POLARIS GENERAL 1000 LE RIDE COMMAND

— UTV ACTION TEST —

Polaris rocked the UTV world with the General 1000 for 2016, and the cross-over UTV combines the “hardest-working, smoothest-riding” reputation of Rangers with all-out performance of the sport RZR S 1000. Generals redefine the sport-utility market with 100-horsepower power, long-travel suspension and Ranger comfort with  bucket seats, and the new General 4 lets more people in on the fun adventures. Also new for 2017, the General comes in two new Special Edition packages, and we received the General Ride Command Edition Black Pearl for long-term testing. Let’s put it through some PT!

 

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2017?

Polaris morphed a Ranger and RZR S 1000 together to create the General 1000 for 2016, and it was available in three trim packages—Base, Premium and Deluxe. The General returns in five packages, and the Base gets CST Clincher rubber (replacing the AT489IIs) on 12-inch steel rims. Premium Generals get a new White Lightning color scheme, while the Deluxe gets new Titanium Matte Metallic livery, and all but the Base gets Maxxis Coronado tires (instead of GBC Dirt Commanders) on black aluminum 14-inch wheels. These three all get a $300 price increase. New for 2017 the Ride Command LE gets the same MTX eight-speaker sound bar, Fox Podium X 2.0 QS3 shocks, 4500-pound winch, low-profile front bumper, roof and convex rear-view mirror for the Deluxe, plus the revolutionary Ride Command technology with 7-inch touch-screen display introduced on the RZR XP 1000. The fifth star in the General line is the new Hunter Edition in Polaris Pursuit Camo and Premium-level trim package.

In review, the General 1000 has a 100-horsepower engine from the RZR S 1000, plus RZR S suspension and width, drivetrain and rolling stock, but Generals have a 2-inch-longer wheelbase, a boat-style upswept chassis for more ground clearance, dual torsion bars, a tilting bed with folding tailgate, an all-new dash with cubby holes and an analog/digital instrument panel that tilts with the steering wheel. The General also has an all-new CVT clutch with EBS, new belt, and revised pedal map for smoothness and heavy lifting. Like the RZR S 1000, the General sports 12.25 inches of front travel and 13.2 inches of rear travel.

 

HOW DOES COST COMPARE?

The base General MSRP is $16,299, the Premium version is $17,799, the Deluxe goes for $20,299 and the Hunter Edition is $18,999, while the Ride Command Limited Edition is $21,499. The RZR S 1000 is $17,999. Can-Am’s 85-horsepower Commander 1000 DPS is $14,599, XTs go for $16,199 to $16,999, and the top-shelf Limited is $20,699. Arctic Cat wants $15,299 for its Prowler XT 1000 EPS, and the 72-horsepower Can-Am Defender HD10 DPS is $15,299 to $16,099, while the XT HD10s fetch $17,899 to $23,899.

WHAT IS RIDE COMMAND?

It’s the General’s mobile command center. A computer is controlled by a 7-inch glove-friendly touch screen that has several pages for GPS mapping, forward- and rear-facing cameras, controlling a GoPro Hero 3 or newer, communications, audio control, incoming phone calls or texts, and sharing the ride with others via social media. Through the Ride Command app, it even links to your friends’ phones and shows their whereabouts on the GPS screen page. Icons also tell you if they’re moving or not and saves routes for sharing or future rides. Bluetooth connectivity allows car-to-car communications via optional in-helmet communicators, eliminating the need for radios. It also has pages for ride stats and system setup, and the front camera cuts off above 12 mph, so people can only use it for low-speed spotting. As an option, Ride Command is $1499, plus $99 per camera.

 

HOW FAST IS THE GENERAL?

Not quite RZR S 1000-fast. The 100-horsepower General has different EFI and CVT tuning than the 100-horsepower RZR, and it also has long engine/CVT intakes routed to under the hood for deep-water submarining. So, it doesn’t snap to attention like the RZR, but it has a strong pull with massive torque and low/mid power. It will climb gnarly hills and do what the RZR S does, only a tick slower. Its lower low range is great for tight, technical trails and is good for 37 mph, and we got more than 70 mph in high.

WHAT ABOUT THE DELIVERY?

It’s five-star. CVT tuning and EFI throttle mapping give it great control over technical obstacles, and the low range is great for tight, twisty and undulating trails. We like the steel range selector and fast-engaging On Demand 4WD front differential. The CVT has a bona-fide Engine Braking System (EBS), but it only slows the rear tires in 4WD, as the front diff doesn’t engage until the rear wheels spin faster than the front, which doesn’t happen on descents. Can’t sensors engage it when any difference in wheel speeds occurs?

 

HOW DOES IT HANDLE?

Like a RZR S with a 2-inch stretch. Turning is excellent with great feedback through the tilt steering wheel with variable-assist EPS. It turns in well with little push, and it slides out of turns predictably. EBS helps set up drifts on fast fire roads and trails, then the front diff engages to pull the General out of turns. It’s very predictable and has great stability at speed, as long as you’re not pounding deep sand whoops. Front and rear torsion bars fight body roll in turns too.

HOW ABOUT THE QS3 SUSPENSION?

It’s class-leading. With 12.25 inches of front and 13.2 inches of rear travel, the General has more travel than any Ranger, Prowler, Commander, Defender or 50-inch trail UTV. The Fox Podium X 2.0 QS3 shocks only have three-position compression damping, which simplifies tuning, and the factory damping and spring rates deliver a good combination of bottoming resistance and ride quality. They’re not as plush or adjustable as the Walker Evans 2.0 needle shocks on the RZR S 1000, though.

 

HOW STRONG ARE THE BRAKES?

Army-strong, sir! The General doesn’t share all of the RZR S 1000’s brake components, though. Only the front hydraulic calipers are dual piston, while rear calipers are single piston. Brake lines are braided stainless steel, and feel at the pedal is good. The brakes are backed up by EBS and a Park mode in the transmission, and the new Maxxis Coronado tires deliver great grip for fast stops.

WHAT ABOUT ROCKS, MUD AND SNOW?

They’re all fun with the General. Extra travel and ground clearance give it a big advantage in crawling over rocks, and the lower low is awesome. A higher seating position lets the driver and passenger see more, but off-camber trails take away some confidence. Mud and snow are kept out of the cabin by the lined half doors and roof, and the General has the power to turn taller tires.

 

WHAT ABOUT CREATURE COMFORTS?

They’re high and tight. Noise and vibration are very low, and the roof and lined half doors keep mud out of the cabin, unlike a RZR S. Buckets seats are comfortable and have a thin-film Dryseat layer, and the new analog/digital instrument pod tilts with the comfortably padded steering wheel with thumb nodules. The long metal range selector has a lot of leverage and needs it because the selector is tight. A passenger handhold rides next to it; we’d prefer the RZR T-bar. Below the Ride Command screen, the winch-control switch rides next to five blanks for accessories. We like the gripper soft cover on the center-console lid, and the large bin will hold a small camera bag. Dash cubbies have rubber inserts, which need to be glued in; ours fell to the floor on steep hill-climbs. Versa-Trak 1WD extends comfort to the ground and turf when needed.

 

WHAT’S OUR FINAL ANSWER?

Polaris created a new UTV segment with the release of the General 1000 EPS, and the General is definitely a five-star UTV. Never before has a recreation utility had the horsepower, suspension travel, handling, creature comforts and all-around performance of the General. It’s like a RZR S 1000 with double the cargo-carrying capacity, making it the ultimate adventure machine. Ride Command adds several new levels of comfort and connectivity, and it allows owners to totally customize all of the Ride Command features and functions, right down to how much volume increases on the MTX audio system as trail speeds increase. And, we especially like the front and rear cameras for loading and unloading or turning around on tight trail.

2016 POLARIS GENERAL 1000 EPS PREMIUM 4X4

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 2WD/4WD w/ auto diff-lock

Final drives Shafts

DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES/WEIGHTS

Fuel capacity 9.5 gal.

Wheelbase 81.0”

Overall length/width/height 118.2”/62.5”/73.8”

Ground clearance 12.0”

Claimed dry weight 1,430–1,544 lb.

Bed weight limit 600 lb.

Hitch 2-inch receiver

Towing limit 1,500 lb.

ROLLING CHASSIS

Frame Steel round/square tube

Suspension/wheel travel:

  Front Dual A-arm w/ prel-adj. shocks/12.25”

  Rear IRS dual A-arms w/ prel-adj. shocks/13.2”

Brakes/actuation:

  Front Hydraulic discs/left-side pedal

  Rear Hydraulic discs/left-side pedal

Parking Park mode in transmission

Tires:

  Front 27×9-14 Maxxis Coronado

  Rear 27×11-14 Maxxis Coronado

ELECTRICAL

DC Outlet Console & dash

Lighting:

Front 2 LED hi/lo headlights

Rear Dual LED brake/tail lights

DETAILS

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

clock/2WD-4WD

Colors Indy Red (B), White Lightning (P),

Ti Matte Metallic (D), Black Pearl (LE)

Minimum recommended operator age 16

Suggested retail price Base, $15,999;

Premium, $17,499; Deluxe, $19,999;

Ride Command, $21,499

Contact Polaris, (800) POLARIS