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2022 Kubota Sidekick RTV-XG850 Gallery

The Sidekick is a well-thought-out, tough, and reliable workhorse.

Sarah Lindemann

May 3, 2022

Pulling a stump this big shouldn’t have been this easy.Sarah Lindemann

After a winter of nasty ice storms, we’re hitting the ground running getting our gardens and woods cleaned up for the warmer months. With plenty of downed trees to police and several gardens to move and raised beds to mulch, we put the 2022 Kubota Sidekick RTV-XG850 to work. It impressed us with its ease of use, strength, and versatility.

The 2022 Kubota Sidekick RTV-XG850 eschews the crudeness usually associated with utility rigs but keeps the hardworking ethos.Sarah Lindemann

The Sidekick’s dump bed is cavernous, with a tough spray-in liner. Our only complaint is that it is easy to fill it with a load of mulch heavy enough that the hydraulic assist struggles to keep up.Sarah Lindemann

We found ourselves running much smaller loads than the bed can handle just so we didn’t have to deadlift several hundred pounds of mulch. If the dump assist was stronger, there’d be no need for multiple trips.Sarah Lindemann

Certainly nobody would accuse the Kubota of being luxurious, but it’s more than comfortable enough for a day of choring. Sarah Lindemann

The standard headache rack means moving big stacks of red oak logs was a nonissue. The rack is strong enough to keep even a ponderous load from hitting you in the back of the head.Sarah Lindemann

This stubborn stump was way more than our Tacoma could begin to pull, even in four low. With its 3,500-pound Warn winch, the Kubota shrugged it off without drama. Sarah Lindemann

Pulling a stump this big shouldn’t have been this easy.Sarah Lindemann

Ground clearance is not the Sidekick’s strong suit. Even unladen, we scraped the generous skid plate on small, hidden stumps.Sarah Lindemann

The 2-inch automotive-style hitch receiver allows you to pull just about anything, and the Kubota is happy to oblige.Sarah Lindemann

We used four-wheel drive in low range with the rear locker engaged to move this log, but the Kubota would have easily handled the task in two-wheel drive with the diff open.Sarah Lindemann

With the steel winch cable hooked around the cedar stump, all it took was a solid tug with the winch remote, a couple swings of an ax, and the job was done.Sarah Lindemann

We had a massive red oak come down in a winter storm this year. Having the Kubota meant saving my daily driver from hauling hundreds of pounds of firewood back and forth over rough ground.Sarah Lindemann

With thick logs two rows deep in the bed, the Kubota felt much more settled than it does empty, a testament to its work-only mindset.Sarah Lindemann

Dragging this 20-foot section of pine out of the woods didn’t even get the Sidekick breathing hard.Sarah Lindemann

The Sidekick’s 850cc parallel twin makes just 48 hp, but it comes on early and has linear pull through the rev range.Sarah Lindemann

Underseat storage is neatly divided and a great place to stash tools.Sarah Lindemann

The bed is deceptively wide and deep, and it’s bed-lined steel, so it’s tough as an old boot. The D-ring tie-downs are stout, and an excellent way to keep cargo from rolling around.Sarah Lindemann

This burly steel bumper is standard equipment, and it’s more than just for looks. It offers serious protection.Sarah Lindemann

The Sidekick is a near-perfect work companion for your small to medium farm or woodlot.Sarah Lindemann