snow through the bare aspen groves.
The temperature was warmer on the way back and the road got slushy. By the time we finished our ride, we looked like mud bugs — sorry, Nick. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down and consider this new Polaris RZR XP. The Ultimate’s MSRP is $25,999, but Polaris is offering $3,000 off and a two-year warranty on the RZR XP Sport ($20,999) Premium ($22,999) and the Ultimate until Dec. 31.
Contact Lynn R. Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com.