NEW RZR XP TURBO S

— TESTING THE HOTTEST UTV FROM POLARIS —

The new 2018 Polaris RZR XP Turbo S is much more than a 72-inch-wide, long-travel RZR with 32-inch tires. Polaris made the suspension pick-up points on the frame stronger and added two more downtubes at the back of the roll cage. The steering rack, A-arms and trailing arms are all thicker and stronger, while a new dash, roof and grill finish off the list of major improvements.

There is no power loss with the added weight of the long-travel suspension or the rotating mass of 32-inch-tall tires. It’s still one of the quickest RZRs you can buy, and it has the fastest top speed of any brand of UTV at 85 mph.

HOW DOES COST COMPARE?

Price-wise, it’s only $1500 more than the standard Dynamix RZR XP Turbo. It weighs over 200 pounds more and has a seat height that is 2–3 inches taller than a standard RZR.

The new dash is a very welcome sight, as is the new Sparco steering wheel and center storage box. We wish Polaris would move the driver’s left-foot dead pedal a little farther forward.

HOW FAST IS THE ENGINE?

As fast as they get. Polaris did an excellent job tuning the CVT clutch and throttle mapping. This much-heavier car feels just as quick as the narrow version. In fact, Polaris raised the speed limiter to 85 miles per hour, so it has the highest stock top speed of any UTV.

Indy Red and Blue are your color choices for this year’s RZR S. Expect to see some darker colors on the four-seat version, as well as limited-edition models.

HOW ABOUT THE DELIVERY & DRIVETRAIN?

It’s smoother. Polaris balanced the wheels, phased the drive shaft and added a stronger rubber-mounted front differential.

We are very impressed that Polaris increased the size and thickness of the A-arm tubing. Unfortunately, these arms will not fit on other RZR models.

HOW DOES THE RZR XP TURBO S HANDLE?

It takes the big G-outs the best. It’s a little loose exiting corners if you’re hard on the throttle. We are not sure why Polaris didn’t add an inch or two of wheelbase when they built this car. It has an all-new frame, so it’s puzzling. This RZR works very well now, but would be a home run if it were a little longer.

The RZR XP Turbo S eats up whoop sections and G-outs better than any RZR before it. The straight-line and braking traction of the ITP Coyote tires is night-and-day better than that of the Maxxis Bighorns that come stock on most UTVs.

WHAT ABOUT THE SUSPENSION & SHOCKS?

This model uses the Dynamix electronically adjustable shocks from Fox. From the driver’s seat, you can choose three modes of adjustability: comfort, sport and firm. In the two lower modes, the machine will self-adjust as speeds increase and the terrain demands it. We like the setup very much. Now we are waiting for someone to develop an electronically adjustable preload setting that has the front-end separated from the back. That would not only be impressive, it’s needed.

We like the way the ITP tires work on hardpack dirt. They are 8 ply and tough as nails.

Polaris equipped the long-travel RZR with four-point harnesses that are easy to adjust and to get in and out of.

HOW STRONG ARE THE BRAKES?

The brakes are the same as on the standard models, and they work well. The taller 32-inch ITP tires do not hurt braking performance. This car has 15-inch wheels as stock equipment. Since the brakes didn’t increase in size, 14-inch wheels will still fit.

A larger grill opening and LED accent lights are found up front. The brakes are the same but still work great.

WHAT ABOUT TRAIL COMFORT?

It’s good. The rougher the trail, the better this RZR works. If we had a gripe about anything, it would be slow-speed comfort. The comfort or “Soft” setting on the Dynamix shocks could be made a little softer. It’s probably the front and rear sway bars that contribute to that not-quite-plush feeling. A set of Walker Links would cure that.

WHAT IS OUR FINAL ANSWER?

The RZR Turbo S is amazing in rough terrain. It handles bumps, ditches, jumps and twisty trails like a rocket. It’s the fastest production UTV you can buy. It still has RZR simplicity, and most aftermarket parts from older RZRs will fit this model—from the wheels to the chassis and engine parts. We only wish Polaris would have added 6 inches of wheelbase so it would be a little more stable coming out of corners. That being said, we can’t wait to drive the four-seat version.

SPECS:

2018 POLARIS RZR XP TURBO S

ENGINE/TRANSMISSION

Engine type Liquid-cooled, 8-valve, DOHC, 4-stroke twin

Displacement 925cc

Bore & Stroke 93mm x 68mm (x2)

Compression 9.0:1

Lubrication system Wet sump

Additional cooling Auto fan

Induction EFI (x2)

Starting/back-up Electric/none

Starting procedure Turn ignition switch w/brake on

Air filter:

Type Paper pleat

Transmission Dual-range CVT w/ reverse

Reverse procedure Move range selector to “R”

Drive system Selectable 2WD/4WD w/ auto diff-lock

Final drives Shafts

DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES/WEIGHTS

Fuel capacity 9.5 gal.

Wheelbase 90”

Overall length/width/height 122”/72”/75”

Ground clearance 16”

Claimed dry weight 1718lb.

Bed weight limit 300 lb.

Hitch No

Towing limit N/A

ROLLING CHASSIS

Frame Steel round tube

Suspension/wheel travel:

Front Dual A-arm w/ prel./comp.-adj. shocks/19”

Rear IRS Trailing-arms w/ prel./comp.-adj. shocks/21”

Brakes/actuation:

Front Hydraulic discs/left-side pedal

Rear Hydraulic discs/left-side pedal

Parking Park in gear

Tires:

Front 32X10-15” ITP Coyote

Rear 32X10-15” ITP Coyote

ELECTRICAL

DC outlet Console/USB

Lighting:

Front 2 LED hi/lo headlights w/ accents

Rear Triple LED brake/taillights

DETAILS

Instrumentation Digital or analog Speed/odo/trip/hour/

rpm/fuel/gear/clock/2WD-4WD and GPS

Colors Red or blue

Minimum recommended operator age 16

Suggested retail price $27,499

Contact Polaris, (800) POLARIS

— TESTING THE HOTTEST UTV FROM POLARIS —

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