2014 Arctic Cat Wildcat X 1000 Horsepower
The elite division in the growing UTV world is the high-performance sport segment. They have the largest engines, the biggest horsepower numbers and the most suspension travel. But which one is the best? Arctic Cat, Can-Am and Polaris are the only players in this class, and they believe their machine is the best. Which one is right?
Wildcat X—$18,499
Arctic Cat was the first manufacturer to approach the 1000cc mark with a UTV. They first did it in the Prowler XTZ, then with the Wildcat a few years later. That powerplant is much more suited for the chassis they created for the Wildcat. It sits low and has a long wheelbase that's paired with 17 inches up front and 18 inches of rear-wheel travel that works awesome in wide- open spaces—the rougher the better.
Power is provided by a V-twin, single-overhead-cam, eight-valve engine. It only has 951cc, so it's the smallest engine of the trio, but not by much. Arctic Cat mounted two radiators behind the driver's compartment to cool the powerplant, centralize weight and protect it from rocks, just like you would see in a Baja buggy or Trophy Truck.
The Wildcat pushes the limits of how much suspension you really need. Up front, dual A-arms provide 17 inches of travel through Fox compression-adjustable shocks on this X model. Elka shocks are available on the limited-edition Wildcat. Out back, huge Trophy Truck-style trailing arms provide 18 inches of movement out of the compression and preload-adjustable Fox shocks.
The 95-inch wheelbase on the Wildcat is 5 inches longer than the RZR XP1K and over a foot longer than Can-Am's Maverick. Under the hood, the Wildcat is equipped with power steering, and at the back end, a small storage bin can hold up to a recommended 300 pounds.
Other important numbers you might want to consider for hauling or transporting are that the machine weighs a claimed 1357 pounds dry, is 128 inches long, 64 inches wide and the lowest at 65.8 inches tall. Maxxis' 27-inch-tall Big Horn tires are found all the way around and mounted on 14-inch aluminum wheels.
MAVERICK X rs DPS—$18,799
Can-Am's Maverick line is powered by a 101-horsepower, Rotax V-twin, single-overhead-cam, eight- valve engine. It's a tad larger than the Wildcat's mill at 976cc. Can-Am surrounded that engine with a luxurious cockpit. It features plush, high-back racing seats, a molded and wrapped steering wheel, loads of instrumentation, and multiple passenger hand- holds. The one item the Maverick lacks compared to the other two machines is doors. The stock Maverick does have a sturdy netting system, but on a performance machine like this, we would feel more comfortable being surrounded by aluminum or plastic doors. We added Blingstar doors.
Our test unit does have the triple-mode electric power-steering system that allows the operator to choose the level of assist the system offers. That steering is connected to a quick-engaging, auto-locking, front four-wheel-drive system similar to what is on the RZR. The Wildcat has a front-locking differential that you have to activate by flipping a lever.
Under the Maverick, dual A-arms are found on all four corners, equipped with high-end compression-, rebound- and preload-adjustable Fox Shox. Travel numbers are noticeably less than the other machines with 14 inch- es at both ends. Can-Am does equip this Maverick with 12-inch beadlock wheels wrapped with 27-inch Maxxis Big Horn tires. Other notable features include
Can-Am's Digitally Encoded Security System, ECO and Sport mode igni- tion, separate keys for varying skill levels, and pre-wiring for a winch. The Maverick comes with a 2-inch tubular roll cage, while the other machines use 1 3/4-inch tubing.
Can-Am claims the standard Maverick weighs in at 1297 pounds dry. We would add about 20 pounds for the beadlock wheels and anoth- er 30 for the EPS system, bringing it very close to the Wildcat's claimed dry-weight reading. Overall, the Maverick measures 118.8 inches long, 64 inches wide and 74.2 inches tall. The rear-storage platform has a respectable 200-pound weight limit.
RZR XP 1000—$19,999
Polaris has dominated this segment, starting with the original RZR. Shortly after the release of the RZR 800 in 2008, aftermarket companies like Hard Core Racing (www.hcrracing .com) added long travel to it, starting a very popular revolution. Then, Polaris evolved the platform further by building the RZR 800 S, then the XP 900 and finally the XP1K.
Powering the latest RZR is a Pro- Star, parallel-design, twin-cylinder, dual-overhead-cam, eight-valve engine with 999cc. A single exhaust is found on the back end like the Wildcat. Can-Am outfits the Maverick with a dual-muffler setup. Polaris claims the XP1K powerplant has an output of 107 horsepower. The fact is that this is the fastest stock UTV you can buy.
What is equally as impressive is the RZR's suspension system. This machine uses dual A-arms at the front end, with 16 inches of wheel travel via Walker Evans' compression-adjustable shocks. Out back an even longer pair of Walker shocks sit on a trailing-arm system providing 18 inches of travel. These shocks are compression and preload adjustable.
Further out on the corners, huge 29-inch Maxxis Big Horn tires are found on 14-inch wheels, helping provide the 13.5 inches of ground clearance. The other two machines have an even 13 inches of clearance.
Polaris dramatically upgraded the cab for this RZR to try and compete with the comfort of the Can-Am. It has bolstered high-back seats on sliders, a better floorboard and multiple storage opportunities. The passenger still has an adjustable T-shaped grab handle, and the new plastic V-shaped doors are a huge improvement over the past models' net systems.
Also new to the cockpit is an electronic bay where you can store and view your smartphone or GPS unit, although sun glare makes it hard to see during the day so it works best at night.
Size-wise, the RZR sits at just under 74 inches tall, 119 inches long and 64 inches wide. Polaris claims the XP1K tips the scales at 1379 pounds dry, and they set a cargo limit at 300 pounds.
TOP SPEED
We will get right to the good stuff. At our testing facility, situated at 3000 feet above sea level, the RZR XP 1000 had the highest top speed of 77 mph. The Wildcat came in second with 75 mph, and the Maverick was close behind with 72 mph. The speeds were taken averaging two runs on a flat dirt trail with no headwind in either direction.
Getting to that number, the results were a bit different. The Can-Am would get a good jump off the line, but the power would quickly flatten out and get overtaken by the other two machines. The Maverick also has a slight hesitation when jumping on and off and back on the throttle. It's not something you notice on a typical trail ride, but in a racing situation, it causes the Maverick to fall behind. It's even more noticeable in the soft sand or dunes.
At 70 mph, the Maverick and Wildcat felt the most planted on the ground. They tracked straight where the RZR would tend to wander and float a bit. The Pure Polaris roof we had installed on our XP1K seemed to make the most noise and catch the most wind. Without it, things might be a little more stable if not even faster too.
To get a consistent reading on suspension action, we ran a particular 1-foot-deep, 30-yard-long whoop section at an even 50 mph to gather notes. The Wildcat was the smooth- est and most controllable. The RZR bucked some as it went over the bumps. In the Maverick, the driver was bounced around the most. It wasn't a bad ride, just not as good as the other two. You could precisely feel that the Maverick had less wheel travel than the other two in this extreme situation.
LAP TIMES
We have a test track in the middle of the desert that is a perfect mix of jumps, kicker bumps, turns (35, to be exact), rocks and sand that really shows the differences of the high-performance UTVs like these. It's about five miles long and stays very consistent, so we use it year after year. For these lap times and the top-speed runs, we tested with a driver and passenger on board.
The Maverick lapped the circuit in 8:49. Our test driver said he didn't have the confidence to hammer through the rutted obstacles or over the bigger kicker bumps in the Maverick like he did in the other two machines. In the sand, it was a little harder to keep a good line going in and out of the corners. The rear end would want to step out or ride real high on the berms. The only time the Maverick bottomed out was on the G-outs. If you don't take the Maverick in really choppy terrain or over big bumps at high speed, it's a winner for sure.
Our driver felt like he had a perfect lap in the Wildcat. It's the car we have the most time in, and it is the most predictable around every part of the track. It put down a time of 8:27. Basically, you can keep it floored over every obstacle. You only had to let off slightly, tap the brakes, and point the steering wheel to zigzag through the turns. It only got out of place over one uphill jump where it flew driver side down. On the positive side, the Wildcat soaked up the landing perfectly and was back under way.
The fastest lap time of the day came inside the RZR XP 1000. It recorded a time of 8:14. It wasn't hard to tell the RZR could carry more speed out of the corners. The machine has more body roll than the Wildcat, but when you turn it and it stops swaying and sets up, it rails just as well as the 2013.5 Wildcat X. And when you stomp back on the throttle, the 29-inch Big Horns hook up and claw forward stronger than the other two. The clutching and gearing of the RZR is set up slightly better than that of the Wildcat. If we had a 2014 Wildcat, things might have been slightly closer.
CREATURE COMFORTS
It's easy to call the Can-Am the win-laid out and put together. The glove- box has the most room and the best door by far. Plus, even more storage is found under the driver's seat. We love the fact that Can-Am offers a "learn- er" key with most of their machines, including the Maverick. You don't want a total novice or some loose cannon driving your machine at full power. The learner key limits the top speed of the Maverick to 40 mph. On the downside, the Maverick had the heaviest steering of the bunch. Even with the adjustable setting switched to Max for the most assist, the steering was noticeably heavier than the others. Another negative is that the Maverick's storage platform is just that—a platform with open access to the rear suspension and tires to items that might come loose. An accessory basket or tub is available, and we recommend it. Can-Am's PAC division has a complete catalog that can make the Maverick even better.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Wildcat is functional but not flashy. It has simple displays and a decent, usable glovebox but not much more. The seats do not adjust, but the steering wheel does tilt like the other two machines' wheels do. The rear storage box has ample cargo room, but could use bigger tie-down points. We like the fact that the Wildcat has doors, but they are not easy to open or close when the latches get dirty or the door hinges start to come loose with age. The new doors Arctic Cat is equipping some machines with are much better. Although we hav- en't experienced a belt failure in any Wildcat, we don't like the fact that you have to remove a rear shock to replace the belt However, it is eas- ier to replace than the belt on the Maverick. The Wildcat has the best headlights of the group.
The RZR doesn't have the best cock- pit, but it does have the most features. From the adjustable driver and passenger seats to the adjustable grab bar, and from the great operating doors and multiple storage pockets, things are next to perfect in this RZR. Another great thing about the RZR is that there are so many aftermarket companies making add-on equipment for it. Like the Rhino a decade ago and the Banshee before that, you could build a RZR any way you want it with the help from hop-up shops.
CONCLUSIONS
Polaris takes top honors in this contest with the RZR XP 1000. Can-Am did a great job improving upon the Commander with the Maverick, but they could have done better by retaining the trailing-arm rear-suspension system that they basically brought to the ATV and UTV world. The Maverick is great in most conditions and would make a perfect buy for many users. It just doesn't like to go though the rough stuff as well as the other two machines do. Although the Wildcat is great in the rough and is near the top in regards to speed and handling, it could use a few more features and refinements. But on the good side, Arctic Cat does have a newer and better model than the one we tested, so it can't be overlooked. Plus, the Wildcat X is $1500 cheaper than the RZR XP1K, and that kind of money can buy a lot of gas for more ride time.
2014 Arctic Cat Wildcat X 1000 Horsepower
Source: https://dirtwheelsmag.com/wildcat-vs-maverick-vs-rzr/
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