The side-by-side plot continues to thicken. In recent years, we've seen well-established performance car technologies like turbocharging and paddle shifting make their way over to the side-by-side market. Now Polaris imports another: active suspension. In what Polaris calls the first off-road suspension of its kind, the shocks on the all-new 2018 RZR XP Turbo Dynamix Edition adjust on the fly for the perfect blend of cushioning, speed and cornering.
The RZR XP Turbo Dynamix Edition features the all-new Dynamix Active Suspension, developed in conjunction with Fox. Other RZR XP suspensions have two or five specific compression zones, but the compression on the Dynamix system is infinitely adjustable.
Much like the active suspensions found on cars, the Dynamix system monitors driver and vehicular inputs - up to 200 times a second - adjusting each individual Fox 2.5 Podium Live Valve shock as necessary to optimize current performance. Drivers select what type of suspension program they want via three different modes - comfort, sport and firm, and the system takes over from there to adjust the shocks throughout the ride based on steering wheel position, speed, pedal position, vehicle orientation and more. The Dynamix visualizer setting lets the driver keep track of the system on the glove-friendly 7-in Ride Command touchscreen.
Polaris promises the Dynamix setup will result in more comfortable, confident cornering, acceleration, braking and big-air landings. During hard cornering, the outside shocks firm up, reducing body roll and enhancing grip. The system can also retune when the driver counter-steers. During fast, open acceleration, all four shocks stiffen for smooth, stable speed. When the driver sends it airborne, the system maximizes stiffness at all four wheels, preventing bottom out on the big landing. During sudden braking, Dynamix minimizes nose dive and maximizes travel.
Another aspect of the side-by-side's recent evolutionary uptick that mirrors the sports car world is the horsepower war. When Can-Am announced an industry-first turbocharged side-by-side back in 2014, its 121 hp was a big deal.
Just three years later, the most powerful turbo Can-Am Maverick is pushing out 172 hp, and the new Polaris XP Turbo models, including the Dynamix Edition, aren't at all far behind with 168 hp lurking inside their 925cc ProStar four-stroke twin-cylinder turbos. That engine is mated to a Polaris Variable Transmission and can power just the rear wheels or all four wheels, when the on-demand AWD system is engaged. Peak torque is 114 lb-ft.
Other Dynamix Edition equipment of note includes a four-wheel hydraulic disc braking system, rear-facing camera to help with maneuvering, adjustable seats and tilt steering, and a 900W onboard charger.
The 2018 RZR XP Turbo EPS Dynamix Edition retails for $25,999, and Polaris offers plenty of customization options and accessories.
The video below puts some of those dust-throwing stills into live action and provides a closer look at the Dynamix suspension.
Source: Polaris