Who makes the best overall Utility vehicle

[CJ4]

I agree with the bench seat. Wonder why JD don't offer that? Is the XUV true fuel injection??

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I am not too sure about the bench seats yet. Some of them I have seen looks like you will slide around fairly easily on rough ground. When I get to the demo stage I will find out though.

 

[Old Coot]

I am not too sure about the bench seats yet. Some of them I have seen looks like you will slide around fairly easily on rough ground. When I get to the demo stage I will find out though.

I do slide on the seat some when moving along the side of a steep hill. But I think it makes up for it when I want to get off either side of the vehicle. Especially when picking up limbs from the yard.

 

[art]

The Kubota bench seat has recesses for the operator and the rider. Yes when there are three on the seat the center is raised and we've heard it is uncomfortable, but for those with children or grand children they like it.

 

[CWP37]

I forgot to mention the bench seat. For me, VERY important. I've always got a dog or a kid that wants to sit in the fron with Mom and Dad. Never had a problem sliding around.

 

[mars1952]

Hey there, I know these types of questions can lead to arguments but please lets not go there. I use to follow the ATV market but when I started my haying venture a few years back I gave up riding and following that segment. Now my farm has expanded and we have added an orchard and vineyard to the farm. So now I am looking to buy a Utility Vehicle for all around farm use. I have a ton of dealers around here so I should be able to find just about any model or brand.

What I am looking for is either 4 or 6 wheel but I would lean more toward the 6 wheeled unit for added capacity and better stabilty. A dump box (either hydraulic or electric) is also high on the list of priorities. It needs to seat two people with easy access on and off. I do not need a cab but depending on price I would consider it. It also needs to be easy to drive so either something with an automatic transmission or a hydro tranny would be ideal as eventually my daughter will drive it and my girlfriend will also be using this as well as a couple other people so it needs to be easy to shift and drive. Also, it has to be able to cross a small stream (nothing too wide but at times it gets up to a couple feet deep and about 10 feet wide) I can go around if it gets too deep but it is a long way around.

So what is out there that will fit my needs and be reliable without breaking the bank. Is there any other options I should look at also as this is a new segment that I have very little experience with. Around here almost all the grape farmers run JD gators and they seem to have decent luck with them. Other then the Gators I don't see very many utilty vehicles in use.

Hi Robert: I have a Polaris Ranger 700 XP with a ROPS certified cab and I am very happy with it. I looked at UTVs for a couple years before I picked the Ranger. I have 130 very hilly acres and I have fences in places that my 4x4 pickup and tractors will not fit or climb. The Ranger can go just about anywhere. You really have to work to get it stuck (I haven't yet). It will climb hills that are too steep to walk up without reaching down to touch the ground with your hands. It will ford streams as deep as the seat and maybe a little deeper. It will plow through mud that is over the tires. The best thing to me is the power and speed. The Ranger has a 40HP engine and will go 50MPH. I can move about my farm and check my fences quickly and easily with the Ranger. It also has unsurpassed ground clearance and suspension travel. I can zip across an open field at 35MPH and the ride is very smooth, better than my pickup. I have crossed a 10" downed tree with my ranger and it was not much more than a speed bump. As for work the Ranger can haul 1000lb and pull 1500lb. I have hooked my Ranger to my dump trailer (2000 lb empty) to move it around the yard. It has a very low low range and it will only go 10mph in low range @ 5000rpm. As you should know from your tractor experience, you can do a lot of work with a low HP tractor but the more HP you have the faster you can do the work. A Gator, Kawasaki, Cub Cadet or any other UTV might be able to pull a 1000lb trailer but how fast will they pull it up hill?
Here are a few videos and pictures of Rangers in action:
Ranger in deep water
Ranger in mud
Ranger climbing log 1
Ranger climbing log 2
Ranger climbing log 3
Ranger climbing log 4
Ranger climbing log 5
Ranger climbing log 6
My Ranger with a ROPS certified cab
When ever I have tried to save money and bought the less expensive tool (not the one I really wanted) I have been disapointed in the long run. I usually end up looking for a reason to sell the cheaper tool and get the one I really wanted. And a UTV is a tool. It can be very fun to use but if you have a farm it is a tool.
Good Luck, Marshall

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Hi Marshall, I started to look more at the Polaris and have added it to my list to demo. I am leaning more towards the 6x6 EFI as I would think the 6 wheel drive would be a big benifit on my ground. Our ground is all springs and is a real fine and soft. You will sink just walking on a lot of our ground during the spring and fall. There are some spots thought that we won't take the ATV's because they won't make it thru at certain times of the year. I would think the 6x6 would float a bit better as well as having two extra drive wheels would give it great traction even in the snow and on ice. Also, the 6x6 has a slightly larger box which is more important to my task then almost anything else. I really don't care about the top speed though as for the most part I am not in any hurry around here and if you go too fast on my property you risk hitting a deer or rabbit as they jump out of the brush.

I really can't wait until the weather starts to break and I can get a few of these machines out here to demo. Then I will have a better idea what I like and don't like as well as what works well here. Hopefully the Polaris dealer will have a 4x4 and a 6x6 for me to compare.

 

[mars1952]

I really don't care about the top speed though as for the most part I am not in any hurry around here and if you go too fast on my property you risk hitting a deer or rabbit as they jump out of the brush.

Hi Robert: I don't always tear around at top speed but it can be fun. One day I was going up the mountain at top speed in low range (about 10mph) and a Canadian Lynx bounded across my path. They are quite rare here in Western North Carolina. They call them Catamounts here. I'm pretty sure that if I had been going any slower I would never have seen the cat.
This picture looks a lot like the lynx I saw except for the snow and the rabbit. It had more spots and was bounding over the tall grass to get away from me.
My farm has a 700 ft elevation change from one corner to the other so I needed a UTV that could preform well on the hills. The Ranger is very stable on the hills even when traveling across the face of the hill. Other times I feel the need for speed are when I have a small crew out in the field or on the mountian and it is time for lunch. With the Ranger we can zip back to the house and still only take a 1/2 hour for lunch.
Marshall

 

[bigdeer2000]

if your looking for a uv that will go lightly on soft wet ground, look at the argo. it is available in 6 or 8 wheel versions that have a light foot print, and can go anywhere

 

[Old Coot]

Hi Robert: I have a Polaris Ranger 700 XP with a ROPS certified cab and I am very happy with it. I looked at UTVs for a couple years before I picked the Ranger. I have 130 very hilly acres and I have fences in places that my 4x4 pickup and tractors will not fit or climb. The Ranger can go just about anywhere. You really have to work to get it stuck (I haven't yet). It will climb hills that are too steep to walk up without reaching down to touch the ground with your hands. It will ford streams as deep as the seat and maybe a little deeper. It will plow through mud that is over the tires. The best thing to me is the power and speed. The Ranger has a 40HP engine and will go 50MPH. I can move about my farm and check my fences quickly and easily with the Ranger. It also has unsurpassed ground clearance and suspension travel. I can zip across an open field at 35MPH and the ride is very smooth, better than my pickup. I have crossed a 10" downed tree with my ranger and it was not much more than a speed bump. As for work the Ranger can haul 1000lb and pull 1500lb. I have hooked my Ranger to my dump trailer (2000 lb empty) to move it around the yard. It has a very low low range and it will only go 10mph in low range @ 5000rpm. As you should know from your tractor experience, you can do a lot of work with a low HP tractor but the more HP you have the faster you can do the work. A Gator, Kawasaki, Cub Cadet or any other UTV might be able to pull a 1000lb trailer but how fast will they pull it up hill?l

Very impressive. I had not seen one in action. Looks good.