We drive the ALL-NEW 2024 Kawasaki Ridge! Here’s EVERYTHING you need to know about the LUXURY four-cylinder rec-ute rig. Be sure to stick around to the end for a full hot lap!
Check out the full story at https://www.utvdriver.com/utv-news/kawasaki-ridge-everything-you-need-to-know/
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Check out the full story at https://www.utvdriver.com/utv-news/kawasaki-ridge-everything-you-need-to-know/
For more stories, reviews, and first-looks check out https://www.utvdriver.com/
Want to see even more shenanigans from the UTV Driver team? Give us a like and follow:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UTVdriver/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utvdrivermagazine/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/utvdriver/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@utvdriver
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SportsTranscript
00:00 [ENGINE REVVING]
00:07 This is everything you need to know about the 2024 Kawasaki
00:11 Ridge.
00:11 This is an all new model that takes
00:13 some of the best aspects of our favorite side-by-sides
00:15 and combines them into an inexpensive package.
00:17 The Ridge is a rec-ute rig, sort of similar to the Yamaha R-Max.
00:20 Unlike that machine, Kawasaki focused on utility and rider
00:24 comfort, pulling a page from the likes of the Ranger XD 1500.
00:27 That starts with the biggest news, an all new inline
00:31 four-cylinder, 999cc engine.
00:34 That peppy little mill puts out up to 116 horsepower in XR trim.
00:39 [ENGINE REVVING]
00:43 And in base form, puts out about 96.
00:45 Big bad XR here puts out about eight more horsepower
00:48 than the Yamaha R-Max.
00:49 It makes just a shave less torque.
00:50 Really, you're not going to feel it.
00:52 Keep in mind, this engine is big news.
00:54 There is only one other four-cylinder side-by-side
00:56 on the market.
00:57 And that is the insane Polaris RZR Pro R.
01:00 And boy, do we love a Kawasaki four-cylinder.
01:02 [ENGINE REVVING]
01:09 We just got finished ripping around a track,
01:11 and it sounds excellent.
01:12 Little four-banger just screaming away, having a blast.
01:14 At launch, Kawasaki's going to have two basic variants.
01:17 The base Ridge, which comes with 27-inch tires,
01:19 a little bit less horsepower, and a bench seat.
01:21 And this thing, which is the XR.
01:23 XR comes with more horsepower, more ground clearance,
01:26 and bucket seats.
01:27 So obviously, if we were buying, we would step up to the XR.
01:30 Now, you don't really feel the horsepower difference
01:32 in most use cases.
01:34 But having a little bit extra grunt is super nice.
01:36 The XR also gets you a front locker.
01:38 The base Ridge just has a rear locker.
01:40 Not that sticking with the base rig
01:42 is going to cost you any real capability.
01:44 Both machines can tow 2,000 pounds
01:46 and can carry 1,000 pounds in the bed.
01:48 Speaking of that bed, this thing is super cool.
01:51 For the first time, Kawasaki gives you a one-handed dump
01:54 release.
01:55 No more walking around the rig and undoing latches.
01:57 It also gives you a single-handed tailgate
02:00 for the first time.
02:01 Big single latch, drop the thing, easiest pie.
02:03 The bed is also massive at 35 by 49 inches.
02:06 That's bigger than just about any other Recute
02:08 rig in the segment.
02:09 Sure, the Ranger XD 1500 can haul and tow more,
02:12 but you're going to pay for that privilege.
02:14 Keep in mind, the base XD 1500 starts at $29,999.
02:17 This rig base starts at $23,999.
02:20 There's all sorts of trims from the base Ranch Edition,
02:22 all the way up to the HVAC, which
02:24 comes with a full factory cab, air conditioning with heat,
02:27 and defrost, multiple modes.
02:29 All that stuff is super nice.
02:31 Big glass windshield, windshield wiper,
02:33 all that stuff works great.
02:34 All the way up to the XR Deluxe, which includes a bench seat.
02:37 So if you don't like the buckets,
02:39 but you still want all of the goodies that comes with an XR,
02:41 Kawasaki's got you covered.
02:42 All the trims have a much improved interior inside.
02:44 This thing still feels a little bargain,
02:46 because it is a bargain machine.
02:48 You're not spending upwards of $40,000 on a Ridge.
02:52 Still, we love the seats.
02:53 The buckets, especially in the XR,
02:55 are super comfortable, super supportive.
02:57 Even when we were ripping around using this thing,
02:58 like you're probably not going to.
02:59 Speaking of interiors, there's all sorts of little things
03:02 that aid driver comfort, right?
03:03 The seats slide forward and aft about five inches or so.
03:06 There's a tilt wheel for the first time.
03:08 Yeah, we wish it had telescope, but it's
03:10 a big step in the right direction.
03:11 The driving position is still a little bit school bussy,
03:13 but you know, that's kind of to be expected on a utility
03:16 rig like this one.
03:16 Otherwise, Kawasaki has given the Ridge
03:18 some of our favorite things from the rest of the company's
03:20 lineup, including a big TFT gauge screen that
03:23 comes from the Kawasaki KRX 1000 ES.
03:25 You also get multiple drive modes
03:27 from normal, worked, and sport.
03:29 All of those change the characteristics of the machine
03:31 drastically.
03:32 And like I said, all Ridge models
03:33 come with selectable four-wheel drive
03:35 on the fly with a selectable rear locker,
03:37 so you don't have to worry about tearing up your farm.
03:39 Some of our other favorite things.
03:41 This thing comes with steel fender liners up front.
03:44 You know, this thing is built to last for a long time.
03:46 Kawasaki is super proud of their three-year warranty, which
03:49 is longer than any other manufacturer out there.
03:51 You know, spec-wise, this thing's
03:52 not going to win any awards.
03:53 It's got about 12.7 inches of suspension travel.
03:57 Top-tier models get about 14 inches of ground clearance.
03:59 Pretty run-of-the-mill stuff.
04:00 So those are the basics.
04:01 What's it like to drive?
04:02 It's pretty fun.
04:03 You know, it's way more fun than a utility
04:05 rig has any right to be.
04:07 The engine's really peppy.
04:08 The CVT is also very smooth.
04:10 Kawasaki told us this CVT does not use a centrifugal clutch.
04:13 It's more of a standard automotive-type design.
04:16 And that means that engine braking
04:17 has to be accomplished by some pretty clever trickery
04:19 with the ECU.
04:20 You let off the throttle, the ECU
04:22 opens the throttle plate just a little bit,
04:24 just enough to spin up the CVT and gauge the belt
04:26 to help you slow down.
04:27 You know, the suspension's nothing to ride home about.
04:30 It's a little buck-boardy, but also
04:32 to be expected for a rig that can haul 1,000 pounds.
04:34 We're not going to hold that against it.
04:36 So who is the Ridge for?
04:37 Well, like all Recute rigs, it's for somebody
04:39 who has a bunch of work to do, but also
04:40 wants to get out on the weekend and have some fun.
04:42 No, it's not going to be as rowdy as models like the R-Max
04:45 or the Can-Am Commander.
04:46 But that's not what this machine is for.
04:48 Kawasaki has always been a work company, work first.
04:50 They're a heavy industry manufacturer.
04:53 They get getting a job done.
04:54 And that's what this thing is at its core.
04:56 But it's also going to offer a lot more comfort than some
04:59 of the other Recute rigs out there.
05:00 That sealed cab alone is 100% worth it
05:03 if you live in a place with harsh weather.
05:05 Think Pacific Northwest with a lot of rain.
05:07 Out here in Arizona where it's hot as can be in the summer,
05:10 or way up north where it's really, really cold,
05:12 that sealed cab means you are spending more days riding.
05:15 And importantly, the Ridge is for someone
05:16 who doesn't want to pay 3/4 ton truck prices
05:19 for their side-by-side.
05:20 At $23,999, this thing is an absolute bargain.
05:24 Throw a cab on it, throw doors on it, all the rest of that,
05:27 and it's still not going to break the bank.
05:28 You're still going to be under $30,000,
05:30 which is just about unheard of, even in competitors
05:33 like the Ranger XP Northstar Edition.
05:36 All right, we're going to have a full review
05:37 of the 2024 Ridge coming out soon over at UTV Driver.
05:40 Be sure to check it out.
05:41 We're going to have galleries.
05:42 We're going to have a buyer's guide, the whole nine yards.
05:44 Anything you want to know or need to know
05:46 about the Kawasaki Ridge, we'll see you there.
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