Well folks here are my thoughts thus far and my contribution to the Gator v. Ranger debate. I have now had my Gator a week and though that is not that much time, I have already put 12 hours use on it. Here's what I've come up with:
Engine/drivetrain/power/speed: My 800 Ranger ran a GPS supported 54 mph top speed; my Gator 46 mph. The Ranger has a clearly faster top speed, but the Gator accelerates much more quickly and has more mid-range torque, thusly feeling more powerful. The Ranger to this point has given better fuel economy as I have already gone through two tanks on my Gator. Assumably the Gator engine will have a longer life span, but this will have to be seen.
Chassis: The Ranger uses a C-channel carriage style frame. The Gator uses a hydroformed boxed frame that feels much more rigid. The suspension pieces on the Gator are much heavier and seemingly more-durable. The drilled and vented brakes on the Ranger are larger and stop much better than do the Gator brakes.
The cockpit: the Ranger has a wider front bench seat than the Gator which has a smaller more-tight bench seat. The Ranger also has a flat foot area with much more leg room and tilt wheel with power steering. The steering wheel and cockpit on the Gator are carry-overs from the previous XUV and are not as ergonomic. The Gator has heavy manual steering v. the power steering on the Ranger. I have ordered an Electra-steer kit for my Gator for this reason.
The cargo box: The Ranger has a shorter wider cargo box that is not as voluminous as that on the Gator. The Gator box is much more heavy duty and has a factory spray in style liner. The Ranger's box interior is very slippery when a bed mat is not used; the Gator's is not. The Gator can haul more weight in the box without it affecting the performance of the vehicle. Despite having a 1000+ box capacity rating, my Ranger was appeared very overloaded with 800+ pounds in the box and the handling did suffer.
Off-roading: The Ranger is a good off-road UV. It is much lighter (1250 pounds v over 1700 in my configuration) and the reduced weight makes it much more nimble in the woods. So far, I have been unable to find anything that gave either machine much trouble, but the Ranger to me is a slightly better off roader mainly due to its lighter weight. Unfortunately, this comes at a slight cost in work performance, as my Gator easily pulls big trailers around that really affected the Ranger and I suspect is a much better snow plow machine as well.
Accessories: I had a number of accessories with my Ranger including pre-runner brush guard, plow, windshield etc. The Gator has the same accessories. Like much of the rest of the machine, the Gator accessories are much heavier and seemingly more durable. This is with the exception of the flimsy half shield in front. I have had one in the past, but this one is not nearly so well made. I will be upgrading to the full glass windscreen and cannot recommend the half windscreen any longer.
Conclusions: the 800 Ranger and the XUV 825i Gator are both outstanding machines. I do not feel there is a true "best" between them. Like in many cases which is better depends on owner intent. I do about 90/10% work v. play, so in my case the heavier, more-powerful Gator is the better choice. It has much more torque, heavier components, and a better warranty. It would easily pull my previous Ranger into the next county and has enough engine power to be fun also. The problem JD has is that the ergonomics of the seating and steering positions are not yet up to the Ranger, and the lack of factory power steering at this time makes some of us look at aftermarket systems. I wish it also had a larger fuel tank. The Ranger is not as powerful, though it has a higher top speed. The chassis design and construction is antiquated by comparison and it had a number of squeaks and rattles v. the Gator. It also may be a slightly better off-roader due to its lower weight and smaller size and should be considered more highly if one uses his/her machine more equal between work and play. It has better brakes and a more comfortable layout in the interior. The warranty of the Ranger is inferior to that of the Gator and with these type machines this could come into play for the average owner. For me personally, the ability to pull big loads with ease, have a machine that I can count on with good support and company backing and a more torquey powertrain with some fun added in was a better choice than a machine more intended for 50/50 use. That said, these priorities may not be at the top for all, so ranking them in one's mind would determine which machine fits the bill better for a potential owner.
John M
