By Jon Crowley
The 2015 Can-Am Maverick X ds Turbo looked impressive on paper. Its turbocharged Rotax V-twin produced 121 horsepower, while a longer wheelbase, redesigned rear suspension and large FOX 2.5 PODIUM RC2 shocks prepared it for aggressive dune and desert driving.
Can-Am selected the Imperial Sand Dunes at Glamis, California, for the media introduction. That gave us two days to find out whether the first factory-turbocharged sport UTV delivered more than a compelling specification sheet.
First Factory-Turbocharged Sport UTV
The Maverick X ds Turbo was introduced in September 2014 for the 2015 model year. Its 976cc turbocharged Rotax V-twin produced 121 horsepower—approximately 10 percent more horsepower and nearly 40 percent more torque than its closest naturally aspirated competition at the time.
The horsepower increase did not sound enormous by itself, but the additional torque was more important in the dunes. I wanted immediate throttle response, enough low-end power to spin the tires and strong acceleration without sacrificing drivability.
Before this test, I had built two UTVs with aftermarket turbochargers and driven or photographed many others. When properly calibrated, those cars could be incredibly fast. However, owners often had to adjust fuel mapping and clutching to keep them running correctly. Some made excellent power at high rpm but stumbled or hesitated while accelerating.
The attraction of the Maverick X ds Turbo was not simply its peak output. Can-Am had integrated the turbocharger, intercooler, engine calibration, CVT cooling and clutching into a complete factory package covered by a manufacturer warranty.
For a detailed look at its development and model-year changes, see our 2015–2016 Can-Am Maverick X ds Turbo overview.
Driving the Maverick X ds Turbo at Glamis
I arrived at Glamis with my friend Dave from Fullerton Sand Sports. We were handed the keys to a new Maverick X ds Turbo and given two days of driving time. Temperatures reached approximately 95 degrees, providing a useful test of the turbocharged engine and CVT in hot sand conditions.
The cockpit felt familiar because I had already spent considerable time in the original Maverick 1000R. The seating position, engine noise and exhaust note were also familiar while idling out of camp.
That familiarity disappeared when I pressed the throttle. The turbocharged engine pushed us back into the seats and spun the stock 28-inch Maxxis Bighorn tires with ease.
We headed into the larger dunes, where the additional torque continued to impress. Even on the stock tires, the Maverick climbed everything we pointed it toward. Its power slides and the amount of sand coming off the rear tires were beyond anything we had experienced in a showroom-stock UTV at that time.
Maverick Turbo Versus RZR XP 1000
At Oldsmobile Hill, we found a driver with a stock Polaris RZR XP 1000 who agreed to an informal drag race. The RZR was slightly quicker off the line, but the Maverick Turbo pulled past it and remained ahead through the top of the climb.
The gap was not enormous, but the Maverick was clearly faster during this particular run. Based on its torque delivery, we believed the Maverick’s advantage would become more noticeable on a steeper or longer climb.
This was an informal comparison involving two production vehicles, different drivers and uncontrolled sand conditions—not a scientific performance test. Nevertheless, it demonstrated how effectively the Maverick Turbo’s additional torque worked under load.
Testing Two Paddle-Tire Setups
Dave brought two sand-tire combinations for us to evaluate. Our Maverick received 26-inch tires mounted on seven-inch-wide front wheels and nine-inch-wide rear wheels. A second Maverick received 28-inch tires on eight-inch front and 10-inch rear wheels.
The difference was significant. The paddle tires provided considerably more traction, while their lower rotating weight also helped performance. The factory clutch calibration worked well with both combinations, and the engine produced enough low-end torque to spin the paddles easily in two-wheel drive.
The wider sand-tire setups also changed the suspension behavior. Increasing track width adds leverage against the shocks, while the tires’ larger sidewalls produce a balloon-like effect that changes how the vehicle reacts to bumps and landings.
FOX Shock Tuning in the Dunes
We quickly noticed that the rear FOX 2.5 shocks moved more than we wanted during aggressive dune driving with two occupants. Back at camp, we spoke with the FOX engineers and added five clicks of rear low-speed compression and five clicks of rebound damping. That helped, but it was not enough for our pace and tire setup.
In hindsight, we should have finished tuning the suspension on the stock tires before installing paddles. Changing the tires, wheels and effective track width introduced additional variables.
Can-Am X-Team racers Derek Murray and David Martinez later joined us. They worked with the FOX technicians to find settings suitable for a larger jump while using the wider 28-inch paddle-tire setup.
The additional compression and rebound damping helped control the car during the jump and improved its general handling with the wider sand tires. We applied the same adjustments to our Maverick and were much happier with the suspension performance.
Our Maverick X ds Turbo Dune Shock Settings
These are the settings we recorded at the Glamis test. Click counts and turns are measured out from the fully closed position. Treat them as a historical starting point—not a universal setup—because vehicle load, spring condition, tire construction, wheel offset and driving speed can all require different adjustments.
Front FOX Shocks
- High-speed compression: 1/2 turn out
- Low-speed compression: 2 turns out
- Rebound: 2 clicks out
Rear FOX Shocks
- High-speed compression: 2 clicks out
- Low-speed compression: 1 click out
- Rebound: 2 clicks out
Longer Wheelbase Improves Stability
The X ds Turbo’s 88-inch wheelbase was approximately four inches longer than the original Maverick’s. That difference was noticeable in the whoops and rough terrain. The longer chassis felt more predictable and allowed us to charge harder through uneven sections.
I still felt the original production suspension calibration was too soft for the way many dune and desert owners would drive this model. Manufacturers must select settings that accommodate different riders, loads and terrain, but the X ds Turbo was clearly focused on high-speed dune and desert use. Firmer baseline damping would have better matched that mission.
The Maverick also felt different from the contemporary RZR XP 1000 and Arctic Cat Wildcat. Its seating position was more upright rather than placing the occupants deeply into the chassis. Taller drivers could appreciate the extra room and natural seating position, but the vehicle did not feel as though its center of gravity was as low.
CVT and Belt Performance
Belt durability was one of my primary concerns. Can-Am addressed the turbo engine’s increased power with revised clutch calibration and substantially increased airflow through the CVT housing.
During two hot days at Glamis, we did not detect belt slip with either the stock tires or paddle tires. The factory calibration handled the additional traction without repeatedly hitting the rev limiter or producing a lazy response at lower speeds.
That drivability was one of the Maverick’s most important accomplishments. The power arrived smoothly throughout the rpm range instead of feeling like an aftermarket system that only worked well at wide-open throttle.
All About the Torque
After two days in the dunes, Dave and I came away impressed. A roughly 10-percent horsepower increase did not tell the entire story. The additional torque transformed how the Maverick accelerated, climbed and spun paddle tires in the sand.
The engine responded cleanly throughout the powerband. I especially enjoyed rolling into a corner with the paddles, applying the throttle and throwing a large roost toward the next bowl. It felt like the familiar Rotax V-twin had been put on steroids, but with the integration and warranty of a production vehicle.
The Maverick X ds Turbo was an obvious fit for dunes and open desert terrain in the Southwest. More importantly, it established factory turbocharging as the next major performance battleground in the sport UTV market.
2015 Can-Am Maverick X ds Turbo Specifications
- Engine: 976cc turbocharged Rotax V-twin
- Cooling: Liquid-cooled with an integrated air-to-air intercooler
- Valvetrain: SOHC, eight valves
- Horsepower: 121 hp
- Front suspension: Double A-arm with 15 inches of travel
- Rear suspension: Torsional Trailing A-arm with 16 inches of travel
- Shocks: FOX 2.5 PODIUM RC2
- Stock tires: 28-inch Maxxis Bighorn 2.0
- Ground clearance: 13 inches
- Wheelbase: 88 inches
- Overall length: 117.3 inches
- Overall width: 64 inches
- Overall height: 74.2 inches
More Photos
