2015 Polaris RZR Review
The ultimate desert toy
Imthishan Giado
To most Dubai denizens, dune bashing means taking your favourite offroader and carving a line through the biggest one you can find in Dubai’s ample desert. But for sheer thrills, a 4×4 can’t hold a candle to the ease and ability of your average buggy.
And if you’re talking buggies, you’re talking Polaris RZRs. The versatile line of single-seaters and side-by-sides has been a runaway success in the UAE. At the recent Camp RZR event, I got to put them through the paces.
Don’t Polaris make snowmobiles?
Yes, but they’re now more famous for their UTVs. Incidentally, they’re not all RZRs; that name reserved for the performance lineup, while the more pedestrian ones (the kind you see gardeners and such ride) come under the Sportsman line.
You can get a RZR in a staggering array of variants: single seater, side by seater, four seater, two seater pickup…the list is endless. And we hear coming this year, you’ll be able to get the Slingshot three-wheeled motorcycle (don’t call it a car, Polaris begged us). Power outputs are 75bhp for the 900 series; 1000 EPS
What’s the big deal about UTVs?
You couldn’t ask for a better offroading platform. Liquid cooled four cylinder engine, all independent adjustable suspension, automatic transmission, switchable four wheel drive and low range, ridiculous approach and departure angles to die for – it’s an idiot-proof way to explore the desert.
What are they like to drive?
Easy as falling out of bed. There’s a range of options available but the most popular are the side-by-side 2-seaters, available as either two-up or four-up UTVs. With a side-hinged door, access is easy to the comfortable seats. The interior is all hard-wearing plastic and controls are minimal – an ignition switch, toggles for two/four wheel drive and headlights, with a centrally mounted transmission lever. Some models also come with an LCD display for navigation and to record ‘engine hours’ – UTVs maintenance is not based on mileage but on ‘working hours’.
Once you’ve strapped yourself in, piloting a UTV is pitifully simple. Point it at your favourite imposing dune from any bonkers angle and charge. That’s really all there is to it. 100bhp from the thrummy 999c two-cylinder is enough to ensure you can climb anything, while the (adjustable) Walker Evans shocks keep the four wheels planted firmly on the ground. The ride can get a little choppy on the two-seaters; with their longer wheelbase, the four-ups are imposingly stable.
With so little bodywork, there’s nothing to worry about catching on ledges or wiping the nose on steep drops. There’s only one trick: gas, gas, gas and let the suspension sort it out.
Any downsides?
Unlike a car, this is a completely open vehicle, so you’ll need a helmet to protect your noggin from debris. Ski goggles (which slid over the helmet) are also necessary to ensure that you can see where you’re going, when you are following a group.
I found the Razr very stable even at speed and high speed turns, but it bears repeating that this is a hazardous activity and if you act like an idiot, it can and will roll over. As two journalists on our event found, though the roll cage protected them from any harm.
Then there’s the fact that you need to transport the RZR to the dunes. Not being a road-legal car, so you’ll need a trailer, a suitable tow vehicle (pickups and LWB full-size SUVs are best) and somewhere to store the entire setup at home – hope you live in a villa.
And then there’s the cost. Prices for the basic two-seater starts at an eye-watering AED92,000, rising to 99,000 for the four seater.
What if I want to go a bit faster?
Then you want the Fox Edition. Available in ‘Turbo Silver’ – which doesn’t come with an actual turbo – this is the most capable RZR you can get from the factory, sporting internal bypass Fox shocks, two stage coils and stiffer front and rear sway bars.
I thought the regular Walker Evans shocks were good, but the Fox dampers take the RZR to a whole other level. The major difference is comfort: you can blast over rutted tracks without feeling a single dip as the shocks absorb every impact, drop off dunes hard and land like a feather. The less strain it puts on the rider, the harder and farther you’ll drive.
It’s absolutely the one you want – and at AED105,000, you’d better be darn sure you want it.
What if I want even more?
Local dealer Specialized Sports Equipment (SSE) will customise your RZR to your heart’s content. Even beefier King shocks, full sound systems, custom paint – SSE reps told us that customers in the UAE have spend upwards of AED200,000 on these weekend toys.
Not that you need to; the basic RZR is capable enough for all but the most committed lunatic.
Verdict
They may be expensive, difficult to store and transport and leave you looking like a blow-dried pop star afterwards, but the Polaris RZRs are great fun, and the fastest way to get around the desert. Why do we bother with SUVs again?
Polaris RZR
Prices:
RZR 2 seater – AED92,000
RZR 4 seater – AED99,000
RZR Fox Edition – AED105,000
Prices: AED219,900 ($60k)
Engine: 999cc liquid-cooled 110bhp 2-cyl (1000 series & Fox) 875cc 75bhp (900 series)
Transmission: CVT, front engined, four-wheel drive
Weight: 625kg (900 series, dry) 547kg (1000 series, dry)
