Yahoo Autos 2024 Polaris RZR XP First Drive Review | Best-seller for a good reason
We overheard a conversation while testing the brand-new Polaris RZR XP that goes a long way toward explaining how important the machine is for the Minnesota-based company, and for the off-road powersports industry as a whole. Apparently, there’s still debate about the best name for the burgeoning market – UTV and side-by-side are both relatively common terms, but if all else fails, anyone with even a passing interest in the segment knows them by one term more than any other: Razor.
Razor, of course, is the spoken form of RZR, and the fact that it’s such a recognizable name – it’s like Kleenex and tissue paper or Google and search engines – is indicative of its strong success in the off-road marketplace. It’s also so well-known because it’s a good product. And for the first time since the RZR XP 1000’s introduction in 2014, there’s an all-new, ground-up redesign for 2024 that introduces a number of improvements to make the RZR XP better, faster, more reliable and more durable than ever before.
The RZR line’s success is due at least in part to the wide array of choices Polaris presents the customer. There are RZRs for kids, RZRs for teens, and RZRs for adults, whether those full-grown men and women prefer to spend their time on trails, in the mud, or in wide-open desert spaces. The XP is the original sport side-by-side, and the expansion of the RZR range has allowed Polaris to target a specific customer, one that’s interested in performance, sure, but also in the more sedate, familial or social aspect of off-roading. It’s the jack-of-all-trades in the RZR lineup.
The RZR XP’s ProStar 1000 parallel-twin-cylinder engine is designated Gen2 and produces 114 horsepower, up four ponies compared to the old version. More important than the peak power gain is the engine’s beefed-up midrange grunt, right where it’s most accessible for long climbs or slogs through the mud. Its cooling capabilities were also increased, its internals strengthened (the clutch came from the more utilitarian Ranger model), and the driveline upgraded to include stronger half shafts, prop shaft and bearings. It sends its power through a redesigned continuously variable transmission with lower gearing.
All of that is bolted to a completely new, stiffer chassis topped by a cage structure for rollover protection that’s almost completely welded. This was done to make it stronger and quieter – the old XP was prone to rattling due to the prevalence of bolts in the cage. The round bars are flattened up front to make mounting a windshield easier.
Most side-by-side UTVs have blocky, angular bodywork, and the Polaris RZR XP is no exception. That’s not to say it doesn’t feature unique detailing, however. We especially like the front and rear lighting elements, which are both stylish and bright enough to see even during the day. The doors are traditional front-hinged units, unlike past models.
A 7-inch touchscreen dominates the interior of Ultimate models, and Polaris’ Ride Command software is easy to use and learn. We operated it without issue even when wearing gloves. Sadly, that central screen is the lone source of information in the cabin – there are no gauges in front of the driver. The Sport (starting at $20,999 plus a additional delivery and setup charges that vary across the country) and Premium ($22,999) get gauges but lose Ride Command. Sport buyers don’t get an audio system while Premium buyers get a base Rockford Fosgate system. Our Ultimate ($25,999) test rig featured an upgraded audio system, and we had no issues connecting our phones through Bluetooth to listen to music and podcasts while out on the trail. There are cubbies with some level of weather-proofing to the left and side of the upper dash, and an optional truck of sorts – Polaris calls it a tonneau – is big enough for camera equipment, jackets, gloves and a change of clothes.
