SideXSide Action - March 2008 - (Page 20) 2008 Polaris Ranger Crew { BIG WORK REQUIRES A BIG RANGER } where. Since the wheelbase on the Crew is 32” longer than the XP it made the ride over the whoops much smoother. However, when transitioning over dunes the wider wheelbase hindered the ground clearance crossing peaks at a more aggressive straight-on angle. I could see how this would also conflict with large obstacles like rocks and logs out on the trails. Whether you want to work first or play first, the 2008 RANGER lineup has something for everyone. With the ability to carry six people at a time and 1750 lb. of total payload, the new RANGER CREW is the perfect vehicle for farming, ranching, and hunting. With a 700 Twin EFI Polaris engine and hardest working, smoothest riding features including exclusive Independent Rear Suspension (IRS), 44 MPH top speed, True All Wheel Drive (AWD) and massive, dual, underseat storage, the RANGER Crew will get your buddies where they want to go. Polaris has also improved the hardest working, smoothest riding RANGER utility vehicle line up. For 2008, all models will feature Dual Bore Piston Brakes with 30 percent more braking force, dash-mounted parking brake and headlights that are 40 percent brighter. All EFI models’ dash-mounted parking brake also includes shift interlock which prevents driving with the parking brake engaged. The Crew offers the same great 683cc fuelinjected engine as the XP and it was plenty of power to move me and two others through the dunes. The Crew platform allows for an additional payload capacity of 250 lbs. over the XP’s 1,500 lb. capacity, which really comes in handy when utilizing all six seats. I loaded up the Ranger Crew with four full-size adults and drove on some of the flat areas along with some of the smaller dunes near our camp. With the additional weight of the passengers, it starts to take a toll on the engine’s power gain. On hardpack trails or pavement, the Crew would have no problem moving around six full-size people, but in the power-robbing sand of Glamis, it posed a problem. Since the engine on the Crew is now located underneath the rear bench seat, you get a lot less engine noise and vibration while driving. Much of the time I found myself looking down at the dash to make sure it was on while waiting to leave on a ride. RANGER XP and RANGER 6x6 EFI now boast a huge 1-ton towing capacity to ensure they continue to be the hardest working utility vehicles on the market. At First Glance On first examination of the new Ranger Crew it was apparent that this was a stretched version of the Ranger XP, which, in my mind, is a great addition to the Side X Side market. With so many folks converting their two-seat SXS into four-orfive seat vehicles, the Crew offers it right out of the box. If you’ve had the chance to look at a Ranger XP then you’ve basically got the jist of the Crew, minus the whole second bench feature. The Crew looks like it was built for work and fun. Driving The Crew Comfort in the Crew was equivilant to sitting in the Ranger XP. Sitting in the rear bench seat you have just as much room as the front bench seat which is plenty of leg room for a full-size adult. One thing that was different about sitting in the front bench is that you don’t have the headrests that are normally found on the XP. The headrests are on the machine but they are located on the rear downward bars in the back bench seat, not a huge deal, but it would be nice to have some head support when driving hard. Overall the Crew was a joy to drive and the additional storage offered under the front seat really came in handy with the more passengers that hopped on board. When you’ve got four people riding along it’s nice to have room for all of their jackets and other junk they might bring. I can’t wait to get the Crew out on the trail and really test it out on a long trip. With the extra room for storage and passengers, the adventures and fun are endless. I was able to get some seat time on the new Ranger Crew over the holidays in the sandy hills of Glamis, CA. While the crew was not designed to be a hill shooter or a buggy, my initial impression of it in the sand was bliss. It drove very much like the Ranger XP and much of the time while driving I forgot that I was driving a six-seated vehicle. Turning the Crew was very easy in the sand and it went just about any- 20 SIDE X SIDE ACTION MAGAZINE
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.