Polaris invited us out to Parker, Arizona to attend the product launch for the new Polaris RZR XP 1000. The invitation arrived shortly after the official unveiling of the vehicle, so at this point we all had seen the introduction material sent out by Polaris which was abundantly publicized across every major off-roading website, not to mention all the major social media channels. After reviewing the vehicle specification and seeing the promo shots, I must admit I couldn’t wait to be in that driver’s seat. The fact that the product launch was held in Parker, Arizona made this even more exhilarating, as Parker is where the “Best in the Desert” race is held, what better place to test out the full potential of the RZR XP 1000!
After two long flights and a 3 hour car ride, we finally reached Parker, and we were lodged at the BlueWater Resort & Casino. The BlueWater resort features a Casino, 100-slip marina and beach. After a long car ride of seeing nothing but desert, it was a welcome change. I must tell you that I never experienced heat as I did in Parker it was 48 degrees °C upon our arrival, one thing for sure I will never complain about hot weather in my area again!
Polaris hosted a very informal supper were we got the chance to talk to the Polaris staff about the Polaris RZR XP 1000 and of course get our first look at the machines. Two vehicles were proudly on display sporting different packages. A barebones with the “Titanium Matte Metallic” color scheme and a fully decked out with the “White Lightning” color scheme, both were as equally impressive. Now all that was left was to get them out on the trails, but this had to wait till the following morning.
After a quick breakfast we all eagerly jumped into our vehicles and headed out to the test site. Upon our arrival a series of Polaris RZR XP 1000 were perfectly lined up and ready to ride. After a brief safety meeting we were let loose on the vast desert trails to finally get to experience the newPolaris RZR XP 1000.
Polaris proudly boasts that the Polaris RZR XP 1000 is the pinnacle of extreme performance. Let me tell you, they have every right to make this claim. The vehicle is powered by the all new ProStar 1000 engine providing 107 horsepower with a true 999cs of displacement, making it the most powerful in its class.
As soon as you punch the accelerator you feel the powerplant come to life. The power on tap is simply aggressive and you immediately feel the sensation of being forced back into the seat. To deliver that massive power to the wheels, the XP 1000 features a retuned high performance PVT transmission.
Nothing is harder on a vehicle than pushing it through desert conditions in extreme heat, and push it we did. We pushed it through whoops, jumps, rocks and whatever terrain we could find. Not once did it leave us hanging or wanting more. I can honestly say that I have never driven a stock machine with so much power and agility.
To achieve extreme performance requires more than just a powerful powerplant, suspension and handling must be on the menu. Once again Polaris delivered! Our attention was immediately drawn towards the 2.5-inch Walker Evans needle shocks with 16-position compression adjustable remote reservoirs mounted on the rear pillars. The idea behind this was to move the reservoirs away from the engine to maintain heat and regulate the oil flow within the reservoirs.
The shocks are paired on all four corners with the dual rate/dual spring coil-overs for 18 in/45.7 cm of rear travel and 16 in/40.6 cm of front travel. The Internal needle valve technology controls the oil flow within the shock to resist bottoming out.
The Polaris RZR XP 1000 sits on a set of Maxxis Bighorn 29 in/73.7 cm tires which are mounted on all new 14 in/35.6 cm cast rims and has a 90 in/228.6 cm long wheelbase. The upgrades in design and geometry to the all-new 3-Link trailing arm rear suspension delivers a impressive 13.5 in/34.3 cm of ground clearance.
The Polaris RZR XP 1000 rear suspension is impressive to say the least and Parker was the ideal settings to put it to the test. Whoops and bumps you say? We hit whoops and bumps the size of craters and the faster we hit them, the smoother the ride became. The suspension is definitely designed to assault extremely rough terrain.
The RZR XP 1000 is a whole new machine from the ground up, featuring an all-new tubular design providing substantial improvements in stiffness and durability. Its all-new redesigned interior provides a superior level of comfort as well as a more responsive feel for the driver. The newly designed seats provide a whole new level of comfort compared to the seats found in other RZR models and feature a new thin-film technology for a drier ride in wet conditions. We also really appreciated the new seat sliders, which allow you to adjust the seats without the use of any tools. Another welcome addition is the factory installed quarter panel doors, which open and close very easily at the push of a button and no-look closing.
Polaris listened to feedback from previous owner and incorporated simple but useful new features. A new backlighted instrument cluster, a sealed smartphone storage compartment, a 50 percent larger glove box for more storage and dual removable drain plugs to facilitate the cleaning on the interior cabin. Lets not forget that sick LED floor lighting!
We all love to accessorize our RZR, Polaris addressed this as well with some new innovations in the vehicles chassis. The chassis is specifically engineered for Polaris accessories. Integrated mounting points situated along the vehicles frame and pass-through areas for routing wires allows for quick and simply installation and minimal install time.
For the limited time we had behind the wheel, our first impressions are very positive towards the new Polaris RZR XP 1000. Polaris has once again raised the bar in the performance side-by-side race. Without a doubt that the XP 1000 is definitely fast, responsive and the suspension and handling come second to none. It can handle anything you throw at it and then some; it never once left us with the feeling of wanting more…
Drivers need to realize how much power the Polaris RZR XP 1000 can actually deliver and it goes without saying that the RZR XP 1000 deserves respect, especially from the novice rider.
For more information on the Polaris XP 1000, please visit www.polaris.com
