2019 Polaris Ranger XP 900 Overview

A Look Inside The Polaris Ranger 2019 XP 900

There is no doubt that the 2019 Polaris Ranger XP 900 is leaps and bounds more advanced than the older models. It’s not uncommon to see a 2019 XP 900 Ranger outperform their RZR brethren. We at Everything Polaris Ranger have personally witnessed a 2019 XP 900 with a 3” lift, no sway bars, and 32” tires with 2” deep lugs leave an RZR 900 on 28’s in the dust on a windy paved road. However, top-end speeds are not the only performance metric. While the new edition of the Polaris Ranger XP 900 may have some giddy-up-and-go, when things get steep and tires get airborne, it’s hard -- if not impossible -- to find a utility side-by-side that will ride like a Razor. The Polaris general is about as close as you can come, but the bed space is limited to say the least.

2019 Polaris Ranger XP 900 Suspension Analysis

If you plan on primarily trail riding with your UTV, you may want to think long and hard before you pop on the 2019 Ranger XP 900. We’ve gone out riding with a variety of machines, including two Polaris Rangers, two Polaris RZRs and a Polaris General, and RZRs were the only machines that kept all four tires on the ground. Many riders email us asking why polaris doesn’t make Rangers with RZR suspension, but the fact of the matter is that each machine is tailored to specific purposes. Besides, it’s quite common to raise one of your front tires off the ground if your riding on washed out trails that have small ditches in them. And while the suspension travel on the 2019 Ranger XP 900 is nowhere near the suspension travel of the RZR, many riders prefer the ride of the Ranger over the RZR as it is much comfier. And if you’re going after those hairy trails, adjusting or upgrading your suspension system with something like Stage 5 Elka Shocks is also a possibility. With aftermarket shocks on your rig, you can get more wheel travel and a butter smooth ride so you can tackle the toughest of trails while cruising in comfort.

RZR vs Ranger

For many riders, there is no advantage of having an RZR over the 2019 Ranger XP 900 for normal trail riding. In fact, many people believe that the Ranger has a better ride for normal day-to-day riding with plenty of wheel travel and good shock dampening -- whereas the RZR is geared for more aggressive ride styles. Most would agree that the new-body 2019 Ranger rides excellent and performs more than adequate on the majority of terrain. But still, in some cases, three wheeling up a washed out hill is unavoidable in the Ranger XP 900. So aside from buying an RZR 1000 for trail riding and using a 2019 Ranger XP 900 for hunting and mud riding, what kind of suspension does the ranger need for uneven, off camber riding? Can the three-wheeling feeling be corrected? Well, it all comes back to the springs not letting the wheels articulate enough. If the rig is jacked up, the lift will keep the springs in a more vertical position, and this sacrifices the machine’s ability to hook. Even something like a softer spring on the stock shocks could yield surprising results.

Hill Climbing Comparison

To get a good sense of the differences in hill climbing abilities between Polaris machines, take a look at these three vehicles scaling the same hill.

Polaris Ranger

Polaris General

Polaris RZR

Look at the difference between the belly pans in these pictures. In the end, the Ranger ended up on its lid, the General had to winch its way up, and the RZR turned around at the top and winched the other two the rest of the way up.

Case in point, under normal riding circumstances, you’ll be more than fine with the 2019 Ranger XP 900. It does a great job at most things and that’s just a straight fact. But if you like to get a little adventurous and climb some gnarly hills, make sure to install a winch before you head out. Lifted or not lifted, stock or aftermarket tires, the 2019 Polaris Ranger XP 900 is an all-around machine that is as versatile as it is capable. And when it comes to the ride, the RZR can’t compete.