POLARIS GENERAL XP 1000 DELUXE RIDE COMMAND EDITION

POLARIS GENERAL XP 1000 DELUXE RIDE COMMAND EDITION

For 2016, Polaris shook up the UTV world with the General, which combined the sporty performance, suspension and seats of the RZR S 1000 with the comfort and utility of the Ranger XP. It was a big hit, and the long-travel General XP 1000 with Walker Evans Velocity shocks was introduced for 2020. The XP was based on the 2019 General Deluxe but got 14 inches of travel, a 64-inch width, a new one-piece chassis with thicker-wall tubes, smoother clutching, twin-puck calipers and larger brake rotors riding inside 15-inch rims. A Stage 1 Rockford Fosgate audio system was also standard on the most capable cross-over UTV for 2020. Well, hold on tight, because Polaris raises the bar again with the 2022 General XP 1000 and XP 4 Trailhead Editions. We reported on the Deluxe and Trailhead XP 4s in December and test the Polaris General XP 1000 Deluxe Ride Command Edition here.

 

WHAT COMES ON THE RIDE COMMAND EDITION?

Ride Command Generals have Walker Evans Velocity shocks and high-clearance A-arms with 14 inches of travel plus 30-inch Pro Armor Crawler XG tires. They come with a low-profile sport front bumper, poly sport roof, half doors from the Premium, rider-optimized seats and a convex rear-view mirror. The 2022 General XP 1000 Deluxe Ride Command Edition has a new Plow mode that automatically lifts the plow when shifting to reverse, and the 4500-pound winch has Auto Stop, a blacked-out fairlead, forged hook and a synthetic rope. Ride Command controls the Stage 3 Rockford Fosgate audio system with front and rear pairs of speakers, plus a $550 subwoofer. Ride Command automatically increases volume as speeds increase and decreases volume as speeds drop.

Building on Deluxe Ride Command features, the new Trailhead Edition is built for adventure with an 11-inch, high-output Pro Armor LED bar on the sport bumper, an adventure rack over the bed, and special 3D topographies on the hood depicting the Crown King Mine at Wickenburg, Arizona. Trailheads also have unique Matte Blue Slate Metallic and burnt orange livery and graphics. Since we reported on the Trailhead XP 4 in December, Polaris has added the new Troy Lee Designs Edition, which starts with Deluxe Ride Command Trailhead features and adds a race-inspired steering wheel, TLD-exclusive painted bodywork and bumper, custom rider-optimized seats, and an interior badge.

 

HOW DOES COST COMPARE?

For 2022, General 1000s list for $16,999 and Deluxe Ride Commands are $25,099. The Base General XP 1000 is $25,199. The General XP 1000 Deluxe Ride Command is $27,399. The Trailhead Edition is $28,399, and the Troy Lee Designs Edition is $27,499. Yamaha’s RMAX2 1000 R-Spec is $20,699; the new RMAX2 Sport is $22,599; the RMAX2 XT-R is $23,899; and the RMAX2 Limited Edition is $24,399. Can-Am’s Commander 1000R DPS is $19,699; the XT-P is $22,699; and the X-MR is $20,999. Honda’s Pioneer 1000 Deluxe is $16,899; the Limited is $18,999 and the Special Edition is $21,999.

 

HOW FAST IS THE GENERAL XP1K?

Five-star fast! Generals have the same potent 100-horsepower ProStar twin as the RZR Trail S 1000 tested last month, and the General XP delivers great turn-to-turn power and acceleration. Low range is great for tight, technical trails. It is good for 37 mph, and we got more than 60 mph in high; however, it gets there a little slower because the Ride Command General weighs 330 pounds more than the RZR Trail S Ultimate, carrying 16.9 pounds per horsepower instead of 13.9. It is also turning taller 30-inch Pro Armor XG tires instead of 27-inch Trailmaster A/Ts. It feels almost as fast as the Yamaha RMAX2, which has 108 horsepower and weighs 1889 pounds wet.

 

WHAT ABOUT THE DELIVERY?

It’s on the motor pool’s top shelf. Polaris power and CVT teams worked together to re-tune clutching for smoothness, since many states allow street licensing of UTVs. The ’22 Deluxe launches smoothly and quickly with strong acceleration for a cross-over UTV. On-Demand AWD engages the front diff when needed but stays in 2WD when the rear tires aren’t spinning. Engine braking slows the rear tires for setting up for slides entering corners, and EDA is Polaris’ new engine deceleration assist to enhance handling and traction. The unlocking Versa-Trak rear diff helps Generals bend around tight switchbacks or be gentle on turf. The range selector is fairly slick, but it’s stiff initially and is not gated for positive shifts.

 

HOW DOES IT HANDLE?

Like a crossover should. The Deluxe is nimble and is big fun in woods and sand, yet it’s very stable. With a wheelbase of 83 inches, it’s 4 inches longer than the RZR Trail S and 3.7 inches shorter than the RMAX2. Having front and rear sway bars, the General was great on ERX Park’s off-camber turns and trails, and it tracks well in deep sand and ruts. The Pro Armor tires also slide predictably on gravel and loam alike. It’s stable on rough woods straights and in open desert, too.

HOW ABOUT THE XP SUSPENSION?

It aids command and control. Polaris engineers worked hard on bottoming control on General XP 1000s, despite not having cross-over rings for tuning ride quality. With 14 inches of travel all around via Walker Evans Velocity 2.5 needle shocks, General XPs have more adjustments than the Commander’s QS3 shocks, and travel is equal. Our initial tests at ERX Park were with the compression adjusters on full soft, and ride quality was excellent on trails with lots of rocks and roots. Our long term Ride Command Edition has the clickers in the middle of range for more bottoming resistance, and ride quality on square-edged hits suffers some.

 

HOW STRONG ARE THE BRAKES?

RZR strong! Part of the General XP program was RZR-like brakes with large rotors inside 15-inch rims and twin-piston hydraulic calipers on all four rotors. The Deluxe delivers strong braking. The brakes are backed up by EBS/EDA, Park in the transmission, and the grippy Pro Armor XG meats.

WHAT ABOUT ROCKS, MUD AND SNOW?

All part of a 50-mile hike with full packs. General XPs have high-clearance A-arms and 13.5 inches of ground clearance, and they quickly became our favorite Moab Limos. Rock crawling capabilities are excellent, and the original General test was in a New Mexico blizzard. It was big fun as long as the snow or mud ruts were a foot deep or less, but the XPs can go a little deeper. Generals have the power to turn 33s and even 35s.

 

WHAT ABOUT CABIN COMFORT?

It’s better than most barracks. Seats and sitting position are excellent with excellent bolsters and ergonomics. Doors are curved and have rubber seals for more elbow room and less dust or mud in the cabin. The inner liners are comfortable with shelves for arm rests. Bolt-on grips add comfort and security, too. The tilting over-molded steering wheel is the perfect diameter for grip and control, and the molding has traction texturing and thumb nubs. The dash has a glove box with lid and cubbies with removable rubber mats, and a panel below the 7-inch Ride Command display has the winch toggle and five blanks for accessory switches plus a radio. The Rockford Fosgate speaker pods are well-placed and shaped for leg room up front and head-room in back. The sport poly roof is also excellent, with channels to keep rain out of the cabin.

WHAT’S OUR FINAL ANSWER?

While General XP 1000s don’t quite have the travel of the Wolverine RMAX2 LE (14.20-inch front/16.9-inch rear with iQS smart shocks), the Deluxe Ride Command Edition is formidable competition for top-of-the-class overall ratings. The General XP 1000 RCE has excellent power, delivery, handling, creature comforts, brakes, tires and overall performance, and the Ride Command’s many features and functions make it a great trail machine with the addition of an audio system, GPS trail maps and tracking, back-up and forward cameras, Bluetooth connectivity and more. Stay tuned for a side-by-side shootout.

 

SPECS:

2022 POLARIS GENERAL XP 1000 DELUXE RIDE COMMAND EDITION

ENGINE/TRANSMISSION

Engine type Liquid-cooled, 8-valve, DOHC

4-stroke twin

Displacement 999cc

Bore x stroke 93mm x 73.5mm (x2)

Compression ratio 11:1

Lubrication system Wet sump

Additional cooling Auto fan

Carburetion 48mm EFI (x2)

Starting/back-up Electric/none

Starting procedure Turn ignition switch

Air filter:

  Type Paper pleat

  Access Tool-less; lift bed, undo 2 straps

Transmission Dual-range CVT w/ rev. & EBS

Reverse procedure Move range selector to “R”

Drive system Selectable 1WD/2WD/4WD w/ auto

diff-lock

Final drives Shafts

DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES/WEIGHTS

Fuel capacity 9.5 gal.

Wheelbase 83.0”

Overall length/width/height 118.2”/64.0”/77.0”

Ground clearance 13.5”

Claimed dry weight 1,690 lb.

Bed weight limit 600 lb.

Hitch 2” receiver

Towing limit 1,500 lb.

ROLLING CHASSIS

Frame Steel round/square tube

Suspension/wheel travel:

  Front Dual A-arm w/ prel- & comp-adj. V2.0

shocks/14/0”

  Rear IRS Dual A-arms w/ prel- & comp-adj. V2.5

shocks/14.0”

Brakes/actuation:

  Front Hydraulic discs/left-side pedal

  Rear Hydraulic discs/left-side pedal

Parking Mode in transmission

Tires:

  Front 30x10R15 Pro Armor Crawler XGF

  Rear 30x10R15 Pro Armor Crawler XG

ELECTRICAL

DC outlet Console & dash

Lighting:

  Front 2 LED hi/lo headlights w/ LED accents

  Rear Dual LED brake/tail lights

DETAILS

Instrumentation Speed/odo/trip/hour/rpm/fuel/

gear/clock/2WD-4WD

Colors Deluxe: Matte Ghost White Metallic,

Black Crystal; Ride Command adds Stealth Black

Pursuit; Trailhead: Matte Blue Slate/Matte Orange

Rust, TLD Signature: Blue/yellow/orange/red/black

Minimum recommended operator age 16

Suggested retail price XP, $25,199; Deluxe, $27,399;

Trailhead Edition, $28,399; TLD Edition, $27,499

Contact Polaris, (800) POLARIS

See UTV Action’s report on the 2022 Polaris Generals here: 2022 POLARIS UTVs – UTV Action Magazine