Any 2015/2016 Polaris Ranger 6 x 6 experience?

[sdef]

I plan on purchasing a sidexside UTV this year and have been eliminating vehicles. I am down to Yamaha Viking EPS, Kawasaki Mule Pro-FX EPS LE and the Polaris Ranger 6x6. I do not need a UTV but want one. It will serve as a carryall on my small acreage for tools, firewood and such, along with the wife driving it around the neighborhood. Primarily a working toy.

At this point the Mule is my #1 choice but I really like the idea of 6 wheel drive- just because . The specifications on the 6x6 look good but there is not one locally at a dealer I can touch or drive. I do realize its turning radius will be greater due to its increased length. I just received a quote from a local dealer of $12,980 for a gray one with steel roof and clear rear panel. I have not spoken to him yet but hope this is an out-the-door price, not including sales tax. Will see...

I recently tested the new Mahindra UTV truck version and was disappointed as the test drive did not match what I was expecting from the specifications, the manual steering required more effort than I want and the CVT seemed more like a centrifugal clutch on a go-cart. Although I loved the bed.

My wants:

- Bed that will support a typical pallet of 48" x 40".
- Good suspension that will absorb well
- ~ 40 MPH top speed with very good low end power and acceleration that will translate into a lot of grunt for pulling and towing heavy loads.
- I highly prefer power steering for myself and my wife but do not want to rule out a manual steering vehicle if I can find an ideal one.
- Relatively quiet
- In general, the qualities of the Mule or Viking

I would appreciate anyone's comments with first-hand experience with the newer Ranger 6x6.

Thanks.

 

[Green Power]

I have used one that is a 02 i think, it is a tank. Ive gone up a 1:1 slope (or at least it felt like it) and it didnt even spin a wheel. Loaded up with firewood, it doesnt wince. I am sure you would enjoy whatever you decide upon though.

 

[OregonCraig]

...I am down to Yamaha Viking EPS...

My wants:
- Relatively quiet
- In general, the qualities of the Mule or Viking...

My wife and I just eliminated the Viking after a test drive. Even with the helmets that the dealership required us to wear, the noise was completely unacceptable. This was a 2016 Viking, which has less vibration and noise than previous model years. And we wanted to like it. On paper, the Viking checked many of the boxes for us. But the noise was very excessive. I highly recommend a test drive to see for yourself.

I have no experience with the Polaris models, but many on this forum do not believe the quality is as good as other makes.

 

[Oleozz]

So you haven't driven the Mule Pro yet? If you lived closer you would be more than welcome to drive mine. I looked at all the major brands and the build quality on the Mule impressed me. They aren't cheap, with the power steering, windshield, power dump bed and rear bumper you will
probably have more than $15,000 invested.

 

[TnWV]

My wife and I just eliminated the Viking after a test drive. Even with the helmets that the dealership required us to wear, the noise was completely unacceptable. This was a 2016 Viking, which has less vibration and noise than previous model years. And we wanted to like it. On paper, the Viking checked many of the boxes for us. But the noise was very excessive. I highly recommend a test drive to see for yourself. I have no experience with the Polaris models, but many on this forum do not believe the quality is as good as other makes.

My wife and I had the same experience when we test drove a Viking almost two years ago. Just hated it. Ended up with a Ranger 900 XP and with 77 hours and about 630 miles, we couldn't be happier. No comparison between the two, in my opinion.

No experience with a 6X6 or the mule you are looking at, but from what I have read that mule looks like an excellent machine. I would test drive them all and see what fits you the best. Many happy owners of each. Good Luck!

 

[JRobyn]

I really wanted to like the Kubotas, but the sound level of both the Subaru gas and the Kubota diesel turned me off. Went with the nearly totally silent Polaris Ranger EV.

 

[sdef]

So you haven't driven the Mule Pro yet? If you lived closer you would be more than welcome to drive mine. I looked at all the major brands and the build quality on the Mule impressed me. They aren't cheap, with the power steering, windshield, power dump bed and rear bumper you will
probably have more than $15,000 invested.

Thanks. Very kind offer. With the negative Yamaha Viking responses (noise) it has fallen to the bottom of my list now until I can get to at least drive one. The Mule Pro-FX EPS has been on top. Wed. I have an appointment with a Polaris dealer to drive their inventory and he is bringing the 6 x 6 down from a store in another town. Besides the 6 x 6 I am also going to test the Ranger XP 900 EPS which is selling at the moment for a great discount.

 

[sdef]

I have no experience with the Polaris models, but many on this forum do not believe the quality is as good as other makes.

And this is the reason I initially discounted Polaris in my investigations. But as time has gone on I am seeing a lot of good reports across the Internet on Polaris. I am hoping it is just a matter of one can find good and bad on any product depending upon where one looks. The Mule is still my first choice so far but have yet to drive one.

 

[sdef]

I really wanted to like the Kubotas, but the sound level of both the Subaru gas and the Kubota diesel turned me off. Went with the nearly totally silent Polaris Ranger EV.

How do you like the EV? I like the quietness a lot but really question the range, loadability and off road ability vs. a gasoline powered unit. How does yours compare?

 

[OregonCraig]

And this is the reason I initially discounted Polaris in my investigations. But as time has gone on I am seeing a lot of good reports across the Internet on Polaris. I am hoping it is just a matter of one can find good and bad on any product depending upon where one looks. The Mule is still my first choice so far but have yet to drive one.

I would agree and add that some owners are harder on their equipment than others, with respect to either maintenance or just use/abuse. I generally take care of my equipment and I generally don't have problems, but like you said, any product can have a problem now and then.

 

[TMR]

I have a 2010 Polaris Ranger 800XP. Now six years old and only service work has been scheduled maintenance. I primarily use mine for "working" in my woods. Usually I have the dump bed full of tools...chain saw, etc. The three wide seat was very important un my purchase choice and has proven to be useful...hardly ever leave for our property (1/2 mile away) w/o one or two grandkids along in the three wide seat (three seat belts provided).

NO issues other than the hole in my front seat...maybe I should not carry a screw drive in my pocket? I also tow small trailers...2" hitch included and 2000# theoretical tow capacity. I have had no issues with towing or hauling. Also, FYI...I chose the "Camo" exterior even though I was concerned about scratching/wear/fading. That stuff has worn like iron...no scratches/no fading...still looks like new if/when I ever wash it Would repeat that choice if I bought another. Mine was the Mossy Oak...they now have a Polaris version which I know little about. I believe both types are "baked" into the plastic body parts?

Kind of considering a 2016 Polaris Ranger 900XP...pretty much the same but with power steering option. Only needed when you either have a heavy load or need to turn around on a very tight trail. Polaris has made a number of improvements since the 2010...more HP/a bit quieter (mine is not noisy to be a problem), moved engine so better service access and a few other nice improvements. However, my guess is I will stay with my 2010 as I have no "need" for a new on and I do "need" a CUT TMR

 

[JRobyn]

How do you like the EV? I like the quietness a lot but really question the range, loadability and off road ability vs. a gasoline powered unit. How does yours compare?

Not a lot of experience yet. I only need enough range to get to either of my B-I-Ls houses, about 1 mile away each, and it does that easily. This is despite having (I just found out) one completely knackered battery. A member on here (XFaxman) has way more experience than me with his EV and has posted some pretty incredible feats of hauling, towing, and climbing. If anything, the EV may do better than gas models at off-roading because it has an abundance of very low RPM torque. If you test drive one at the Polaris dealer, I predict that you will be astonished at just how torquey they are.

When my current set of lead-acid batteries expire, I plan to convert it over to lithium-ion. Pricey, but way less weight and way more range. Polaris is also now offering a factory Li-I model, but they run about $22-23k. A well-engineered and tested Li-I upgrade kit is being offered right now for about $8k. Hopefully less in a year or two.

 

[sdef]

I drove the Polaris Ranger 800 6 x 6. I REALLY like all of the storage space in the bed and the bed tool box. But with no power steering available from the factory I had to cross this off the list due to its relatively stiff steering. Plus the chassis has not been updated in awhile and not on par with the other 2016 Polaris'.

I also tested the Kawasaki Mule Pro-FX today. It had a really great bed size, along with large cockpit room, but I was not able to find many accessories available for it on various Internet sites and I do accessorize. The dealer discounted it $600 for shipping and an additional $800. And was charging me retail for the $2200 in accessories. I did not ask about auxillary LED lighting like I added to the Polaris noted below.

Then I drove a Polaris Ranger XP 570 and XP 900 EPS. The 570 is all of the power I need for my stated tasks but the 900 EPS SE was a real thrill to drive with all four tires spinning dirt as long as I held the pedal down in the relatively small off road area they had for a test. A gray 900 EPS LE is being put together for me with the steel roof, glass front and rear windows, along with a Warn 4500# winch and a 21" LED light assembly on the roof. I received a $1400 rebate and 20% off all accessories/options, which is about the best deal available around here. Plus two helmets for $100 total.

It just put a smile on my face every time I stepped on the throttle.

 

[TnWV]

I drove the Polaris Ranger 800 6 x 6. I REALLY like all of the storage space in the bed and the bed tool box. But with no power steering available from the factory I had to cross this off the list due to its relatively stiff steering. Plus the chassis has not been updated in awhile and not on par with the other 2016 Polaris'. I also tested the Kawasaki Mule Pro-FX today. It had a really great bed size, along with large cockpit room, but I was not able to find many accessories available for it on various Internet sites and I do accessorize. The dealer discounted it $600 for shipping and an additional $800. And was charging me retail for the $2200 in accessories. I did not ask about auxillary LED lighting like I added to the Polaris noted below. Then I drove a Polaris Ranger XP 570 and XP 900 EPS. The 570 is all of the power I need for my stated tasks but the 900 EPS SE was a real thrill to drive with all four tires spinning dirt as long as I held the pedal down in the relatively small off road area they had for a test. A gray 900 EPS LE is being put together for me with the steel roof, glass front and rear windows, along with a Warn 4500# winch and a 21" LED light assembly on the roof. I received a $1400 rebate and 20% off all accessories/options, which is about the best deal available around here. Plus two helmets for $100 total. It just put a smile on my face every time I stepped on the throttle.

Congrats! I think you will really like the 900! I know I enjoy mine every time I am on it. The 570 would have been just fine for me too, but the larger cab of the 900 was necessary to fit my self, wife and two small kids for slow rides around the property. Plenty of room for three adults if needed as well. So far I love my 900!

 

[weathda]

That's great! You'll probably enjoy the tighter turning radius of the 4x4 vs the 6x6. The 4x4 version will go up steeper places than you'll ever want to go.

Post some pictures when you get it.