Honda Pioneer vs Polaris RZR vs Arctic Cat Wildcat vs Can-Am Maverick

I currently own a Polaris RZR 900 XP that I use for sport riding, and I just bought a Honda Pioneer 4 to use for most everything else.

They are two very different machines and in a way it is like comparing a high performance Mustang to a nice pick-up. The Mustang will easily outperform most pick-ups in the performance category (off road use excluded) but the pick-up is much more versatile.

The RZR will also cost half again as much as the Pioneer, but with that additional cost comes more high performance. However it will not even come close to a Pioneer in utilitarian use. Moreover the Pioneer can still be a recreation vehicle where the RZR is pretty limited to sport riding (it doesn't even have a tow rating).

So it depends on the application, and of course what you can afford. I like them both and use them for what I bought them for.

I will add my 2 cents worth here as well.

I currently own a 2013 RZR 800. This was my first SXS and I got it partially because of its narrower width. I had seen the Honda Big Red in the dealers show room and thought that was the biggest, ugliest machine out there (also thought that about the Ranger and any other SXS. I have since changed my mind regarding the size of the machines.

I will lump all machines, that are belt driven, in one category . By that I mean that RZR and Ranger (both Polaris) are the same. Different uses but essentially the same engine, transmission, etc.

The vast majority of my use for a atv, of any sort, is used for work (slow speed grunt work) and off road pleasure riding. My interest in "pleasure riding" is going slow and seeing things, tuff to see much at 15 or 20 mph compared to 2 to 5 mph. This preference for slow riding demands that any of the belt driven machines be in "low gear" so as to prevent damage to the belt. That is fine but the RPM is up and the machine is noisy. My Honda Rubicon will go slow all day long without a problem if that is what one wants to do. The Rubicon has a transmission drive, 2/4 wheel, low gear, etc. It is set up for just about anything one would want to do. I would like to see the Pioneer with the same transmission setup the Rub. has. Don't know what the cost would be but what a machine that would be.

My personal comparison of the various machines on the market would be how do they work at slower speed and "brute power" demands. The RZR is a find machine but doesn't even start running smooth until about 3000 RPM (I think the 900's are a different story).

I am not sure but I think that all machines, except the Honda, are belt driven and suffer from the same problem (in my opinion) and so my choice would be the Honda Pioneer (I think).

Having said that, I will probably wait until the 2015's come out to see what changes are made before seriously considering making a change.

Jay

I have the pioneer 500 and the Big Red. I had a 09 Ranger. My dad and son has the 800 RZR, 50".
The RZR is a lot faster, I don't like the speed limiter in the Big Red and Pioneer.
I wish the Big Red had a way to shift manually and the pioneer 500 had a way to put it in automatic. They would both be a lot better with the Rubicon transmission or the 420 AT Rancher transmission.

The Ranger I had was better than my big red in about every way possible, except dependability. I put 4000 mile a year on my machines. The big red has not giving me any problems and the Ranger did. The RZRs are faster, ride better, and have some storage, but I still bought the pioneer 500, I think it will last longer. I have hit the 41 mph speed limiter many times. I wish it was like my rancher and could go up to 50.
So far I have over 200 miles on the pioneer 500, I think it is going to be a real good machine. We use the 50" machines more around where I live because some of the forest trails are made for 50" or less only.
My machines get a work out, They carry 2 people and 8 dogs (hounds) on the rough trails around here.

i owned a Pioneer 700 2 seater, i t was a great work vehicle for around my property, but just didn't stack up to my expectations for trail riding. not enough power, and even though i liked the auto trans, it not well suited for moderate to heavy trail riding. The suspension is terrible as well. Build quality is awesome on the pioneer, and I'm sure it will be dead reliable.

i traded it in on a 14 Arctic Cat Trail 700, 63hp and fox shocks made this thing a treat to ride on the trails, tons of power, great locking diff, and at 50" wide could fit on all the trails. the downside to it in my opinion is the build quality isn't that nice. not that its crap, just some of the materials felt cheap, and i think some things could have been thought out better. though the price point is awesome on the wildcat trail, and at the time, it was the set spec'd 50" wide sxs on the market on paper. unfortunately, it got totaled within a week of ownership, my wife hit a tree on a trail ride and it bent the frame.

the newest purchase is a 14 Can Am Maverick 1000 X XC.. its the 60" wide version. all i can say is holy ****. 101hp its amazing. fox podium x 2.0 reservoir shocks with comp/reb adjustment, the best cockpit on the market, factory beadlocks and 27" bighorn 2.0s, and i got a **** of a deal on it so i felt it was priced right at what i bought it for. the build quality, attention to detail, high end materials is just amazing on this thing. honestly it is probably the nicest sxs on the market. it may not be the fastest or have the best suspension, now that the new RZRs are really upping the anty, but id still choose the can am.

i know this isn't a fair comparison to the pioneer, but i was just giving my take on the ones i have owned. haven't owned a RZR, but i have ridden in my buddies 570 and another friends 800s. both of them love their RZRs, but do talk about the machines flaws as well. the one thing i can say is when i rode in both, they both made a lot of squeaks and noises from the suspension. guess bushings are a big issue on them.

I've heard the wildcat trail, people are already having issues with motor mounts and bushings. Can Am guys talk about weak tie rods. i think every machine will have its issues, pick your poison.

as long as your enjoying your machine, doesn't matter what ya buy.