What to look for when buying a UTV

With a good handful of All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) manufacturers having pulled their products from the Australian market due to safety regulations that came into full effect from October 2021, farmers are increasingly exploring other options on the market, namely Utility Terrain Vehicles, or UTVs.

But the question is, where does one start? Like most vehicle purchases, the ‘sugar hit’ from initial intent can sometimes evaporate very quickly once you’re confronted with a dizzying array of choices and options, as well as well-meaning ‘advice’ from friends and family.

Mass confusion often ensues, but in essence it all boils down to one question: what do you need your UTV to do? Even a vague terms of reference will help shape what type of UTV should be on your shopping list. This guide will focus on some of the key purchase questions – some obvious and others not so obvious – and the manufacturers that may be able to meet your needs.

Let’s get in the driver’s seat!

A UTV – which is also often referred to as a side-by-side (SSV) vehicle because the driver and passenger(s) sit next to each other – has similar traits to an ATV in that it’s designed to take on rough and rugged ground, often in both work and recreational environments.

Both UTVs and ATVs have robust suspension, plenty of ground clearance and chunky all-terrain tyres, which means they have the wherewithal, cunning and guile to navigate their way up, down and through some extremely unforgiving and snotty terrain.

Hauling and towing are also strong suits of both, but of course the biggest difference is that an ATV is an open design that’s ridden – and hence more physically demanding than an enclosed UTV with its car-like design, conventional seats, steering wheel and foot controls.

ATVs also place more of a premium on ride craft – skills and balance, primarily – and UTVs are generally much more comfortable and often have a multitude of safety features such as a roll cage and seat belts.

Hence, both vehicles are equally suited for use on farms.

Back to the main question: what do you want to do with your new UTV? The most obvious filter: is it for work or recreation, or a mix of both. If so, what’s the likely percentage breakdown, and do you plan on inviting friends and family to join you?

If it’s a dinkum work-only affair, the majority of manufacturers will lay out the welcome mat with myriad options.

Brands like Can-Am, Polaris and Kubota all sell hybrid UTVs that can work and play, but there are obvious compromises in the designs: they won’t be the lightest and fastest in true SSV sporting flair, and the owner may have to forfeit cargo space.

If you need to haul or tow big loads, that may be an issue, but if the hard yakka is at the lower end of the scale and you’re content with recreational thrills rather than winning pro races, then these vehicles will put on the charm offensive as soon as you drive them.

Back to the passenger count. If you’re more the A to B type driver who prefers protection from the elements, CFMOTO and Can-Am sell UTVs which are fully enclosed in standard trim. The CFMOTO even has an automotive-grade windscreen and heated seats.

Honda, Can-Am and Polaris also sell stretched UTVs to accommodate up to six people in the vehicle. That way, the entire family plus pupper can hitch a ride around the farm.

The majority of UTVs are two- and four-wheel drive, but not all of them have a limited-slip rear differential where, in a nutshell, one wheel is powered and the other rotates freely to avoid damaging the turf.

If maintaining delicate pasture is an important part of your farm management, perhaps a UTV with the limited-slip feature could be the go. Like any system, though, it pays to do your homework to understand all its nuances.

Polaris calls its limited-slip differential a marketing-friendly ‘turf mode’, and other manufacturers adopt more literal terms. Sure, the technology comes at a cost, but compared to a fixed rear differential, the advantages are obvious.

How do you like your power delivered? Naturally aspirated petrol engines are the norm in the UTV orbit, while the likes of Polaris and Can-Am are exponents of forced induction in their flagship SSV high-performance offerings.

At the other end of the scale, there are UTVs with diesel engines – Landboss and Polaris the two biggest in Australia – which offer oodles of torque in low-revving powerplants. If a torquey engine is more important than peak horsepower, perhaps diesel could be the answer – with impressive hauling and towing capacities to boot.

If zero emission is more your caper, Polaris’ electric Ranger could be the way to go. The machine has  a claimed 80km limit on a full charge, and with very respectable payloads.

We’ve all seen semi-trailers or long-bed trucks trying to navigate tight back roads: it’s agonising to watch. The same applies to UTVs. A long wheelbase is not going to be your best friend if you’re going to be constantly driving in tight and twisty terrain.

Outside of opting for an ATV, a UTV with a short wheelbase may be the answer. That might mean sacrificing some horsepower, but it beats doing a 10-point turn on a narrow trail when you’re tired and hungry at the end of a working day.

Kymco and Kawasaki have UTVs with a short wheelbase, and they are extremely lithe and agile.

Of course, the size of the UTV has to be balanced against the non-negotiables – there’s no use buying a smaller UTV if the carrying and towing capacities don’t meet your requirements.

What are your main duties around the farm? If, for example, it’s carting gravel or other loose matter, then you’d probably want to place a tilting cargo bed at the top of your specs list. It’ll save you huge amounts of time and energy. Most tilt beds are activated by a lever, and kept in check by gas struts.

Also, does the cargo bed have tie-down points? If it doesn’t and your loads have to be secured, you way want to look elsewhere.

If that’s you – hunting or otherwise – make sure the lighting is up to scratch, especially if there are nasties in paddocks that can catch you out. You certainly don’t want to be using your head torch as auxiliary lighting….

Quality lighting – which to be fair is just about the norm these days with most manufacturers taking the LED route – could be the difference between a UTV that’s helping you earn bucks and one that sits around waiting for repairs.

Depending on the type of work, your UTV may have to lug around a large amount of tools and equipment. If that’s you, do a thorough audit of the cargo and storage areas on the UTV, such as under the seats, in rear-mounted boxes (and sometimes small compartments on the front), and even the gloveboxes.

The worst thing is getting your shiny new vehicle home and then not being able to accommodate your tools of trade. Sure, accessory options are readily available, but why go down that route when you don’t have to?

There’s no doubt that UTVs have the muscle and all-round capabilities to meet the requirements of a large chunk of the farming base.

Without the nerve-jangling element that comes with riding an ATV, the UTV is a veritable comfort zone – for both drivers and passengers.

That’s the warm and fuzzy overarching part of the equation, but farmers’ needs and requirements vary enormously – even for adjoining farms.

That's when the micro analysis kicks in to make sure your new UTV can meet your requirements.

Once you’ve got your ‘brief’ sorted, it’s time to go shopping. In Australia, there is a multitude of brands selling UTVs and SSVs which include Can-Am, CFMOTO, Honda, Kawasaki, Kymco, Polaris, Segway, Yamaha, John Deere, Kubota and Kioti.

Pick the right one and you’ll never look back!

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