Driven: 2025 Polaris RZR Pro XP – All the Sporty Side-By-Side That Most Will Ever Need

On the other side are the sprawling sand dunes of North Bend, Oregon. Located roughly two and a half hours from Eugene, the soft sands and picturesque beaches of the Spinreel Dune Buggy & ATV Rental course are the perfect proving ground for a line of sporty side-by-sides with heritage for days. The RZR is commonly credited with inventing the sports side-by-side segment in the late 2000s. But now, with almost 20 years worth of R&D behind it, the RZR Pro XP manages to bring considerable technology to the entry-level price point.

Across a range of three trim packages from the entry-point Sport model starting at $23,999, the mid-range Premium at $27,999, and the Ultimate at $33,999, there's a fair amount of adaptability and selection within what's still the entry point into the RZR Pro family. On first impressions, it's clear there's a very concise and well-planned-out similarity in exterior design between the RZR Pro XP and its up-tiered brethren, the Pro S and the Pro R. That signature front end that's come to define the RZR brand recently is still more or less there, but subtle changes and tweaks have been added for both aesthetic and practical purposes.

Functional cabin air intakes integrated into the RZR Pro XP's front fascia not only add another layer of aggressive styling but also provide optimal cooling for all the internals underneath, plus a bit of ventilation for the vehicle's occupants. Add in a new gauge cluster with a larger LCD screen and revised, far more supple seat coverings in the interior, and it's clear a good deal of subtlety went into the little touches that add up to big changes for the RZR Pro line.

If you've been paying attention to the UTV scene lately, you'll know that side-by-sides are growing more and more automotive-like in their standard equipment and features as each model year passes. The RZR Pro line is no exception. Opening the delightfully tactile interior door poppers gives way to a remarkably well-trimmed interior. One where that above-mentioned larger gauge cluster screen and racing-inspired steering wheel meld with a seven-inch capacitive infotainment touchscreen to make for a decisively automotive feel in the cabin.

With dimensions of 126 x 64 x 71.7 inches (320 x 162.6 x 182.1 cm) and a 96-inch (244-cm) wheelbase in the two-seater layout tested, such a compact form factor might lead to some concerns about space to move around. But even a pretty pudgy guy like myself found getting in and out, plus strapping myself into the four-way adjustable safety harness, not to be that much of a chore. Besides, even more goodies awaited me once I was strapped in and turned the key. When the RZP Pro XP's liquid-cooled, 925cc twin-cylinder engine with a big fat turbo to crank the thrills beyond even what the RZR XPs of old have given.

With 181 horsepower to work with, you have nearly 80 percent of the power of a Subaru BRZ/Toyota GR86 and 100 percent of what a 2025 Mazda MX-5 makes. That's right; this entry-level point to a mid-range sporty side-by-side makes identical power figures to a road-legal sports car. Not that you should ever take one of these rigs within three or four football field's distance of a public road. You'd think that goes without saying, but evidently not to some people.

In any case, a top-notch rubber belt CVT transaxial and on-demand selectable 2WD and AWD completes a drivetrain up to the task of ripping across the dunes day in and day out. So too is the suspension setup on these RZR Pro XP rigs up to snuff. We're talking 16-position adjustable Walker Evans piggyback shocks with 14.5 inches (36.8 cm) of ground clearance all around. A specialized high-clearance dual A-Arm and stabilizer bar set up in the front plus a trailing arm and standard-clearance radius rod with stabilizer bar out back give 22 inches of travel all around.

That's more than enough to deal with rocks, gravel, woodland trails, mud puddles, and whatever else the great outdoors can throw your way on a given ride. Power is smooth and continuous throughout the rev range with solid throttle response all around, plus the roar of the little two-pot engine didn't get tiring as far as I was concerned. The electric power steering feel was very solid, and the adjustable drive mode settings really made a difference in the ride experience. Be it comfort, sport, or Baja, there was a setting and drive configuration for almost any scenario. With only 1,759 pounds (798 kg) weighing down on those 30 x 10-14 Maxxis Carnivore tires, these power-to-weight figures mixed with such a short wheelbase made for some extremely fun driving time.

All the while, the RZR's integrated center screen with Polaris' industry-leading Ride Command software ensured all drivers along for the ride were up to date on where everyone's location in the party at any given time. With a crisp and clean-feeling capacitive touch screen, we can point to a few automotive-grade infotainment systems from the last five years or so that aren't this smooth to operate. It's all accessible in the palms of your hands thanks to the snappy and responsive Ride Command+ companion app for iOS and Android Devices.

In the interior ergonomics department, the RZP Pro XP wins major props. The chunky center buttons and easy-access radio and suspension controls on the steering are a real treat when wearing gloves as well. Fit and finish in the interior are pretty solid for a side-by-side, although sand and fine particles over the dunes can make their way into the latches for the interior storage pocket, making closing them somewhat of a chore. Still, you can't blame this entirely on the vehicle; this is likely the case for any side-by-side rides over these dunes. Overall, there are layers of refinement latent within every inch of the RZR Pro XP that simply weren't available on sporty side-by-sides even five years ago. Don't get us started on the LED front fang accent lights available on upper trimmed RZR Pros, they look positively delicious in low light.

As much as powersports companies would love if we stopped comparing side-by-sides to passenger cars, the line between the two is getting blurrier year by year, it seems. For the end-user driving experience, it means you can drive faster than ever, in more comfort than ever, and while blasting your favorite music through a banging Stage 4 Rockford Fosgate audio setup with an all-new ten-inch subwoofer and both front and rear door card speakers. Thanks to Polaris' proprietary modular Lock & Ride cargo storage system, up to 300 lbs of coolers and all the soda you could possibly drink stay in place and secure regardless of how rough the terrain may become.

With optional extras like a vented glass windshield, rear 73-quart cargo box, pivoting spare tire carrier, and a semi-enclosed aluminum roof, you can cater the vehicle exactly to your liking. Add a 12-gallon fuel tank in tow, and you could spend all day out on the trails, dunes, mountains, or whatever you may find yourself in an RZR Pro XP. Though higher trimmed models in the RZP Pro lineup may have it beat in terms of raw power, believe us when we tell you you're netting about 75 percent of the sheer thrill of the range-topping RZR Pro R at an over $10,000 discount compared to the most basic Pro R Sport. But even so, that hardly makes either RZR a bargain to buy outright.

You could buy a pretty nice used car for the kind of scratch Polaris is selling the RZR Pro line for. It's for this reason that the most important factor in the experience of driving the new RZR Pro line has to do with the location rather than the vehicles themselves. Buy purchasing Polaris RZRs in bulk directly from the manufacturer, destinations like Spinreel here in Oregon and elsewhere across the world give you access to an afternoon out in the rough without having to front the cost of ownership. It's a partnership that puts rear-ends in seats, and they might even decide they'd like to buy one when they're done. Now, that's some clever marketing.

With their competition from Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda, and their mortal rivals across the border at Can-Am, the RZR Pro XP manages to be accessible and gentle enough to attract newcomers but also fun enough to satisfy all but the most doped-out thrill junkies. It's the embodiment of everything that's made the RZR such a game changer in the side-by-side space with even more features than ever before. What's not to like about any of that? It's an absolute home run as far as Polaris is concerned.