Traveling to Coos Bay, Oregon, I recently experienced the new lineup of RZR Pro side-by-side models from Polaris. On the sand, in the dunes, and on the beach, every 2025 RZR Pro showed what it can do.
At a glance
- Pro Series is based on racing machines
- All new design for the UTV
- Three options: XP, S, and R with varying engine outputs
- Only one gets a better shift
Last year, we were introduced to the RZR XP in Tennessee. That’s the lighter-duty option from Polaris. The Pro series adds more robust features and engine outputs. It’s the basis upon which the Polaris racing team builds its machines, as seen when the factory team RZR was introduced earlier in 2024.
The Pro series introduces new styling for the side-by-side, flattening the face and adding what used to be a signature of Polaris: fang lighting. Interiors are also changed, adding more conveniences like lockable storage and more technology integration for smartphones.
Steering-mounted controls for both music streaming and Polaris’ Ride Command navigation are a big change for the better. Even seat belts and harnesses are set higher and are more glove-accessible. Adjustable cabin air intakes to increase airflow within the side-by-side aid comfort as well.
Out in the sandy wilderness of Coos Bay, Oregon, wearing my signature "Not Slim, Kinda Shady" hi-vis shirt, I started with the top-end RZR Pro R. This is the newest in the Polaris lineup, adding a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that outputs 225 horsepower (165.5 kW) through a wide RPM band.
If that sounds familiar, it’s the same engine (tuned differently) that powers the Slingshot three-wheeler. The Pro R sits at 74 inches (188 cm) wide with a 104.5-inch (265.4-cm) wheelbase. Its suspension has 29 inches (73.7 cm) of usable suspension travel. The shock absorbers automatically adjust to terrain changes, while driver-selectable settings can change traction controls on the fly.
Transmission shifting was noticeably smoother than what is usually found in Polaris machines. The continuously variable transmission has been tuned to accept the power output of the Pro R’s engine, and feels more positive when shifted into position.
This machine is also breathtakingly fast. During sprints on the beach, I reached 80 mph (129 km/h) and stopped pushing the throttle down. It could have easily broken 100 and kept gaining speed. My will to live was stronger than my need to go even faster.
In the dunes and forests of southern Oregon, the RZR Pro R was a beast. It absorbed jounces very well and always seemed to keep its feet on the ground no matter how harsh the turn or how powerful the acceleration. The big red button on the steering wheel stiffens suspension temporarily for keeping grip. Now it can be locked into stiff mode with a double-tap of the button; a feature requested by Polaris’ race teams. There’s a reason the most expensive model in this Polaris Pro lineup is also the easiest to handle and most powerful to drive.
From the Pro R I switched out to the Pro S model, the next down in the RZR Pro lineup. Its 181 horsepower (133 kW) is nothing to shake a stick at. It’s a little less than the Pro R’s massive power, but is still a lot of muscle for a machine this size. This one’s turbocharged versus the natural aspiration of the R. The Pro S was formerly the Turbo R, for those keeping track.
This is a noticeably smaller machine, measuring the same 74 inches wide but with a wheelbase of 96 inches (244 cm). Its engine and transmission are basically unchanged from the previous year, and the shifting is far more touchy, requiring an extremely positive hand thrust to make it stick. After coming from the smooth shifter in the Pro R, I fell out of gear a couple of times in the Pro S until I got back into the "jerk it hard into place" habit of Polaris old.
Out in the dunes, the Pro S requires a little more finesse to keep up with the Pro R’s shenanigans. But it’s more than capable of doing so. The on-demand all-wheel-drive system is extremely quick in adjustment as well. The turbo is smoother than might be expected, though there’s still a definite break between no thrust and thrust. Not enough to break traction, but enough to feel it if one is paying attention.
As a second fiddle to the much more expensive Pro R, the Pro S is a great option.
Last and, to be honest, least of the three is the Pro XP. This machine wasn’t designed for sand and open dunes, being a thinner track. It aims towards forest trails with tighter corners and less clearance. Upgrades this year include the addition of the transmission also used in the Pro S, giving the XP a better AWD response and speed modulation. The XP is now essentially a Pro S in a thinner package at a width of just 64 inches (162.5 cm).
In Oregon’s dunes, the Pro XP felt more unstable during hard maneuvers, but anyone with common sense can adjust and keep things upright. Its speed is also a bit harder to squeeze out than what’s delivered by the Pro S and R, as the throttle is adjusted for more technical trails instead of outright flat runs.
Knowing all of that, the RZR Pro XP was still a lot of fun to blast through the sand and crawl over the more technical parts of the trails we were riding. Without the others for comparison, I would have been very happy in this machine as-is. Price-wise, it’s also the most accessible of the three new 2025 models.
All three machines have packages that include Polaris’ excellent Ride Command system, which includes trail maps for most destinations as well as the ability to link machines (or phones) so that riders are always aware of where others in the group might be.
Pricing for the new Polaris machines ranges from about US$24,000 for the Pro XP to about $35,000 for the Pro R.
Product page: 2025 Polaris RZR Pro Series
