I have a Polaris Ranger since 2015 that I use around the farm and for plowing snow. It's been fantastic. I just wish I would have gotten the bigger engine (I have the 570) and A/C would have been sweet. Also a MN based company so I'm biased

My neighbor has a Kubota diesel which is also a really nice machine

 

I would be all in for the Van… Probably your cheapest option too…
I have ridden in one several times and it’s comfortable and roomy..

 

Polaris Ranger NorthStar XP1000 will be having your squad mates fighting to ride shotgun, pun intended.

Never had any issues with it but during COVID sold it for what I paid for it 5 years prior to get the Trail Boss which had an additional inch of ground clearance and more comfortable seats. Built a dog box for hunting it swapped right on over.

The new XP1500 has 15" of ground clearance and more ponies than anything else out there. Polaris is going to have more aftermarket accessories than others. And living in Polaris Country agree with @MNGunner In some towns you will see more Polaris Rangers than cars and trucks. With a few Can Am but not many. If you are looking at Kubota that can't get out of its own way but has plenty of low end power might as well add John Deere HVAC to the list. I looked at them all plus drove them (except Daihatsu, hard pass) and Polaris was hands down the winner. No regrets.

 

Polaris Ranger NorthStar XP1000 will be having your squad mates fighting to ride shotgun, pun intended.

Never had any issues with it but during COVID sold it for what I paid for it 5 years prior to get the Trail Boss which had an additional inch of ground clearance and more comfortable seats. Built a dog box for hunting it swapped right on over.

The new XP1500 has 15" of ground clearance and more ponies than anything else out there. Polaris is going to have more aftermarket accessories than others. And living in Polaris Country agree with @MNGunner In some towns you will see more Polaris Rangers than cars and trucks. With a few Can Am but not many. If you are looking at Kubota that can't get out of its own way but has plenty of low end power might as well add John Deere HVAC to the list. I looked at them all plus drove them (except Daihatsu, hard pass) and Polaris was hands down the winner. No regrets.

^That's what I would get if I were getting one today!

Where did you get the topper!? That looks awesome!

 

I don't have one. (not in my budget) But I have some buddies who do.
Two have the Polaris and love it.
One has the Kubota and loves it.
One has a mini-truck and loves it.

I've ridden in both the Polaris and Kubota, but not the mini-truck.
Here are my observations of the two UTV's:
They are both very nice and comfortable.
The Polaris has more "bling" than the Kubota, if that's a thing for you. (for example: backup camera and big screen console)
The Kubota diesel is a workhorse. Same engine as their little tractors. Very stingy on fuel. And, a diesel engine doesn't overheat when idling. So, you can leave it running between stations if you want the A/C on. I would not recommend that for the gas engines.
The Kubota is slow, the Polaris is fast. But, I don't know of a sporting clays course that would allow you to run 70mph.
The Kubota is a true hydrostatic transmission. When you take your foot off the accelerator pedal, it stops. Some people don't like that. The Polaris drives more like a car.
The guy who has the mini-truck swears that he'll never go back to a UTV. (his previous ride was a Ranger 1000 open station)

Just so you know my perspective. I have a Kubota RTV 900. (no cab) I bought it several years ago, before I started this game. I use it on my farm, almost daily. Two years ago, I added a gun rack. It's what I have, so it's what I use.

 

I have a significant amount of experience with both the Can Am and Polaris. Comparing the XP1000/HD10 size ranges. My opinion is that the Can Am is more comfortable and roomy. It has a better ride quality for sure. Tradeoff is that it is physically bigger and has a larger footprint. The Polaris is less comfortable, but not a deal breaker. It is more compact and more “sporty”, including way faster off the line. It’s a far more nimble ride. To put in terms of demographics, the Ranger is for the kids and the Can Am is for the grown ups.

 

For sporting clays only - mini truck. It’s sealed better with much better air and heat. Downfall is parts and finding someone to work on it.

I have a Can-Am Defender Limited crew. Every time I use the air I wish I had my money back.

 

For sporting clays only - mini truck. It’s sealed better with much better air and heat. Downfall is parts and finding someone to work on it.

I have a Can-Am Defender Limited crew. Every time I use the air I wish I had my money back.

Even if it’s just for sporting clays get the van for an all weather seal and AC/Heat.. With the money you save buy a Kawi Mule Pro FXT for ranching and utility work. Probably could get both for the cost of a Polaris or can am cabbed with air.

 

I have a Polaris Ranger xp1000 two-seater with cab, air, heat. It is a great ride for sporting clays, seating a squad of four comfortably and hauling all the gear. I’ve road in most every brand of UTV there is out on the clays circuit and I have friends that own most of the varieties. The best cab with air and heat is the top of the line John Deere. Their A/C is head and shoulders above the competition, but get ready to spend another $7-8,000.00 on top of the Polaris price. The Can-Am’s are a good ride, but heaven forbid if something goes wrong with them. I have a buddy that has waited four months for engine parts and ultimately bought a new John Deere Gator because it was calving season and could wait no longer. Good luck with your search for the ultimate UTV.

 

One of my buds has a mini truck and its pretty sweet. A/C works great in summer, heat works great in winter. Rides way smoother than any UTV i’ve ever been in. A little cramped if you’re a bigger guy, but not unbearable. Apparently does really fantastic on gas. Wouldnt attempt to do any kind of rough terrain or off roading in it, but if its just a clays cart, its a great option.

 

I have a Ranger Northstar and am really happy with it. A buddy got a Daihatsu because it was $10K cheaper than Northstar. Another buddy got the big CanAm. AC works well in the Ranger or Daihatsu when running while parked, but for some reason the CanAm seems to need to be moving to get AC to be effective. The Ranger and CanAm are smoother riding over rougher courses than the Daihatsu. All FWIW.

 

I am well pleased with my Kubota. I bought to feed in the winter so I could stay out of the cold and rain. I started using it for shooting, and it's perfect for me. AC blows cold, heater is more than enough. As said above, it is no frills, and slow...perfect for me and my purposes.

 

The dark tint helps tremendously with a/c. I just got mine. But have squadded with a friend that has a similar setup. In my opinion the nicest rig available currently. I really wanted to like the Polaris but couldn’t get past how loud it was inside. The new Northstar Expedition was calling my name until I test drove it.

 

My son owns/operates a ATV/UTV business.
All used inventory he buys/sells/repairs as well as customer machines.
Bar none, Polaris will be the cheapest to own, or upgrade in the long run.
The Northstar engine option is the way to go in the Ranger.
The A/C untitled in his crew cab personal Ranger keeps us comfortable in the hay fields in summer. But as any SxS UTV, the choice and manufacturer of the actual optional cab enclosure makes a difference retaining heat or A/C.
The Differentials in the UTV are the weak point in most..The factory Polaris seem to take the most abuse and longevity.
The Kubota, Terex, John deer, Bobcat, are fine, but, 25-40mph max .
CanAm, Polaris are safe travel speed for road use 55-65mph.
The mini trucks? As for me, at 6'6" tall, are a NO GO for bigger men. And , can be difficult for repair parts when needed j

 

if you are over 5ft 5 inches tall or over 185 lbs. those vans are a real hassle to get in and out of. a (short) friend has one and after riding to first station two of us on the squad walked the rest of the course............

 

Yesterday was a blizzard at times at California Hill in PA. The heated cab in the Can Am is a game changer.

 

Yep, that thing was awesome to hop into and warm up. I thought the AC would be more useful for a sporting clays buggy, but I was wrong.

 

I'm going out on a limb here, but if you can't stand to be outside in the weather where you're shooting for a couple hours without A/C or heat MAYBE you should skip it. Yes, I get uncomfortable when it's freezing or blistering hot. Aren't we supposed to be enjoying ourselves outdoors? JMHO Steve

 

But when you climb in a dry. Tin box that's mostly windows.
If it's cold outside, it's really cold inside.
Or if it's hot, it's really hott

 

We have the Polaris XD1500, it really raised the bar in the buggy battle.

 

You guys are cracking me up! Well, if you play your cards right, you can probably find someone to shoot for you and just sit in the cab. Honestly, I get it. My only issue (and it's all mine) When I'm in a station the sound of carts running goes straight through my skull. That droning sound really distracts me. I'm working on it but, it bugs me. I think it's the pitch. You guys enjoy them! Steve🤝

 

I’ve had a Polaris 900 Ranger crew since 2018 with no issues. I will admit a desire for a AC model when it reaches 100+.

 

Just make sure you get the blender accessory.

Don