How do you pick between the two fastest side-by-sides you can buy? It’s a hard decision. Both the 2024 Polaris RZR Pro R 4 Ultimate and the 2024 Can-Am Maverick R can blast through the desert, climb up gnarly rock gardens, and outrun anything else on the trail. So how do you decide which is right for you? Keep watching to find out!
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SportsTranscript
00:00If you're shopping ultimate performance side-by-sides, there are only two machines
00:05on your list.
00:06The 2024 Polaris RZR Pro-R and the 2024 Can-Am Maverick R. That Pro-R packs a massive two-liter
00:14four-cylinder engine pulled right from the road-going slingshot.
00:17Aaron, you literally just bought a brand new Civic Si with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder and
00:24that's a road-going sedan.
00:25You're just going to come at me like that.
00:26I am.
00:27I am, in fact.
00:28It is bigger than the engine in my car.
00:30Anyway, it still gets all that power to the ground through a rubber belt CVT, which means
00:35it's kind of the logical evolution of the RZR Bloodline.
00:38I mean, it's bigger and badder in every direction, but it's still the RZR we know and love when
00:42you come right down to it.
00:43All that displacement means that thing packs 225 horsepower in a package that weighs less
00:47than 2,500 pounds.
00:48Yeah.
00:49That's pretty spicy.
00:50But the Maverick R is different in every meaningful way.
00:54We're talking a 240-horsepower, single-liter triple.
00:58That's the most power you can get out of any mainstream side-by-side.
01:02And that awesome engine is bolted to a delicious dual-clutch, seven-speed manual.
01:06You can shift it yourself.
01:08You can have it shift itself.
01:09There are no other seven-speed dual-clutches available in the side-by-side market.
01:13But if you really want to, you can sit in there and flap your paddles.
01:16Yeah.
01:17I mean, the only other dual-clutch is the Honda Talon, and that's a six-speed, and that
01:21thing feels like drawing with crayon compared to this thing's Mona Lisa.
01:24And somehow, those things aren't the most radical part of the Maverick R. All you got
01:28to do for that is look up front where the tall knuckle suspension lurks.
01:32Basically, that gives it a lower roll center, which is a fancy way of saying, this thing's
01:36planted.
01:37So which one do you buy?
01:38Do you buy the new, clean-sheet guy, or the old-school rig we know and love?
01:42It's a tough choice, but we're back at Windrock Park in Oliver Springs, Tennessee, to put
01:46some miles on these bad boys and try and figure out which one is right for you.
01:50And I think we're going to start inside.
01:51Yeah, let's go.
01:52All right.
01:53If you look around in here, you're not going to find anything groundbreaking.
01:56This looks like a minor evolution of the RZR architecture.
02:01The dashboard's a little different, and the steering wheel's obviously new, but otherwise,
02:04this is a RZR.
02:05That's both good and bad.
02:07On the one hand, everything feels familiar, which means you do have this janky old Polaris
02:12shifter, and there are some plastics that don't line up and everything, but you've got
02:15a really nice new steering wheel that's got great functionality.
02:18You've got stereo controls, you've got suspension and drive mode controls on it.
02:22They thought about this more than just saying, oh, let's make it prettier.
02:25I can see where the familiarity is nice, right?
02:27You're not learning a new language.
02:29You know exactly how everything works in here.
02:30Right.
02:31They've been doing this for 10 years in RZRs, and all they did was make it a little bit
02:34better for this one.
02:35That familiarity means that the star of the show, as always, is the brilliant ride command.
02:40You're talking about a seven-inch touchscreen that you can use gloves with, handles, an
02:44amazing stereo.
02:45This one's got a Rockford Fosgate with two tweeters up front, four speakers, 400-watt
02:49amp.
02:50You've got Bluetooth.
02:51You've got USB connectivity, and it's got an amazing navigation system.
02:54I know we have harped on this left, right, and center, but we're talking a million miles
02:58of mapped trails.
02:59I can't remember the last time we were on a trail that this thing did not already have
03:03mapped.
03:04I've been in the depths of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico, and it knew where I
03:07was.
03:08I mean, we're talking six hours from Phoenix into the middle of nothing, and ride command
03:12had me.
03:13And I can't overstate how nice it is to also have the peer-to-peer communication, right?
03:17So if you have somebody else who has a ride command system or somebody else who has the
03:21ride command plus app, you can see where they are on your map.
03:24You can see how fast they're going, so you're not turning around and looking and waiting
03:28for folks to see if they're in trouble, and you can also communicate with them without
03:32cell service.
03:33Deeply, deeply useful.
03:34Yes, and if you're leading a ride, they can see where you're going, so they never miss
03:38a turn.
03:39Until somebody else comes up with something that matches the functionality of this system,
03:43we're going to keep seeing how good it is.
03:45And the Pro-R gives you control over that system on the steering wheel, just like you'd
03:48get in a car.
03:49You've got little thumb buttons that let you control the ride command system and also
03:52the suspension for this machine, which we'll get into later.
03:55Right, and the last thing you want in a 225 horsepower, 2,500 pound side-by-side is to
04:00have to take your hands off the wheel.
04:02But all that said, the rest of this interior doesn't really look up to snuff in a rig that's
04:06$44,999.
04:07I'm sorry, how much?
04:11$44,999, which is as good as $45,000.
04:14Oh boy!
04:16You can buy a brand new Mercedes sedan for what this car costs.
04:20That's crazy.
04:21That is wild.
04:22And there are parts of this that just don't feel like it's worth the price tag, starting
04:25with these doors.
04:26They are largely perfunctory.
04:28Blera says these things are full doors, they're very excited about it, they brag about it,
04:32but you know, they're full doors in name only.
04:36They're giant gaps, you're going to get dusty, you're going to get muddy, there's no weather
04:39stripping.
04:40There's no real interior release, there's no exterior door handle.
04:43It doesn't feel like it's worth the price tag.
04:45These doors feel like something you'd find in a rig that costs $10,000 less, because
04:49they are.
04:50On a brighter note, these seats and harnesses, they're really fantastic.
04:54They're four-way adjustable for the front passengers.
04:56These harnesses are retractable, and in the back, one, you've got stadium seating so the
05:00backseat passengers can see out over the driver's head, which is great.
05:04You got someone who's got motion sickness, that'll help.
05:06Also, those seats are the same as they are up here, they're super comfortable.
05:09They're not adjustable, but you do get four-point harnesses, although they are fixed in the
05:13back.
05:14And more importantly, there's room back there for full-size adults.
05:17We've been in a lot of four-seat rigs where I could not comfortably fit back there.
05:20I'm 5'11", a buck-eighty, somewhere around there, and if I can't fit back there, most
05:25full-grown adults can't either.
05:26Sucks to be on the trail eating your knees.
05:27Yeah, it really does.
05:28How does the Mavar stack up?
05:30I think we should get in there and check it out.
05:31Let's check it out.
05:35It feels, in a word, nicer in here.
05:38This feels like the next generation of side-by-side.
05:41Everything's just a little bit nicer.
05:42The touch points are nicer.
05:43You've got soft buttons down here that feel automotive-grade.
05:47I know, you know, they love to say that, but it's true.
05:50And those nicer touch points start with the shifter, which feels like something you would
05:54actually get in a full-size production vehicle.
05:56And the paddles are metal, which just feels high-quality.
05:59And look at this touchscreen.
06:00It's massive, easily 10 inches.
06:02The graphics are way nicer than what's on the Pro-R.
06:05Unfortunately, all you get is smartphone-based navigation here, though.
06:08And again, it's not as good as Ride Command.
06:10You've got this beautiful screen that's kind of let down by the tech that's behind it.
06:14Can-Am says that they're working on a solution to that, but working on ain't having it.
06:18Yeah, right.
06:19We want to see it.
06:20Unfortunately, that only highlights how bad the resolution is on the backup camera.
06:23You've got this massive screen.
06:25You fire up the backup camera.
06:27It looks like security footage from a 7-Eleven in 1997.
06:29Added to that, this is a $42,599 XRS model, and there is no stereo here.
06:37Speaking of security footage, there is no stereo here.
06:41That is a crime.
06:42I cannot believe that.
06:44Last thing before we get on the trail, we've got to talk about how big these things are.
06:47Yeah, let's check it out.
06:49All right, Aaron.
06:50That Pro-R is nearly 14 feet long.
06:54So for comparison, a four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is 15 and a half.
06:59Okay, so it's huge is what you're saying.
07:00Yeah, she's massive.
07:01She's a school bus.
07:02And while that thing's big and the Maverick R is shorter at a little less than 12 feet
07:05long, it's also 6 and a half feet wide, which means it's four inches wider than the Wrangler
07:10you were talking about.
07:11Oh, crap.
07:12If you are adding one of these things to your fleet, you've really got to think about your
07:15trailer.
07:16Our 22-foot car hauler can carry one or the other, but not both.
07:19And our ramp tech is long enough to carry the Can-Am, but it isn't wide enough.
07:23All that means that when we have to have both of these rigs in the same location, we're
07:27doing a lot of trips.
07:28Enough jibber jabber.
07:29Let's get in these things and go.
07:30Yeah, let's grab our helmets.
07:31Hey, Zach, you got your cardo?
07:32Yeah, man.
07:33Right here.
07:34Ready to go.
07:35Sweet.
07:36All right, Aaron, can you hear me?
07:37Got you loud and clear, bud.
07:38Hey, bud.
07:39It's kind of rainy and muddy today.
07:40Do we need to be worried about these things?
07:41No, we don't.
07:42They are IP67 water, dust, and mudproof.
07:43Oh, no.
07:44Oh, God.
07:45It's in my mouth.
07:46That's handy.
07:47Other cool thing is they got JBL speakers, so you get crystal clear audio quality, whether
07:53it's voice or music, and also the communicators are one-way.
07:56So they only cut on when you're talking, and they're not going to pick up the noise of
07:59your side-by-side.
08:00It'll be rattling in your ear the whole time.
08:01I was hoping to skip across it, you know?
08:02Yeah, I've used other Cardo Pactalks on motorcycle rides, and the thing I love about them is
08:12the dynamic mesh communication, right?
08:14So if I lose sight of you and drop the system, the second I get back in sight, it automatically
08:19picks me up.
08:20I don't have to pull you back up on my phone.
08:21Oh, that is super cool.
08:22Cardo was kind enough to sponsor this video, which is great.
08:24If you like these Pactalk edges and want to set for yourself, head over to the Cardo
08:28site.
08:29You can use the code Octane for 10% off your first order, or you can click the link below.
08:32Jack, you ready to drive side-by-sides?
08:34Yeah, I think so.
08:36That thing looks good, but I got to say, that thing looks like a million dollars.
08:40You know what else it does?
08:44It sounds so good.
08:47Oh, yeah.
08:50Oh, yeah.
08:53Just in a parking lot, this thing is so good.
08:58Our lord and savior throttle response.
09:05This thing?
09:07That was cool.
09:08What you just did was cool, and it looked really cool.
09:11Crawly boy time.
09:12We've proven out here that the Can-Am Mavradar can't crawly boy.
09:17Oh, my God, this thing.
09:19I haven't looked at how quick we're going one time.
09:22No, you don't want to.
09:23Yeah, you got to focus on what you are doing.
09:26They feel composed, but it's like, also, there's no incentive to look down.
09:30No, there's not.
09:41Oh, geez, yeah.
09:44Oh, ho, ho, ho.
09:47Ah!
09:52These things ripped.
09:53They're so good.
09:54I don't care how filthy I am.
09:58That's the takeaway.
09:59If you're just a guy like me, I'm not a particularly sharp tool in a car.
10:04This is the rig you want.
10:05You don't have to deal with turbo lag.
10:07It's very friendly and inviting.
10:09It's pretty forgiving, and it's fast.
10:12I mean, you step on the gas, and it kicks you off up the trail like you were not ready for.
10:16Whereas, this has got some turbo lag, and originally, I was thinking,
10:19that's the better machine if you spend your weekends doing track days
10:23or you have got any experience desert racing.
10:26That's the tool.
10:27But then I remembered something.
10:28When you were in this, you're a much better driver than I am.
10:32You're faster just about everywhere.
10:35But when you were in this, and I was in the Maverick R, I had exactly no problem keeping up with you.
10:40We were getting after it, and I felt totally comfortable, totally confident in the Maverick R.
10:44It turns out we were going pretty damn quick.
10:47And then when you got in the Maverick R and actually took off,
10:49I was having a great time, but keeping up with you was just not on the cards.
10:53It's bumpy, there's a lot of mess out here today,
10:55but just the point is, that's the faster machine.
10:57That's the sharper tool.
10:58People are not going to want to hear this, right?
11:00Both of these machines are excellent.
11:02If somebody rolls up to the trailhead with either of these,
11:05you're getting a big hell yeah brother from me.
11:07Really, really excellent machines.
11:10I think it comes down to, how do you want that experience of speed to be delivered?
11:14Yeah, exactly.
11:15We're not talking Camaro and Mustang.
11:17We're talking the difference between a Z06 versus a 911 GT3.
11:21What is the flavor?
11:22This is more composed, a little bit more buttoned down.
11:24That's rowdy.
11:25And for me, I like rowdy.
11:27I'm here for the blow-off valve.
11:29I'm here for that punch of turbo.
11:31I love seeing the suspension go.
11:33And that thing is always on your shoulder going,
11:35you can do that a little bit faster.
11:37You thought about going a little bit faster?
11:38There's more.
11:39There's more.
11:40There are times, especially in the chunky stuff,
11:42we just came up trail nine here where it's pretty rutted.
11:44I would not take my Land Cruiser up that.
11:47No.
11:48Where that felt like, well, you're going to have to slow down
11:52because it's not quite as smooth.
11:54Whereas the CVT and that sucker smooths all that stuff out.
11:57You just don't have to worry about it.
11:59No, you can go almost full boot through it.
12:01And that also brings us to the suspension,
12:05which I had it in Baja mode, which means something.
12:08Think about the Baja Peninsula.
12:10It's a desert, it's rocky, and you're supposed to go fast.
12:12And so that's what this is for.
12:14That's what we were doing.
12:15It just completely erased any worry about what was in front of me on the trail.
12:19You weren't getting harsh bottom outs.
12:21You weren't getting any hard hits or jostling.
12:24And that's insane on what we just drove up.
12:26The ceiling for the top tier of side by sides has gotten so high.
12:30It is.
12:31And the margins between the top players are so close.
12:34It genuinely comes down to what color do you like?
12:37Are you Polaris blue?
12:39Are you Can-Am yellow?
12:40I think we're both pretty much in agreement that we would pick the Maverick R.
12:44But our purposes are, I want a sharp tool to do sharp tool things.
12:48And boy, if I had two kids.
12:50You're going to have a really good time in that machine.
12:52It's also worth pointing out,
12:53we were playing with the foldable, storable rear seats in that thing.
12:56There's a lot of storage on the Pro R.
12:59You can basically pop the back seats entirely out.
13:01And there's enough room for two coolers and a tent.
13:03A lot of stuff.
13:04In addition to the trunk in the back.
13:06So if you've got designs on camping or going way out into the forest,
13:10this is your girl.
13:11It's a good thing you have that space because you're going to need to bring extra fuel.
13:14Yeah, this is a...
13:16We started out at the bottom of the mountain at like 90% on the gauge.
13:19And we're down to 67, 68.
13:22And we've come 10 miles.
13:24I don't think we've burned two bars in that thing.
13:26Yeah, which is interesting given the amount of boost that that thing's pushing.
13:30Two liters are thirsty, it turns out.
13:32We're talking about price, right?
13:34I was saying these things are a value.
13:36And I know what that sounds like to say that,
13:38hey, this $43,000, this $45,000 machine is a value.
13:42Show your work.
13:43Okay, great.
13:44Pick a production car.
13:45You have a Subaru WRX.
13:46You have a Raptor.
13:48And you want it to keep pace with either of these machines on any of these trails.
13:53You will spin six figures full stop.
13:56That's just what it takes.
13:57You know, all these manufacturers are turning out these, you know,
14:00off-road performance vehicles.
14:02You've got TRD Pro, 4Runner, and Tacoma.
14:05You've got a Bison.
14:06You've got a Ranger Raptor.
14:07You've got a regular Raptor.
14:08You've got a TRX, whatever.
14:10Not going to cut it.
14:11And even if it could buy an $80,000 TRX,
14:14you're not coming up here and you're not having the same experience
14:18that you're having here because you're sweating it the whole time.
14:20Yeah, the airbag would go off if you tried to do that in a TRX.
14:23I'm not kidding.
14:24And that brings us to the next point that this is a leap forward for any vehicle.
14:28This feels fast for any machine.
14:31Production vehicle, race car, whatever.
14:33I feel like this production vehicle can keep pace with them.
14:36That feels fast for a side-by-side.
14:38And part of that is the experience.
14:40You've got the 7-speed gearbox that feels like an Oztogod solid performance machine.
14:45You're not worried about slipping your belt or any of that stuff.
14:47That is an exceptionally quick side-by-side.
14:50But yes, you have that DNA of a side-by-side.
14:52The suspension, as good as the Dynamics DV is,
14:55just the chassis overall isn't as well thought out.
14:58And at what point does that start to matter?
15:00Well, that's where you get into the tough decision between the two machines.
15:03But that thing feels like it's taking the side-by-side industry to the next era.
15:07This thing feels like the absolute peak of the previous era.
15:11Deciding between the two of them is still going to be tough,
15:13but they are different animals.
15:15I guess there's nothing to it but to get back down the hill, huh?
15:17I think so. Which one are you driving?
15:19I mean that one.
15:21Alright.
15:23Thanks so much for watching.
15:24Hope you found this helpful.
15:25If you're trying to decide between a Pro R and a Maverick R,
15:29if you like what you saw, be sure to check us out on UTVDriver.com
15:31where we're there five days a week with news, reviews, buyer's guides, and videos just like this.
15:35And if you want even more nonsense from the UTV Driver crew,
15:38check out our social media seven days a week.
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15:44We'll see you there.