This might be an odd way to start a review of the 2027 Polaris Xpedition side-by-side, but I don’t hear very well. I’ve got something called Ménière’s disease, which is a chronic inner ear disorder that leaves my left ear more or less useless. I’ve got hearing aids, but I still find myself saying, “You’re going to have to yell,” more often than I would like.
So when Polaris said that it had reduced in-cabin noise in the fully enclosed Xpedition UTV by 40%, I got curious. Many UTVs use a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which is great for power delivery and fuel economy, but it’s also really noisy. If you give the rig the beans to get up to speed, a droning roar fills the cabin, drowning out any music or conversation.
Further, if you keep the throttle steady to maintain speed, the CVT doesn’t necessarily upshift and drop the rpms. Instead, it just hangs there, and the engine buzzes in your ear like an angry 2,400-pound bumblebee. Needless to say, it’s not the most pleasant thing.
In short: The 2027 Polaris Xpedition is a seriously refined workhorse of a UTV that trades outright speed, handling, and excitement for comfort, practicality, and year-round usability.
Numatix
The latest Xpedition does things a bit differently. Yes, it still has a CVT, but this one is pneumatically controlled. Dubbed Numatix, this clever addition sends compressed air to a clutch in the transmission that drops the engine’s revs by a few hundred when acceleration isn’t needed, kind of like an overdrive on a conventionally geared transmission.
Lower rpms mean less engine noise, so I can hear every single lyric from “Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure blasting through the standard Bluetooth-equipped JBL audio system, and any passengers unlucky enough to be riding with me can hear me sing them. Sorry, not sorry.
Other UTVs have solved this problem with a fast-shifting dual-clutch transmission and physical shift points. Both the Honda Talon and the Can-Am Maverick R will upshift as it climbs through the powerband, but they require a downshift if you really want to accelerate. The Xpedition just cuts off the compressed air to the clutch for quicker response when the driver demands power.
Numatix does a lot of work in Comfort mode, a bit less in Standard mode, and it doesn’t function at all in Sport mode. When you want the maximum performance in Sport mode, the CVT just acts like your standard, loud-AF mechanical CVT.
I spent most of my time in Comfort mode over our 5-hour ride in mixed terrain, working the Xpedition’s 999cc 114-horsepower twin-cylinder engine hard through the puddles and ruts in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
That’s a long time to be in a UTV continuously, and still I walked away from the ride with my hearing intact (or as intact as it was when I started), and I wasn’t anywhere near as tired as I have been after similarly long rides in other UTVs. Numatix works as advertised.
Onboard Air and Better Efficiency
Since the Numatix system uses compressed air to work its magic, the latest Xpedition has an onboard air compressor. We didn’t have the opportunity or the need to pump up any tires, but Polaris claims that the compressor can run for 6 minutes, which should be plenty of time to air up all four tires. After that, you’ll need to wait 4 minutes for it to cool down and reset.
Polaris also says that its Numatix tech allows a 26% improvement in fuel economy in Comfort mode. That’s huge. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do any kind of efficiency testing on our drive, but it’s a big deal if true.
Another benefit of the new system is that the Xpedition now feels much easier to get into gear. Previously, I felt like I had to really use some muscle to move the shifter on the old one, but this newer model slides into High like butter on hot sourdough toast.
Good Bones
The Xpedition isn’t a go-fast UTV; it’s a workhorse, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. Available as either a two- or four-door model with an open or closed bed, you can think of the Xpedition as the overlander of the side-by-side world. It’s got enough power to make you grin if you stomp on it, but it’s not exactly a desert slayer or dune destroyer like its RZR siblings.
The Xpedition has high and low gearing and can be driven in rear-wheel drive or in four-wheel drive. Both differentials are of the locking variety, which is very cool. Polaris led us up a steep and rocky slope with boulders that would give a lot of modified Jeep Wranglers pause, but the Xpedition clambered up like it was nothing. I was very impressed.
The Xpedition’s Fox shocks are adjustable three ways — although you have to get out of the vehicle to do it — and they provide 14 inches of wheel travel in the front and 15 inches in the rear. Just for context, if you wanted anything comparable in the world of pickup trucks, you’d need to go up to something like a Ford F-150 Raptor or Ram TRX.
Enclosed Entertainment
While definitely capable, the Xpedition’s killer feature (and what makes it most appealing to me) is its overall comfort. Because the cabin is completely enclosed, drivers get heating and air conditioning, a reasonably bangin’ stereo system, Bluetooth connectivity, power windows, locking doors, a windshield with a standard defroster and wiper, a rearview mirror, and even a backup camera.
Those might be no big deal in a car or truck, but features like these are pretty much unheard of in the UTV world. On the other hand, if they seem like frivolous luxuries for a UTV, try having a storm dump on you mid-ride. Tell me how frivolous they are then!
As luck would have it, our 90-degree day turned dark after lunch, and we were treated to thunderstorms and hail. The defroster took a while to kick in, but once it did, my windshield didn’t fog up even once. The Xpedition’s single windshield wiper rests on the driver’s side at the top of the glass, where it is hinged to open outwards.
This works fine, but it did mean that I had to keep the wiper going until the windshield dried completely, lest rivulets trickle down on the passenger side. Further, the lower-left-hand corner of the windshield never gets a swipe, and the muddy haze decreases visibility around turns.
Despite being enclosed, the Xpedition’s cabin isn’t fully watertight. After splashing through a series of puddles, I noticed a small drip in the driver’s footwell. Water didn’t come pouring in or anything, but I definitely had a damp boot for the rest of the day. I also found the seatbacks are pretty hard; there is no thigh support, and it only comes with a three-point seatbelt.
As fun as these things are to drive, they are also very easy to roll. I’ve done it, and so has nearly everyone I know who’s driven a UTV. A five-point harness should be your first upgrade, even if it does make getting in and out of the cab a little more complicated. The tradeoff is worth it.
Wait, It Costs How Much?
The 2027 Polaris Xpedition starts at right around $40,500, which is more than some on-road trucks! Plus, I pretty much guarantee that you will never walk away from the dealership paying just the MSRP.
This is because, even though the Xpedition comes better equipped than most UTVs on the market, you will still need to pony up for necessities like a spare tire carrier ($79) and side mirrors ($199). You’ll also need the myriad cargo bins, storage racks, and lighting packages you can buy. Heck, Polaris even offers a rooftop tent for $1,999.
Despite the cost and my minor gripes with the windshield and the waterproofing, the 2027 Polaris Xpedition is ready to take you pretty much anywhere you want to go, all in quiet, climate-controlled comfort. So go ahead and download your favorite Spotify playlist. You’ll hear it just fine — I did.
