The 2014 Can-Am Maverick MAX 1000R brought four-passenger seating to Can-Am’s original high-performance Maverick platform. Introduced before four-seat sport UTVs became commonplace, the Maverick MAX combined a claimed 101 horsepower with an extended 113.8-inch wheelbase, elevated rear seats and an available X rs performance package.
Can-Am revealed the Maverick MAX in September 2012 and announced that production vehicles would become available during summer 2013 as 2014 models. It joined the original two-seat Can-Am Maverick 1000R, giving families and groups a way to carry four adults without moving to a utility-oriented side-by-side.
Can-Am’s First Four-Seat Sport UTV
The Maverick MAX was more than a two-seat Maverick with another row of seats added. Can-Am extended the wheelbase by 29.5 inches and engineered the rear passenger compartment around full-size adults.
Its 113.8-inch wheelbase was 6.4 inches longer than that of the contemporary Polaris RZR XP 4 900. The additional length created more rear legroom while also giving the vehicle a stable, planted character in rough terrain.
The complete vehicle measured 147.5 inches long. Those dimensions made it look substantial, especially compared with the two-seat sport UTVs of the period, but our later 2014 Can-Am Maverick MAX X rs DPS review found that the extended chassis was considerably more agile than its size suggested.
2014 Can-Am Maverick MAX 1000R
101-Horsepower Rotax 1000R Engine
Power came from Can-Am’s naturally aspirated 976cc Rotax V-twin. Can-Am rated the engine at 101 horsepower, the same output offered in the two-seat Maverick 1000R.
The liquid-cooled V-twin used electronic fuel injection and Can-Am’s Intelligent Throttle Control system. Power reached the wheels through a continuously variable transmission with high, low, park, neutral and reverse ranges.
Selectable two- and four-wheel drive allowed the driver to engage the front axle when additional traction was required. The standard model used Can-Am’s automatically locking Visco-Lok front differential, while the X rs DPS received the quicker-engaging Visco-Lok QE version.
Rear-Passenger Comfort and Stadium Seating
Passenger comfort was one of the Maverick MAX’s defining features. Rather than installing a flat second row behind the driver, Can-Am positioned the rear seats 3.5 inches higher than the front seats.
This stadium-style arrangement improved forward visibility for the rear passengers and made the back of the vehicle feel more connected to the front cockpit. The rear seats provided lumbar and shoulder support similar to the front passenger seat.
Each rear passenger also received multiple handholds. A center-console grip was positioned within easy reach, with another grab bar located near the roll cage. Full-length side nets could be opened with one hand and provided a relatively unobstructed view from the rear seats.
2014 Maverick MAX 1000R Models
Can-Am initially offered the Maverick MAX in standard and X rs configurations. Dynamic Power Steering was included with the X rs DPS package.
| Model | Key equipment |
|---|---|
| Maverick MAX 1000R | 101-hp Rotax V-twin, four seats, Visco-Lok front differential and standard suspension |
| Maverick MAX 1000R X rs DPS | Tri-Mode DPS, Visco-Lok QE, FOX 2.5 Podium shocks, beadlock wheels, upgraded gauges and X-package trim |
Maverick MAX X rs DPS Package
The Maverick MAX 1000R X rs DPS was the performance-oriented version and the model we later tested at Can-Am’s 2014 press introduction near Nassau, New York.
The package added:
- Tri-Mode Dynamic Power Steering
- Visco-Lok QE quicker-engaging front differential
- FOX 2.5 Podium Performance piggyback shocks
- Dual-speed compression and rebound adjustment
- 12-inch cast-aluminum beadlock wheels
- Upgraded analog and digital instrumentation
- X-package graphics and seat trim
Tri-Mode DPS allowed the driver to select minimum, medium or maximum steering assistance. The ability to adjust steering effort was particularly useful on a vehicle with the Maverick MAX’s length and four-passenger capacity.
The adjustable FOX shocks were another functional upgrade. Compression and rebound adjustments allowed owners to tune the suspension for terrain, driving speed and the additional weight of rear passengers.
2014 Can-Am Maverick MAX 1000R Specifications
| Engine | 976cc liquid-cooled Rotax V-twin |
|---|---|
| Claimed output | 101 horsepower |
| Fuel system | Electronic fuel injection |
| Transmission | CVT with high, low, park, neutral and reverse |
| Drive system | Selectable 2WD/4WD |
| Front differential | Visco-Lok; Visco-Lok QE on X rs DPS |
| Seating capacity | Four |
| Overall length | 147.5 inches |
| Wheelbase | 113.8 inches |
| Wheelbase increase | 29.5 inches longer than the two-seat Maverick |
| Rear-seat position | 3.5 inches higher than the front seats |
| X rs suspension | FOX 2.5 Podium Performance piggyback shocks |
| X rs wheels | 12-inch cast-aluminum beadlock wheels |
| Model-year availability | Summer 2013 as a 2014 model |
Why the Original Maverick MAX Matters
The 2014 Maverick MAX helped establish the modern four-seat performance UTV as more than a stretched utility vehicle. It delivered the engine output and suspension technology of Can-Am’s dedicated sport platform while providing useful room for four adults.
Its long wheelbase also demonstrated that adding passenger capacity could improve stability without eliminating the responsive character expected from a sport UTV. Our firsthand test found that it remained entertaining with four adults aboard and handled its considerable dimensions surprisingly well.
Can-Am continued developing the MAX formula with naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions of the first-generation Maverick, followed by the Maverick X3 MAX and today’s Maverick R MAX. The original 2014 Maverick MAX 1000R represents the starting point for that progression.
2014 Can-Am Maverick MAX FAQ
How much horsepower does a 2014 Can-Am Maverick MAX 1000R have?
Can-Am rated the naturally aspirated 976cc Rotax V-twin at 101 horsepower.
When was the Can-Am Maverick MAX introduced?
Can-Am revealed the Maverick MAX in September 2012. Production vehicles became available during summer 2013 as 2014 models.
What is the wheelbase of the original Maverick MAX?
The 2014 Maverick MAX had a 113.8-inch wheelbase, which was 29.5 inches longer than the two-seat Maverick.
What did the Maverick MAX X rs DPS package add?
The X rs DPS package added Tri-Mode Dynamic Power Steering, Visco-Lok QE, adjustable FOX 2.5 Podium shocks, beadlock wheels, upgraded instrumentation and distinctive X-package trim.
Was the Maverick MAX comfortable for rear passengers?
The rear seats were positioned 3.5 inches higher than the front seats to improve visibility. Full-size seats, individual handholds and a spacious rear passenger area made it one of the more accommodating four-seat sport UTVs of its era.
Read our 2014 Can-Am Maverick MAX X rs DPS review for Jon Crowley’s firsthand driving and rear-passenger impressions, or explore the complete first-generation Can-Am Maverick 1000R guide for additional model history.
