UTV TEST: Arctic Cat Wildcat Sport 700 Limited

Sixty-inch-wide sport UTVs work so well for such a huge number of drivers, most manufacturers offer several machines in the segment. Arctic Cat’s Wildcat Sport Limited is the flagship 60-inch rig from the Minnesota-based maker, so we got one for a full test to see what it can do.

WHY 60-INCH?
With more suspension travel and stability than 50-inch trail-width machines and prices $3000 to $4000 less than 64-inch UTVs, 60-inch-wide vehicles are great, affordable rides for aggressive driving in the woods or anywhere that’s too tight for wider UTVs.

HOW DOES COST COMPARE?
The Wildcat Sport Limited is $15,999, the Wildcat Sport XT is $14,599, and the base Wildcat Sport is $13,599. Polaris’ RZR S 900 starts at $14,699, and the RZR S 1000 EPS is $17,999. Can-Am’s Maverick XCs go from $15,699 to $18,599.

WHAT DO YOU GET FOR THE EXTRA DOUGH?
Life is good at the top of the line. The Wildcat Sport Limited comes with fully adjustable Elka Stage 5 shocks, full doors, power steering, cast-aluminum wheels and painted bodywork. The other models have JRi compression adjustable shocks and half doors. The base model has steel wheels, unpainted bodywork and no power steering.

WHAT POWERS IT?
A 700cc, double-overhead-cam, four-valve-per-cylinder inline twin that puts out more than 60 horsepower. The non-unit engine and transmission bolt together, as on cars and trucks, rather than both sharing a common case, as on the Wildcat 1000. The non-unit design creates lots of possibilities for interesting new engine and transmission combinations.

WHAT KIND OF TRANSMISSION DOES IT HAVE?
A fully automatic, dual-range, belt type continuously variable transmission. It’s the kind most UTVs use, but the Wildcat Sport has some key differences. Team Industries makes the whole transmission and transaxle, and it includes the Rapid Response clutch like the Wildcat 1000s. Rollers on the clutch fingers react much more quickly than sliding components for faster response to throttle and load changes.

WHAT KIND OF 4WD SYSTEM DOES IT COME WITH?
Selectable 2WD/4WD with a front differential-lock mode. It’s a little different than the automatic front differential controls on Polaris RZRs and Can-Am Maverick. All the systems work well, but some drivers like to lock the front differential themselves.

HOW FAST IS IT?
Fast for a 700, but there are 60-inch RZR 900 S’, RZR 1000 S’ and Maverick 1000s out there. The Arctic Cat weighs about 150 pounds less than the larger-displacement machines, which helps its power-to-weight ratio. The Wildcat Sport’s top speed is similar to the RZR 900 S’—about 70 mph— but the larger-displacement machines are faster in a drag race and from turn to turn.

HOW IS THE POWER ON THE TRAIL?
It’s ideal for woods work. The 700 is powerful enough for fast, fun blasts on twisty trails, and it’s got more than enough motor for open terrain. The free-revving 700 twin and the Team Industries transmission are well matched, so you get quick, solid throttle response for fast acceleration when you want it, and it’s precise without being abrupt. The Arctic Cat’s predictable throttle and clutch response helps in ugly, rocky traction-less climbs too. We had no trouble climbing difficult, technical hills right along with a Wildcat 1000 X LTD.

WHAT KIND OF SUSPENSION DOES IT HAVE?
Double A-arms front and rear with fully adjustable Elka Stage 5 shocks. There’s 12.2 inches of travel up front and 12.6 in the rear, with a rear sway bar to reduce body roll.

HOW DOES THE SUSPENSION WORK?
It has high-end feel and full adjustability. Driving the Arctic Cat Sport Limited shows why Stage 5 Elkas are a popular choice for racers or anyone wanting true racing-quality suspension. The ride is very compliant with excellent bottoming resistance on big impacts. With high- and lowspeed compression-damping adjusters, adjustable rebound damping and spring preload on the dual-rate springs, you can find settings to suit most any terrain. The stock settings work well for tight trails, but we have increased highspeed compression damping up front four clicks and increased rear rebound three clicks for faster terrain.

HOW DOES IT HANDLE?
The Sport delivers a great blend of agility and stability. With power steering and the same 84.6-inch wheelbase as the compact Wildcat Trail, the Wildcat Sport Limited feels nimble and well planted on twisty trails. It slides securely when you want, and it can take on whooped-out terrain with very good control. It’s more composed in whoops than the shorter RZR S 900, but not in the same league as longer 64-inchwide 1000s that have significantly more suspension travel.

HOW IS IT FOR HILLS?
It climbs like a cat. We had all the power we needed for long, steep hills, and the Carlisle Trail Pro tires found plenty of traction even on rocky, bonedry terrain. The tires are four-ply-rated, but we didn’t have any flats. Being able to lock the front differential for truly scary hills is a confidence builder. The Arctic Cat’s four-wheel disc brakes are strong but not the best we’ve used. The RZR S 900s and RZR 1000s are more powerful.

HOW ABOUT MUD?
The Wildcat has the power, ground clearance, bed-level intakes and versatile 4WD system to get you through mud bogs and muddy trails. If most of your trails have mud, more aggressive tires like the AMS Swamp Fox will help, and fender extensions will keep more of the trail off your lap and that nice painted bodywork.

HOW ARE THE DETAILS?
Most are great. The Wildcat’s instrumentation is good, but we like the display in front of the driver rather than the center of the dash. The full doors are a nice touch, but the door frame and our left knee use the same space sometimes. Passenger hand-holds on the center console and right door keep your friend in place. The Wildcat is simple to service with easy air-filter and belt access. The Sport can pull its weight as a utility machine with the 2-inch hitch receiver, and the small bed can hold 300 pounds.

WHAT IS OUR FINAL ANSWER?
Arctic Cat’s Wildcat Sport Limited offers something special in the fastgrowing 60-inch sport UTV class. It doesn’t have the power of the larger displacement machines, but its power works well for a wide range of riding conditions, and the Limited package’s suspension, doors and other extras make this machine a value worth considering.

SPECS
ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT SPORT 700 LIMITED
ENGINE/TRANSMISSION
Engine type ……….Liquid-cooled, 8-valve, DOHC I-twin
Displacement ……………………………………….. 700cc
Bore x stroke ………………………. 76.9mm x 75.3mm
Compression ratio …………………………………….10:1
Lubrication system …………………………….Wet sump
Additional cooling ………………………………………..Fan
Carburetion ………………………………………40mm EFI
Starting/back-up ……………………………. Electric/none
Starting procedure ……………….. Turn key to the right
Idle adjustment ……………………………………….. None
Air filter:
Type …………………………………………… Paper pleat
Access …………………… Undo 5 clips, remove cover
Transmission ………………. Dual-range CVT w/ reverse
Reverse procedure………..Move range selector to “R”
Drive system ……….Selectable 2WD/4WD w/ diff-lock
Final drives ……………………………………………Shafts
DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES/WEIGHTS
Fuel capacity ………………………………………. 7.4 gal.
Wheelbase ……………………………………………..84.6”
Overall length/width/height …………. 110.5”/60”/64.3”
Ground clearance ………………………………………..13”
Dry weight ………………………………………… 1074 lb.
Bed weight limit…………………………………… 300 lb.
Hitch …………………………………………….. 2” receiver
Towing limit……………………………………….. 1500 lb.
ROLLING CHASSIS
Frame ……………………………………………. Steel tube
Suspension/wheel travel:
Front …………….Dual A-arm w/ adj. preload/high/low
compression/rebound shocks/12.2”
Rear ……………..Dual A-arm w/ adj. preload/high/low
compression/rebound shocks/12.6”
Brakes/actuation:
Front ………………………….Hydraulic discs/left pedal
Rear ……………………….. Hydraulic discs/right pedal
Steering ……………….. EPS, rack & pinion w/ tilt wheel
Tires:
Front ……………………. AT26x8-12 Carlisle Trail Pro
Rear …………………… AT26x10-12 Carlisle Trail Pro
ELECTRICAL
DC outlet …………………………………………… Console
Lighting:
Front ……………………………….2 Halogen headlights
Rear …………………………. Dual LED brake/tail lights
DETAILS
Instrumentation ….Speed/odo/trip/hour/rpm/fuel/gear/
clock/2WD-4WD
Colors ……………… Matte Black, White Metallic paint
Minimum recommended operator age ……………….16
Suggested retail price …………………………..$15,999
Contact ……………………Arctic Cat, (218) 681-8558