How We Test Side-By-Sides

By now you’re probably familiar with our side-by-side reviews, buyer’s guides, and features, but that’s not all we’re up to at UTV Driver. We’re also working to put hard data to every machine that rolls through our headquarters. Side-by-sides have quickly evolved from their beginnings as little more than lifted golf carts to mini trophy trucks with prices to match. Now, it’s not uncommon to see machines with more horsepower than a Honda Civic with an MSRP that easily outstrips the commuter car. But unlike the Honda, it’s not easy to test drive a side-by-side.

And worse, there isn’t consistent information available across makes and models. One manufacturer may provide horsepower and torque. Another may not. One may provide wet weights, another dry. All of it makes making an informed purchase nearly impossible. So we’re taking the guesswork out of buying a side-by-side.

That starts with weighing every unit we get our hands on. We make certain there’s a full tank, then put the vehicle on our four-corner scale to determine curb weight and weight distribution front and rear. So far, the lightest rig we’ve tested is the 2021 Polaris RZR Trail S 1000 at 1,429 pounds, while the heaviest is the 2021 RZR XP 4 1000 Premium at 2,185 pounds. Interestingly, the 2021 Can-Am Defender HD10 Limited has had the best weight balance with 52.3 percent of its 2,001 pounds over the rear axle.

Next, we pit each machine against our ramp travel index, or RTI, test. We’ve spoken at length about what an RTI score can and cannot tell you about a vehicle. The long and short is that the number provides an easy point of reference for suspension articulation. So far, the 2021 Yamaha RMAX2 1000 Limited Edition is our RTI king with a score of 706.5. The 2021 Polaris RZR Trail S 1000 brings up the rear with a more meager 338.6. More interesting? Rigs with intelligent suspension invariably out perform their conventional counterparts despite having the same travel and ground clearance. For example, while the 2021 Honda Talon 1000X earned a 510.8 on the RTI test, the Talon 1000X Live Valve managed a 565.1.

Next, we check tire pressures, setting each rig to factory specifications, make certain the fuel tank is still full, and head to a consistent surface. There, we run each machine up to its maximum speed using a VBox Sport datalogger to find the magic number. These days, most units are electronically limited to around 70 mph, but some come in a little higher and some fall a little lower. Surprisingly, the 2021 Honda Talon 1000X tops out at 73 mph, while the 2021 Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Trailboss manages 64. Still plenty quick for a utility rig.

With the VBox still in place, we turn our attention to the 0-40 mph sprint. This is where most machines will see the majority of their use, darting up and down trails or rolling from the barn to the pasture. We don’t rely on a 1-foot rollout like most automotive publications, instead measuring from a dead standstill to 40 mph. We try various suspension settings, launches, and both two-wheel and four-wheel drive until we achieve our best number. So far, the Talon 1000X Live Valve is the star of the show thanks to its launch control and adaptive suspension, banging out a 2.99-second run.

The Talon 1000X Live Valve is also the current king of the next test: 0-60 mph. Again, we don’t use a 1-foot rollout, preferring to provide a real-world number. Most machines aren’t geared for this sort of high-speed run, but the figure tells us plenty about the intersection of horsepower, torque, and curb weight. The Talon 1000X Live Valve knocked off a 7.05-second 0-60 mph time, which is 0.15 second quicker than the next closest machine, the standard Talon 1000X.

Next, we turn our attention to braking, and we start with a 40-0 mph test. We accelerate to 43 mph, then bring the vehicle to a stop as quickly as possible. So far, no UTVs come with antilock brakes, and stopping quickly means modulating the pedal at the traction limit. We execute the test, drive back to our start point to cool the brakes, and go again until we achieve our best number.

Our last test is 60-0 mph. This is admittedly aggressive, as it’s rare to have to come to a complete stop from such a high speed, but the test gives us a good idea of how the machine’s brakes handle heat. Do they fade? Does the pedal get long? Like with the 40-0 mph test, we run the test multiple times, cooling the brakes between each run, to achieve our best number. So far, the 2021 Honda Talon 1000X Live Valve has produced the best test results, knocking out the 60-0 mph stop in 150.69 feet.