Teryx UTV Test Run

Kawasaki, UTV — By ATV Mag on August 14, 2008 at 12:00 pm

It’s not a Mule, nor an ATV … it’s T. Rex, coming soon to a Jurassic Riding Park near you. It may have taken Kawasaki longer than most of us anticipated to release a sporty side-by-side, but Kawi finally answers its critics with the Teryx 750 4×4 hitting dealers now.
After listening to all the hype surrounding the Teryx, we were anxious to get our rumps in the ride and find out how good it really is. Kawasaki invited us to Sand Hollow Recreational Park outside St. George, Utah, to put the T. Rex through its paces. The Teryx is labeled an RUV from Kawasaki, which stands for Recreational Utility Vehicle. It’s a segment of the market dedicated to owners who play first and work second with their vehicles.
During the technical presentation, it was no surprise Kawasaki compared its Teryx most to the Yamaha Rhino. Along with the Rhino, Kawasaki said its T. Rex will also prey upon the Arctic Cat Prowler, Polaris Ranger XP and Honda Big Red — not yet released.
While the Polaris Ranger RZR was mentioned a few times, Kawasaki avoided comparing its T. Rex directly to the RZR because the RZR doesn’t offer as much utility as the other competitors. Or, as we see it, the comparision was avoided because the RZR likely caught Kawasaki —like everybody else in the market — off guard.
“How does it stack up?” Kawasaki’s ATV Product Manager Vince Iorio posed. “We feel it beats Yamaha, Polaris, Arctic Cat and Honda.”

It’s Alive!
It didn’t take fancy biological tinkering or DNA engineering to bring this T. Rex to life. Kawasaki drew from its ATV and Mule engineering expertise to come up with the Teryx concept. The T. Rex beast uses familiar components and is powered by the potent V-twin 749cc liquid-cooled four-stroke that is also found in the Brute Force. The Teryx uses traditional carburetion — unlike the all-new 2008 fuel-injected Brute Force — that is controlled by two Keihin 34mm carbs.
“To bring fuel injection into the equation would have caused a lot of changes to the whole engineering product,” Iorio said. “We weren’t willing to wait. We do plan to bring [EFI to the Teryx line].” Iorio added EFI would have added a year to the release date.
Does the power add up to the highest top speed in its class? Technically, no, it doesn’t. The Teryx is electronically governed at 48 mph via the ECU. We’re guessing the T. Rex could push mid 50s or better if it wasn’t governed.
The Teryx has a dual-range belt-drive CVT with a center console shifter similar to Kawasaki’s ATV shifters. Belt material was strengthened for increased wear resistance, which is good news because we’ve learned changing a belt is a lenghty process that requires removing the fuel tank.
Like other machines in this class, the Teryx employs a parking brake as opposed to a parking gear. A unique feature to the Teryx is the variable front differential control that locks the front axles on-the-fly. The diff control lever is located next to the shifter on the center console. Selectable 4WD can be engaged when traveling at speeds less than 16 mph.
Kawasaki’s T. Rex features a chassis spec that puts the wheelbase at 76 inches long, equal to the Ranger and longer than the Prowler and Rhino. Overall width is listed at 58.7 inches, which is wider than the Rhino by 4.3 inches. Both the Ranger XP and Prowler are wider. Kawi says the Teryx will fit in the back of a full-sized pickup truck.
The front of the chassis was kept as narrow as possible for wider front A-arms and longer travel. Kawasaki invested in quality absorbers that allow 7.5 inches of travel all around. The front shocks are gas charged and preload adjustable. The IRS features fully adjustable gas charged shocks with piggyback reservoirs. To get similar suspension on the Rhino, one would have to upgrade to the Sport Edition. Neither the Ranger XP nor the Prowler feature fully adjustable rear suspension.
With money invested in expensive suspension and engine components — due to more moving parts with twin cylinders — Kawasaki’s baseline Teryx had to come without a few features other machines have standard to stay price competitive. The T. Rex only has three indicator lights and no instrumentation. One can upgrade upon purchase to receive the same digital instrumentation as the Limited Edition model — identical to the Brute Force digital instrumentation. Also, the base Teryx does not come with cup holders, but the LE model does.
To retain some utility function, a steel diamond plate bed and tailgate highlight the fixed cargo hold. Yes, you are reading that right, the cargo hold does not tilt on the baseline model. One can remove two bolts and modify it to tilt, however. On the LE and NRA Outdoors vehicles, the cargo hold tilts via gas-assist. Tilting or not, the Teryx comes with a 500-pound bed capacity.

Sounds Good So Far
So the details sound good, but did Kawasaki hit the proverbial sweet spot? Our test started at Sand Hollow’s main staging area and wound up through the dunes, over rock crawls, through high-speed sand wash and over hard-pack desert terrain. We’ll have to reserve judgment on tight woods and deep mud — we have concerns here with the low exhaust height.
As we made our way through the dunes, we got a good feel for ergonomics and awaited a wide open hard-packed run to evaluate power. Climbing into the vehicle is easy, even though there is 200mm of foot protection impeding entry on each side. The bucket seat is one of the most comfortable we’ve tested. The shifter and diff lock control are easy to access, but a little too close together for seamless operation. Leg room is better than the Rhino and Ranger XP, and about equal to the Prowler.
There’s ample space for two passengers and the center console provided a nice place to rest arms. Several passengers noted that they desired hand holds more reminiscent of the RZR’s handlebar to feel more secure — especially for an RUV aimed at the rec segment.
Once our ride exited the dunes and sand grooves our vehicle was chasing, we got a better feel for power, handling and stability. The A-arm width along with quality absorbers and a nice center of gravity — mid-engine placement between the two passengers — allowed for a stable ride. The Teryx felt planted through high-speed turns in two- or four-wheel drive.
There was nothing surprising in the steering, meaning there’s no twitchiness and it’s not too light or too heavy at fast or slow speeds. Kawasaki has found a happy medium with steering effort and what results is superior handling.
When our test hit the long Sand Hollow straights filled with whoops, we gained a new appreciation for the suspension. We couldn’t skip the top of the whoops, but we were able to hammer through them and find a nice rhythm.
It was little surprise to find the V-twin engine produced little to no noticeable vibration through the entire powerband. At idle, one can barely feel the machine is running. The engine runs quiet, smooth and packs plenty of power.
There’s a noticeable punch on the bottom end, but our seat-of-the-pants observation reveals it doesn’t get moving as fast as the Polaris RZR. This derives from a dry weight north of 1275 lbs. for the Teryx — more than 325 pounds heavier than the RZR. Compared to the Prowler, Rhino and Ranger XP, however, the Teryx should be able to hold its own.
When our ride ventured into aggressive rock crawls, the Teryx pulled its weight and the payload of our passengers nicely. In low range and diff lock engaged, we crawled up a 50-degree incline with little issue. Steering effort is nearly doubled with the variable diff lock fully engaged, which reveals all four wheels are driving. As for the diff lock, we say ditch the variable engagement. Generally riders just want to know if all four wheels are driving, and thinking about how much power to send just complicates the fun.
On the rock crawl down slopes, the engine braking system was strong and confidence inspiring. Speaking of brakes, the hydraulic stoppers on the T-Rex were crisp and responsive in 2WD. When the machine was in 4WD, the brakes weren’t quite as responsive.
At $9,699, the Teryx comes in a tad less expensive than the competition. What is given up with a tilting cargo hold, instrumentation and cup holders is gained in power, handling and stability. And, for those of you who find the premium features important, the Teryx is available as a Limited Edition ($10,399) or NRA Outdoors ($11,349) flavor.
While it isn’t as sporty as the Polaris RZR it will definitely take a chunk out of Rhino, Prowler and Ranger XP sales for customers seeking recreation with some utility function.
Being late to the party isn’t that bad after all, is it?