2021 Polaris RZR Turbo S 4 Test

“Unobtanium” is how we heard the owner of a Polaris dealership refer to the 2021 Turbo S 4, as in unobtainable. Polaris, like other manufacturers around the world, has seen its fair share of supply issues this year. The Turbo S would be in short stock anyhow, seeing as this top-of-the-food-chain RZR is being eaten up by buyers climbing over each other with fistfuls of cash. All right, maybe it isn’t that dramatic, but the sentiment over this car is clear: This is the ultimate RZR for terrain-devouring, high-speed action.

Now in its final model year, the RZR XP Turbo S and S 4 are about to be replaced by brand-new variants of the XP Pro chassis. Polaris has been planning on moving all high-performance RZR production to the new chassis for a while, and the time has come. Fortunately, this means that the older XP (non-Pro RZRs) have benefited from seven model-year cycles of refinement and updates.

Related: 2021 Polaris RZR XP Turbo Buyer’s Guide

This RZR platform as we know it today began life as the all-new, 64-inch-wide XP 1000 back in 2014. Early models were lightweight, powered by a naturally aspirated twin-cylinder engine that made 107 hp. That was class-leading when the XP 1000 was released, and still puts it mid-pack for naturally aspirated horsepower in the 1,000cc class. Polaris followed up the XP 1000 with the release of the 64-inch wide XP Turbo in 2016, which was powered by a new 925cc turbocharged engine, making 144 hp and effectively leaving the naturally aspirated RZRs in the dust. It featured many drivetrain upgrades, uprated brakes, and more.

The first-year XP Turbo was hampered by some cooling issues that were quickly remedied for 2017. The 2017′s face-lift included a larger radiator and charge cooler, uprated fans, new front bodywork for more airflow, larger intake grates over the bed, and more, including a retuned engine calibration that now produced 168 hp. Between the 2016 and 2017 XP Turbos, Can-Am dropped the Maverick X3 X RS Turbo R, which featured turbocharged power and huge 72-inch-wide, long-travel suspension. Polaris, not one to be caught sleeping, had another card up its sleeve: the Turbo S. Released for model year 2018, the Turbo S was Polaris’ (short-term) answer to the X3, and it offered a massive suspension upgrade over the standard XP Turbo.

Polaris’ newly released 2018 Turbo S models were instantly adored by the public. Thanks to a stylish redesign that featured slick LED lighting and a revised interior, it was more than just a performance variant of the standard XP, it was the new XP. Polaris engineers redesigned the standard XP Turbo’s chassis, adding bracing and gusseting to increase torsional rigidity and stand up to the extra load of long-travel suspension and 32-inch tires. The Turbo S was a ground-up reimagining of the RZR, and it felt so behind the wheel.

Polaris knew the Turbo S, as the first-ever UTV to feature 32-inch tires, had to be strong enough to hold up to customer abuse. A full-factory long-travel kit widened the XP by a full 8 inches and kept the wheelbase the same, offering a good blend of ride comfort and agility. Now with updated Dynamix suspension and massive 2.5-inch front and 3.0-inch rear Fox Live Valve Internal Bypass shocks, the Turbo S was poised to catapult Polaris into a new era of suspension performance. With 19 inches of travel up front and 21 inches at the rear of the Turbo S, big whoops and G-outs became high-speed playgrounds to exercise the car’s brilliant bump control. In 2019 Polaris released the four-seat version of the Turbo S, which smoothed the ride out even further, thanks to an additional 17 inches of wheelbase.

Power output from the high-strung 925cc turbocharged engine remains the same as the regular XP Turbo, though throttle mapping has been retuned for a more aggressive delivery. 2021 models were given an upgraded clutch, which was lifted from the higher-output Pro XP. Polaris claims the new clutch offers more airflow, better clutch alignment, and longer belt life for 2021. The RZR puts all of its power down well in four-wheel drive, but hard throttle applications in two-wheel drive on looser soils result in a lot of drifting. Thankfully, the Turbo S boasts a 25 percent stronger EPS calibration and upgraded steering parts that allow a very quick steering rack ratio. The Turbo S steers very well, with little kickback.

Related: 2021 Polaris RZR Turbo S Buyer’s Guide

For 2021 Polaris offered the two- and four-seat Turbo S models in two trims. The lowest cost trim, called the Turbo S Velocity, comes equipped with Walker Evans Racing Velocity series shocks. These compression-adjustable piggyback shocks offer great ride quality and terrific bottoming resistance. The Walkers are not electronically controlled, and the Velocity series skips the Ride Command, roof, and factory audio. The Velocity edition is available in two colors: Radar Blue and Orange Madness. As a bare-bones car to start a build with, the Turbo S 4 Velocity is a great deal at $26,499.

In 2021 the top-trim Turbo S and Turbo S 4 came only in Onyx Black and a very rare, limited-edition color called Lifted Lime. Jumping up to the flagship Turbo S 4 cost $31,999 for 2021, and with it came a ton of accessories.

The Turbo S comes loaded with these additional features over Velocity models:

The Turbo S’ host of electronic accessories features a backup camera, which is a nice addition when you are harnessed up and have the neck mobility of a gorilla. The Ride Command system has great GPS features, and they become even better with other Ride Command-equipped machines in your group. Polaris also makes Ride Command available via Android or iPhone, so other riders have no excuse not to join your group. Once everyone has joined the group ride on their Ride Command systems, you will be able to track each rider’s position relative to yours in real time, and even send short messages to the group via the app. It is quite slick, and Polaris just celebrated 1 million miles of off-road trails being mapped and entered in the Ride Command library.

These are all compelling reasons to put the RZR Turbo S at the top of the food chain, and time behind the wheel only reinforces that further. While the Turbo S is not perfect, it is extremely good at carrying great speed over rough terrain in comfort. With its massive 32-inch ITP Coyote tires helping provide a whopping 16 inches of ground clearance, the Turbo S 4 has a lot of room to compress before you run out of air between the ground and the skid plate. Dynamix suspension means you get a three-way toggle switch on the dash that sets your Turbo S to one of three distinct valving profiles.

A computer-controlled network of sensors and solenoids then work to adjust the RZR’s suspension stiffness in real time. The system takes into consideration things like steering wheel angle, throttle and brake position, speed, and the car’s acceleration across multiple axes. The result is a car that corners flatter, pounds whoops harder, jumps better, and is easily adjusted to suit your mood. Dynamix is for the driver who wants to be able to stiffen the car up to drive hard at the flip of a switch, and then back to comfort when the pace slows back down again.

The RZR XP Turbo S 4 is enlightened by its generational upgrades, providing a rock-solid platform to go blitzing desert and mountain trails with quite a bit of gear in tow. The Turbo S 4 sports a 300-pound weight limit for the bed, which offers more usable space than a Maverick X3′s rear rack. The RZR sacrifices some rear-seat knee room for a shorter wheelbase, which helps make the Turbo S more manageable than the X3 Max when things get twisty. The Maverick is a full 18 inches longer in wheelbase than the Turbo S 4, a lot of that equating to interior volume. This Turbo S 4 will turn circles inside of an X3 Max on the trail.

Other Turbo S upgrades include larger axles versus the XP Turbo, an upgraded front driveline, stronger hubs, even bigger brakes, and more. A reinforced ROPS cage and new four-point-esque seatbelts keep occupants tied down tight and out of harm’s way. While more secure than a standard belt, the Turbo S’ harnesses are not very comfortable, as the padding is thick and quite bulky. We would recommend a good set of aftermarket seats and harnesses for a more comfortable experience when driving hard.

Related: 2019 Polaris RZR XP Turbo S

We have spent excessive amounts of time in the Turbo S, and we really enjoy this iteration of the RZR XP. It is the most solid-feeling RZR yet at high speeds, and the suspension components have been proving quite strong over the past few years of production. The Turbo S is this generation of XPs’ last hurrah, and we are happy to report it is going out with a bang. Of all the RZRs I have ever driven since the very first one back in 2007, this has been my favorite model from the factory for many reasons.

The Turbo S models highlight the advancements Polaris made in the seven years it sold this generation of RZR, and the performance improvements have been massive. Polaris is likely to unveil the replacement for this car very soon, and we cannot wait to see what it has in store. For owners lucky enough to have picked up a 2021 RZR XP Turbo S 4 in their final year of production, rejoice in the fact that Polaris put years of refinement into the XP Turbo chassis, and the final revision is now parked in your garage.