It's still not at all clear when Kawasaki plans to fully reveal its new sport side-by-side (SxS), a high-performance monster that's already promising top-of-market power. But the company has taken the next step in teasing the upcoming Polaris-RZR-fighter, noting that it will include an adaptive suspension system and a spacious cabin with more seats than any of its sport SxS competition. So every exhilarating off-road epic can star the entire family.
As we looked at during Project H2 teaser #1, Kawasaki, one of the originators of the UTV/side-by-side market at large, is finally going after the Can-Am Mavericks and Polaris RZRs of the world by launching its own sport side-x-side unconcerned with utility and entirely focused on unfettered dune-sending, dust-spewing speed and adrenaline.
The headline of that original teaser tipped that the new model will bring market-topping power by way of the supercharged 998cc four-stroke four-cylinder engine from the Ninja H2 bike series, this time tuned to 250 hp. Assuming Kawasaki fully reveals this thing before Can-Am or Polaris get around to refreshing their respective sport SxS lineups, the H2 should edge out the 240-hp Can-Am Maverick R as the world's most powerful production SxS.
With a Can-Am-estimated top speed of 100 mph (161 km/h), the Maverick R is also the world's fastest factory side-by-side, and Kawasaki might just edge it out in that department, too. After all, that same H2 engine is the rapidly beating heart of the H2R, long one of the world's absolute fastest motorcycles.
And the Project H2 is promising all that market-restructuring performance while adding a different type of bragging right: five seats. More specifically, the quick, blurry teaser clip Kawasaki released makes clear the new four-wheeler will offer "up to five-passenger seating," which means there'll be models with fewer seats, too, likely the same two- and four-seat configurations as Polaris and Can-Am offer right now. So any extra size and weight brought on by that five-person configuration shouldn't ultimately interfere with Kawasaki's ability to make it the fastest production side-by-side on the market, should it so choose.
If you're scratching your head wondering what the big deal about five seats is, given that there are already a few five- and even six-seat side-by-sides on the greater UTV market, we'll point out that those exist in the utility and recreation-utility segments, not the pure sport segment in which the Project H2 will compete. For instance, Polaris offers its Xpedition overland-inspired model with five seats and its Ranger workhorse with six, but the RZR only accommodates two or four from the factory. You'd need to chase down an aftermarket fifth-seat solution to belt in an extra RZR passenger.
So not only is Kawasaki teasing the world's most powerful side-by-side, it's teasing the only high-performance sport model with five seats straight out of the factory. And that's an option that will naturally attract anyone looking to get out and ride with their family (or friend group) of five.
Or at least it's an attractive option in theory. We don't know what form that fifth seat will take, and if it appears torturously uncomfortable for any child old enough to speak his or her mind, it might just be a lonely nonstarter at the end of the options sheet. But the fact Kawasaki is teasing it this early suggests it should be at least a semi-desirable add-on.
Beyond that seat, this week's teaser clip also notes the Project H2 will cushion its full cabin of passengers with Kawasaki's Electronic Control Suspension (KECS) running Fox Live Valve 3.0 shocks. This auto-adaptive setup monitors systems data and adjusts damping in real time to better absorb the impacts of the ever-varying ground below.
Beyond that, Project H2 remains a classified "top secret" mystery that will slowly unravel the layers back on the promise of "performance beyond what is currently believed possible." We'll be watching.
Speaking of watching, here's that new quick teaser:
Source: Kawasaki
