2024 Polaris Ranger XD 1500 Has 110 Horsepower, Truck-like Capability
Polaris is raising the bar once again with the new-for-2024 Ranger XD 1500. That it shares a nomenclature with full-size pickup trucks is perhaps a coincidence, however it does allude to the UTV's seriously strong capabilities which are the likes we have yet to see from a mainstream side-by-side manufacturer.
The XD 1500's headlining act is the ProStar1500cc 3-cylinder engine which pumps out a healthy 110 horsepower and what Polaris calls "50% more torque than the next closest competitor." This powerplant is paired to the industry-exclusive Steeldrive automatic transmission, which uses a "100 percent steel constructed belt." Polaris states this setup requires less attention and maintenance than a comparable rubber belt, meaning less downtime and more productivity or trail-focused fun. Overall, the machine is capable of running four-to-six times as long between maintenance than a "standard" UTV, according to the manufacturer.
The XD 1500 uses a frame made from High-Strength Steel, which allows for 160 percent higher torsional stiffness. This ties into pillars that are rollover protection system (ROPS) rated, which improves safety and reduces noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) alike.
On the tech front, Polaris equips the with niceties like Hill Assist and Descent Control, and both Ride Command and Ride Command+ are available. Buyers can get a full cab enclosure with HVAC and heated seats can be had as well.
Creature comforts are nice, but the XD 1500 is a workhorse first and foremost and it's in this space that it is effectively unmatched. The cargo box can carry 1,500 pounds and the big Ranger can tow 3,500 pounds. Ground clearance is an astounding 15 inches on all XD 1500 models thanks to high-clearance arched A-arms, so the likelihood of getting hung up when hauling or pulling is less likely. To get more capability, buyers will need to look to the truck market.
“We spent over five years meeting with farmers, ranchers, large acreage property owners and big game hunters to develop an extreme duty vehicle that was missing from the market. From its ProStar 1500cc engine to the industry’s only STEELDRIVE transmission, RANGER XD 1500 is unlike anything else offered today and is yet another example of our relentless commitment to advancing the industry with fresh thinking and innovative solutions that meet the real-world needs of our utility customers,” said Steve Menneto, President of Polaris Off Road.
“Polaris RANGER has been the No. 1 selling utility side-by-side brand for more than 15 years and with the introduction of RANGER Extreme Duty, we’ve taken the industry’s hardest-working lineup and expanded it,” said Chris Judson, Vice President of Off Road Utility. “A segment of our utility customers
said they are facing exceptionally large tasks and they simply need a machine with more power, more torque, more hauling and towing capacity, and more durability. And our team set out to deliver just that, incorporating dozens of new features and the latest engineering to make the RANGER XD 1500 more capable, stronger, and more comfortable than any other utility side-by-side out there.”
The Ranger XD 1500 will be available in three trims upon launch: Premium (starting at $29,999), NorthStar Premium (starting at $39,999), and NorthStar Ultimate (starting at $44,999). Shipments are slated to start later this summer.
Ross hosts The Off the Road Again Podcast. He has been in the off-road world since he was a kid riding in the back of his dad’s YJ Wrangler. He works in marketing by day and in his free time contributes to Hooniverse, AutoGuide, and ATV.com, and in the past has contributed to UTV Driver, ATV Rider, and Everyday Driver. Ross drives a 2018 Lexus GX460 that is an ongoing build project featured on multiple websites and the podcast and spends his free time working on and riding ATVs.
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