Published on March 11th, 2025 | by Joe
2025 Polaris Pro R Long Term Test Review
2025 Polaris Pro R Long Term Ratings
Summary: The Pro R is a super car that lives up to the hype. Its muscle car power plant delivers massive power across the RPM range. With twice the displacement as the competition, the engine’s state of tune is mild in comparison, which should provide a much lower maintenance motor. With minor shock adjustments, handling is super stable, well balanced, and suspension action is perhaps the best of any stock SXS on the market today with computer controlled shocks. Of the top of the line sport SXS on the market today, it’s the one we’d buy.
4.4
2,000 Mil Test
Once in a segment all their own, Polaris has continued to regularly push the envelope of sport SXS performance with each model they’ve released. Their latest new model, the Pro-R, released in 2022, nearly doubled the displacement of everything on the market with its two-liter naturally aspirated inline 4-cylinder engine. It also boasted increased suspension travel and vehicle dimensions that translated into next level performance on the trail.
Mainly unchanged from 2022 through 2024, Polaris made some exterior styling changes, interior revisions with some added interior climate control features for 2025, leaving the proven engine, chassis, and suspension nearly unchanged. In this test of the Polaris Pro-R, we’ll cover the 2025 updates and provide you with our setup tips, performance review, and recap how the Pro R held up over 1,500 miles of fast paced driving.
2025 Updates
Pro R receives new exterior styling front to back for 2025. The front end receives a broader, flatter appearance. It’s complete with new LED fang accent lighting and headlights, which are animated on startup and shut down on Ultimate models and up. New half doors are higher at the top, better blending into the lines of the car front to rear with no gaps for a tighter look. They’re fully sealed for improved interior protection from the elements, featuring an arm rest equipped inner liner.
New radiator deflectors help divert hot air from the firewall to reduce interior heat. Additionally, air intakes on the hood channel the cleanest, coolest air possible into the driver and passenger floor area, complete with automotive-style adjustable vents. The new seat design was borrowed from the recently overhauled RZR XP 1000, due to their increased bolstering. Fan assisted seat back ventilation and heated seat bases are featured on Ultimate trim packages and up.
Transitioning from the updated exterior into the dash area, Polaris worked to tidy up the looks and function of the interior starting with new A-pillar covers that integrate into the dash. Lines are tighter and more consistent with revised, weather sealed, in-dash storage boxes accompanied by an overall updated dash design. A new bright and colorful gauge cluster features dual sweep analog dials and a 4” LCD panel.
The Ultimate editions Rockford Fosgate audio system was upgraded to a stage-4 setup with new front tweeters and 6.5” full-range speakers front and rear, driven by a 400 watt amp. There’s also a 10” sub under the dash with its own integrated 400 watt amp.
For improved durability, the transmission’s gear selector cable was beefed up for 2025. Pro R Ultimate finally gains color matched beadlock wheels. Pro R’s dynamic suspension has always allowed you to push a single button to fully firm up the shocks for a limited period of time. Double tapping the button will now fully firm up the shocks’ damping until you tap the button to release it, which is beneficial for whoops you didn’t expect on that drop-off you didn’t notice. . There’s also a new Sport trim package , offering a slightly lower price point that we’ll get into in the next segment.
Trim Packages
For 2025, the Ride Command and analog suspension equipped Premium trim package has been replaced with a more price point focused Sport model. It features the same horsepower, dimensions, tire sizes with a square setup, and suspension travel as the Pro R Ultimate, so it sacrifices very little in terms of performance. Ride Command is not equipped, so the shocks are fully analog Walker Evans Velocity Needle 2.5 shocks front and 3.0 shocks rear. They’re preloaded and 16 way compression damping adjustable. While there’s no roof, it does come with performance car appropriate 6-point harnesses. Steering is tilt adjustable.
Without Ride Command and electronic suspension, it’s the obvious choice for those seeking a lower price point. It would also be our choice for building a custom race machine. The Sport retails for $8,000 less than the Ultimate at $34,999.
The Pro R Ultimate adds Polaris’ Dynamix DV, electronically controlled suspension featuring Fox X2, 3.0 Live Valve shocks. Shock mode selection is handled through Polaris’ Ride Command GPS, infotainment system. Ride Command also displays the view from the Ultimate’s rear facing camera
Other upgrades include animated accent lighting on startup and shutdown, painted front fascia and center hood, Rockford Fosgate Stage 4 audio, color matched beadlock wheels, tilt and telescopic adjustable steering, and the Ultimate—it is topped with an aluminum roof. The new beadlock wheels and other features come with a $2,000 price increase over 2024 at $42,999.
The Factory Armored Edition builds on the Ultimate adding Pro Armor front and rear bumpers with skid plates and a 32” Rigid light bar. It also receives unique Pro Armor, flow formed beadlock wheels for $44,999.
The Pro R Race Replica Edition comes in black with Podium Purple accents, including the front LED accent lights it builds on the Ultimate while adding upgraded Rockford Fosgate Stage 6 audio, Method 407 Bead Grip wheels, 32” BFGoodrich KM3 tires, a 32” Rigid light bar, Rigid rear chase light, and front and rear bumpers for $45.999. All trim packages are also available in a four-seat configuration.
The Test
For this long term test, we put 1,500 miles on a 2022 Pro R Ultimate, switching to a new loaner car for testing in 2024 on which we racked up an additional 1,000 miles. UTV on Demand’s senior testing consultant, Allen Knowles, headed up the driving. Based on our testing, we will provide feedback on performance and durability along with some setup tips on how to get the most out of your Pro R.
Engine Performance
The Pro R is powered by Polaris’ ProStar Fury 2.0, inline 4-cylinder engine, displacing 1997cc with four-valves and DOHC per cylinder. It’s water-cooled, naturally aspirated, fuel injected, and claimed to produce 225HP. Fuel is drawn from a 12 gallon tank. The drive by wire throttle offers three modes: rock, sport, and race, retarding or advancing throttle delivery for different power character feel to best match terrain and driving style.
The top end mates up to a fully automatic CVT transmission featuring high and low ranges plus neutral, reverse, and park. Drivetrain modes include: 2WD, 4WD and 4WD lock. The 4WD setting utilizes Polaris all-wheel-drive system, engaging power to the front wheels when the rear tires begin spinning marginally faster than the fronts. It’s our drive mode of choice most of the time. We rarely ever engaged the front differential lock as it was simply unnecessary for normal trail riding although it was nice to have in reserve.
Low-end power is strong, easily growling around in technical terrain. Midrange power is impressive with mind blowing top-end power. The steepest dunes and deepest sand washes pose no issue for the inline four-cylinder. Stock top speed is somewhere in the 90 MPH range. Sizing up to 35” tires, we saw GPS readings over 100.
CVT performance is smooth on takeoff doing an outstanding job of keeping the two-liter engine in the best part of the power for the terrain and throttle inputs. Back shifting is quick, maximizing the engine’s thrill factory exiting corners. The combination of the engine and transmission makes the two-liter engine’s acceleration as thrilling as its top-speed.
The drivetrain does a great job of harnessing all that power. 2WD is there if you’re not into getting traction while exiting turns. All-wheel drive was our setting of choice most of the time. It makes the Pro R steer more accurately while exiting turns. Even in all-wheel-drive, drifting the rear end is easily achievable with this much power and torque on tap. We applaud Polaris for adding a front differential lock for the most extreme mud and rock crawling scenarios, but we never found it necessary to engage thanks to Polaris’ proven all-wheel-drive performance. Overall, the engine, transmission, and powertrain is as effective as it is mind-blowingly fast.
Handling and suspension
The Pro R’s steel frame and cage is their most robust so far, built to deal with the engine’s massive power and torque output. Sway bar equipped, high clearance, boxed, dual A-Arm suspension is used up front. Lower shock mounts are found on the lower A-Arms, which improves strength, handling, and suspension action. The sway bar equipped rear suspension features boxed trailing arms. Dual, high clearance radius rods are used out back with the toe link traveling front to rear inside the trailing arms. Wheel travel is the only number that matters, and the Pro R delivers 22.25” of travel front and 24.5” rear. With many racers shortening suspension travel on premium modern SXSs is, literally, more than enough.
Fox, 3.0, X2 Live Valve shocks are equipped with Fox Internal Bypass ports for a more progressive damping curve. Polaris’ Dynamix DV 3.0 system is the brains of the operation tuning compression and rebound damping on the fly. It offers four modes: Comfort, Baja, Rock, and Track, with unique power steering calibrations for each. Comfort offers minimum damping with light steering for cruising speeds; Baja offers more compression and less rebound to absorb repeated hits, a higher front end attack angle, and minimal bump feedback through the EPS; Rock mode keeps the machine riding higher, and works to keep the vehicle level and in contract with the ground at varying angles. Power steering is tuned for maximum assistance at lower speeds. Track mode offers mid compression and slower rebound to help the Pro R fly straight, hug the ground over bumps, and corner flat. Power steering is toned down a bit with improved driver sensitivity to the trail while still reducing bump feedback. Within all modes, the system takes into account throttle, brake and steering inputs, speed, vehicle angle, and if the tires have left the ground, adjusting compression and rebound damping on the fly. For unexpected big hits at speed, there’s a button on the steering wheel that can be tapped or double tapped to temporarily apply or hold maximum compression damping until you tap to release it. Polaris has a great video on it that’s worth watching after this. Electronic power steering is mated to a quick turn rack to minimize hand over hand steering.
The Pro R Ultimate rolls on 32×10-15 Maxxis Rampage tires at all four corners, ideal for sandy, rocky , desert conditions, mounted on 5-lug, 15” cast aluminum beadlock wheels for 2025 . Overall width is 74” with a 104.5” wheelbase, 136.5” overall length, and 72.8” overall height. Off the showroom floor, it offers 16” of ground clearance. Estimated dry weight is 2,327 lbs.
Suspension performance is great in the environment for which it was designed, pounding deep whoops at high speed where the Pro R tracks straight, and encourages you to stay in the throttle. Like most other RZRs, the Pro R flies pretty straight and level; at times, all four tires leave the ground providing a plush landing on touchdown.
We found the shocks to be a bit harsh over small bumps, regardless of the mode we chose for the Dynamic suspension. On top of that, stock ride height is too tall creating an undesirable amount of body roll in corners. Allen lowered the car’s ride height two inches, which resulted in reduced body roll and a slightly plusher ride over chatter and other small bumps. If it were our car, we’d have the shocks re-valved in search of even greater plushness. Out of the box, it’s still one of the best performing computer controlled suspension systems on any SXS.
With ride height lowered and all-wheel-drive locked in, the Pro R is a very stable handling car with accurate, predictable steering. It’s stable in turns, in high-speed whoops, with the pedal glued to the floor on long flat straights, and it’s a confidence inspiring climber and descender. Handling and suspension are well matched to the performance of the engine letting you take advantage of what the two-liter, four-cylinder has to offer.
Brakes
Big power and weight require massive stopping power. 4-wheel hydraulic disc brakes with 262mm rotors at all four corners are paired with three-piston calipers front, dual calipers rear, and steel braided brake lines.
Braking power, feel, and balance are all dialed. They’re well matched to the performance of the rest of the car. Fading was never an issue in desert heat. You can’t ask for much more when it comes to brakes.
Interior and other details
With new gauges, an updated dash design, improved seats and doors, our already positive opinion of the Polaris’ interior has marginally improved for 2025.
The Pro R is a little harder to get into due to the size and ground clearance of the vehicle. Interior room is adequate for most drivers and passengers, but at 6’4”, Allen finds the cockpit a bit cramped without taller aftermarket seats allowing him to stretch his legs out a bit. The tilt and telescoping steering wheel on our Ultimate edition lets you dial in the steering wheel position. 6-point harnesses are standard as they should be on a performance car like the Pro R.
There are two cargo boxes on the hood and one between the occupants along with dual cup holders. The bed is the best in the business with enough room to strap down an OEM size tire and wheel on top with around a foot of clearance below for tools, an ice chest, or other items.
The Pro R is a taller machine making getting in and out a little harder than other machines with less suspension travel. Ingress and egress space is unobtrusive even for larger riders. Inside, the cockpit is well laid out. The tilt and telescoping steering wheel lets you put it perfectly within reach for most drivers. The layout and function of the control switches is intuitive and well laid out. At 6’4”, Allen found the floor area a little cramped, but that’s the cast on most machines when you’re that tall. Those 6 feet and under will find the cockpit pretty comfortable. The seats from 2024 were alright, but we do prefer the new seats Polaris borrowed from the recently updated XP 1000.
Interior storage is pretty good. The large, deep bed is, in our opinion, the best in the business for a sport SXS. It allows room to carry a spare tire while providing a foot of storage space beneath it; all this without having to buy expensive add-on accessories. Polaris is doing storage right from the factory.
Long Term Durability
Polaris seems to have upped their build quality with the Pro R. We did have one minor electronic issue with the front differential on the first year 2022 model that was corrected by the dealer. After that, we had no further issues during our 1,500 test of the 2022 and 1,000 mile test of the 2024 despite Allen’s lead foot driving style. Any machine can be broken, so if you run into something and break a Pro R, that’s your fault. We had zero breakage issues to report… no belts, axles, nothing.
Conclusion
The Pro R is a super car that lives up to the hype. Its muscle car power plant delivers massive power across the RPM range. With twice the displacement as the competition, the engine’s state of tune is mild in comparison, which should provide a much lower maintenance motor.
With minor shock adjustments, handling is super stable, well balanced, and suspension action is perhaps the best of any stock SXS on the market today with computer controlled shocks.
Of the top of the line sport SXS on the market today, it’s the one we’d buy.
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