Improved throttle response, shifting, side nets, new colors, 30% stronger steel in the roll cages, turned down exhaust tip and more.
So, now that we’ve got you all hyped about the new Rangers and RZR S, let’s not forget about the trail capable version of the RZR. This is where we’ll talk about all the updates that were made to both the RZR and the RZR S that we listed above. First off, the 2009 Polaris Ranger RZR lineup no longer has the jerky throttle syndrome. Polaris recessed the floorboard of the new RZRs to keep your leg from jerking around and causing your ankle from repetitively hitting the gas pedal. And, it really works. You don’t need any special springs or some fandangled contraption to stiffen the pedal, because Polaris truly fixed the problem.
Another area Polaris addressed this year is in the shifting. In the past model years, it was found that when parked on a hill where the vehicle’s weight was holding against the transmission, it was oftentimes very difficult to get it to shift out of park. In 2009, Polaris perfected the linkage, and now it shifts not only out of park easier, it shifts smoother through all the gears. Another area of concern was the strength of the frames, especially when adding long travel kits. So, given the fact that Polaris agreed when designing the RZR S, now all RZRs come with thicker gauge steel up front and better suspension mounting points in the rear, as well. No longer do we have to worry about the extra forces of leverage by
long travels or extremely hard hits in the rear bending upper shock tabs, because it’s all been fixed to withstand much longer durability cycles.
When I say Polaris really stepped up and fixed nearly all the concerns of the public, I’ll say it again. I’ve never seen a company in one year fix nearly every complaint or issue that folks had in one year. Usually, it takes manufacturers multiple years to see if indeed it’s a real issue, then they might get around to it. This just goes to show that Polaris is able to dynamically change with the market, which I would imagine is crucial in today’s economic climate. And, another area they updated was the exhaust decibel level and the amount of fumes present in the cab. To do this, they ran tests on the dyno and came up with a way to reduce the decibel level with a little metal ring inside the tip of the exhaust. In addition, by turning the tip of the muffler downward, they drastically reduced the fumes that would re-circulate into the cabs, especially with a windshield on.
One of the other areas Polaris addressed this year is storage for the RZRs. Although I’ll admit I’d still really like to see more storage incorporated under the dash of the RZR, the new sealed under seat storage was a welcome surprise. And, last but not least, if you’ve removed your factory netting because it got caught in trees and ripped off or just was too much of a hassle to get in and out of, Polaris redesigned the netting to only require one latch to be unclipped to get in and out of the vehicle. Plus, the netting right against your shoulder has been replaced with a durable plastic that won’t get ripped off like the previous design. Plus, all in the quest for safety, Polaris is using a 30% stronger steel in the roll cages to further prevent folks from getting hurt if they get out of control and roll their RZR.
Review By: UTV Off-Road Magazine
