Sitting Shotgun With a Pro Driver: Hot Laps in the Polaris 2025 RZR Pro R

The Polaris RZR Pro series packs power and pizzazz into a raucous package ready to tackle your favorite trail. Upon its debut in 2022, it featured 225 horsepower from a non-turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant.

It had more than 2 feet of travel, a 74-inch track width, and the best brakes on any side-by-side (SxS). For 2025, the highly capable Pro R, Pro S, and XP models benefit from a set of mid-generation upgrades that raise the amplitude of fun and performance.

“With the 2025 RZR Pro lineup, we’re continuing to improve the rider experience and push the boundaries of style and performance,” said Reid Wilson, Vice President and General Manager of Polaris Off-Road Vehicles. “This lineup is an example of our relentless attention to detail and our commitment to delivering the very best to our customers by enhancing every aspect of the RZR experience.” 

Polaris invited us out to a motocross track in Maryland so we could get some seat time in the revised RZR Pro R with a pro driver at the helm. Without a doubt, the application of the skinny pedal correlated directly to the size of the smile on my face. The RZR experience got the adrenaline pumping for the riders. The added benefit of a side-by-side is sharing the experience with a friend or partner.

Here’s a rundown of the changes for the 2025 model year.

What’s New for the 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R

The off-road team at Polaris continually looks for ways to improve their machines. They take a holistic approach to refining performance, aesthetics, and passenger comfort. The team added more than 100 accessories that enhance value and function. The efforts made an outstanding performer more exceptional.

All New Bodywork

The 2025 RZR Pro models get a facelift that entails new bodywork for the fascia, hood, doors, and front and rear fenders. The signature fang lighting returns, and the LED headlights feature a charismatic up-and-down animation sequence.

The revised hood has dual hood scoops that pull air into the cockpit. Unseen is an all-new, patent-pending cabin fresh air intake that works with the radiator deflectors. These structures direct outside air into the cab as you drive.

Improved Cabin Comfort

Consumers spoke, and Polaris applied what they heard to enhance passenger comfort. The Ultimate trim now has heated and vented seats, a luxury feature that enhances creature comfort. The sport seats have three heat settings and can pull air through the seatback for a cooling effect. Seat comfort settings are found in the RIDE COMMAND menus. 

The engineers I spoke with recognized that the previous generation’s seats were good, but the redesign made them even better. Enhanced ride comfort comes from integrating the best features from previous iterations and hugging the body more.

The upgraded seats are a one-piece shell with bottom and back cushions. Their shape was altered a bit, so now the side bolstering works better at keeping people snug in the seat. It also provides better back support for all-day comfort. The seats are said to conform to riders of all shapes, whether they have a small or large frame.

The Polaris RZR Pro R Sport and Ultimate versions have six-point dual retractor harnesses. This crucial piece of safety equipment was adjusted quickly before hitting the track, and the retraction was smoother. The harness provided a secure fit, so riders didn’t have to exert energy to stay planted in the seat. 

Cabin Updates

The dashboard has an updated look that has new storage bins, a cleaner look, and tighter fitment. New solid doors, with a double latch and door seal, block more dust, water, and other elements.

The new Rockford Fosgate Stage 4 Audio delivers an enhanced sound stage. This factory-installed sound system welcomes new front and rear speakers, an amplifier, and a 10-inch subwoofer. Bass performance and overall sound quality are greatly improved. 

2025 Polaris RZR Pro R Trims

The 2025 RZR Pro R launches itself courtesy of a 2.0L naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. It is capable of 225 horsepower and responded instantly to throttle inputs. A 74-inch stance and 104.5-inch wheelbase ensure a stable platform across any terrain. The four-seater model keeps the same stance but stretches to a 133.5-inch wheelbase.

The MaxLink suspension has 29 inches of travel to handle crazy whoops and audacious landings. However, caution is warranted if the jump doesn’t have a downslope landing. Too much speed and the stiff rear suspension can combine to point the nose downward as the Pro R crests the arc of its jump.

RZR Pro R buyers can choose between two- and four-seat models available in two trim options: Sport and Ultimate. Opting for the Ultimate trim package will get you the FOX 3.0 Live Valve X2 Internal Bypass shocks, DYNAMIX DV (dual valve) semi-active electronic suspension control system, the RIDE COMMAND system, and 32-inch Maxxis tires mounted to a set of 15-inch five-lug color-matched beadlock rims.

The Pro R Sport trim comes with 32-inch Maxxis tires, new five-lug 10-spoke aluminum wheels, and the Walker Evans Velocity Needle Shocks.

Revamped Rear Suspension Lockout Control

One cool feature for 2025 applies to the DYNAMIX DV available on the Ultimate trim. On the steering wheel is a red button. Two quick successive pushes put the rear suspension at full stiffness until the driver double-taps the button. In previous versions, the suspension would relax after a set amount of time.

In earlier models, drivers had to hold down the red button. Now, drivers can quickly lock out the rear suspension when needed, for example, when they approach a gnarly whoop section. A quick double-tap stiffens the rear suspension for however long it is necessary to get through. Then, another double-tap unlocks the rear shocks once back onto a smoother section. 

Run Like a Pro in the 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R

There’s much in common with the Polaris Factory race vehicles and the stock 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R. All the learnings from running the SCORE series of offroad races directly benefit Polaris consumers.

All of the major driveline components — engine, clutch, and transmission — are the exact components in a stock Pro R. Everything learned from the race program gets fed back into the production units. This makes them the best they can be at optimizing peak performance and maximum fun.

Play

In the rare event that the drive belt breaks, access to the clutch cover can take less than a minute. No tools are required to move the seats out of the way and pop the access panel for a quick belt change. Experienced mechanics can return to riding in less than 15 minutes.

Ride Impressions From the Passenger Seat 

Our introduction to the updated 2025 RZR Pro R took place at Budds Creek Motocross Park. A real pro driver was at the controls. He had the skills to show off the vehicle’s capabilities. We got a few feet of air underneath the tires and dive-bombed into heavily rutted turns without crashing. Thus, my ride impressions stem from the passenger seat.

From my vantage point, it was not the most revealing demo. But it was the safest because seat time was limited to a couple of laps around a renowned motocross track with extreme terrain.

With a pro driver at the wheel, it was interesting to experience how the RZR Pro R could dive into tight turns at speed and carve its way out. I felt the incredible acceleration of a 225-horsepower monster with more power and less mass than a Miata.

I realized take-off speed on jumps was critical to hit the correct landing. Otherwise, the RZR Pro R might dive bomb to a flat landing with disastrous results. I got to sit back and observe how this high-performance SxS absorbed the landings.

My position in the passenger seat allowed me to witness how the updated RZR Pro R handled the track without distractions. I didn’t have to divide my attention between getting comfortable with a new rig at speed, staying upright, and taking mental notes while navigating a track I had never driven before.

Despite the deep seating position inside the cabin, obstacles and tricky terrain were simple to spot. The revised seats were snug and held my small frame in the seat without feeling pinched. The grab handles were within easy reach for someone shorter than Tom Cruise.

I barely noticed the harness, but it did an excellent job holding me in without feeling constrained. A secure and comfortable fit also meant I was mostly relaxed and didn’t have to hold onto the passenger grab bar with a death grip.

The DYNAMIX DV active suspension has four modes: Comfort, Baja, Track, and Rock. Since the motocross track had a little bit of everything except rock crawling, my driver used Track Mode for our hot laps. This ride mode sets the suspension to medium compression and high rebound damping.

We ripped from corner to corner, braking hard, accelerating like a wild banshee, and sticking the landings like Simone Biles. The active suspension and 27 inches of travel smoothed out the whoops, kept us from tipping over in deeply rutted, off-camber turns, and kept the chassis straight and level.

Overall, I had a huge smile from start to finish. The handling was superb, and it accelerated so hard that it pushed my head backward as my driver rocketed at full-open throttle. The commanding seating position put me high enough to see upcoming obstacles easily. I could rave about the RZR Pro R’s zippy, addicting ride experience, but I don’t want to come across as a fanboy.

2025 Polaris RZR Pro R Pricing Breakdown

The 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R, Pro S, and Pro XP models are available in two-seat and four-seat configurations. The Pro S and Pro XP come in three trim options: Sport, Premium, and Ultimate. The Pro R has two available trims: Sport and Ultimate. 

Visit the 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R product page to uncover all the specifications and features. Additionally, the company added 120 new accessories designed to augment, protect, and personalize an already highly capable side-by-side. 

All RZR Pro models were scheduled to begin shipping to dealers in August 2025.

• RZR Pro R Sport: Starting at $34,999
• RZR Pro R Ultimate: Starting at $42,999
• RZR Pro S Sport: Starting at $26,999
• RZR Pro S Premium: Starting at $30,999
• RZR Pro S Ultimate: Starting at $36,999
• RZR Pro XP Sport: Starting at $23,999
• RZR Pro XP Premium: Starting at $27,999
• RZR Pro XP Ultimate: Starting at $33,999

Editor’s note: We will soon have a Polaris RZR Pro as a long-term tester. Stay tuned to GearJunkie for a more in-depth review.