In 2009, Side x Side Action Magazine brought together a remarkably diverse collection of sport, recreation and utility UTVs for a three-day shootout at Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California.
The test fleet ranged from the then-new Polaris RZR S and fuel-injected Kawasaki Teryx 750 FI Sport to traditional work machines from Kawasaki, John Deere and Cub Cadet. It also included several lesser-known vehicles and manufacturers that have since disappeared from the UTV market.
Looking back, the lineup captures an important moment in UTV history. Manufacturers were experimenting with very different ideas about what a side-by-side should be, while the sport and utility categories were beginning to move in increasingly different directions.
Three Days of UTV Testing at Glen Helen
Glen Helen Raceway provided varied terrain for evaluating the vehicles over three days. Rather than focusing on one type of machine, the event assembled everything from performance-oriented two-seaters to diesel work vehicles, multi-passenger models and flatbed utility machines.
The photos below document the 18 vehicles included in the test fleet. This page is a photographic record of the event and does not reproduce Side x Side Action Magazine’s final rankings or category results.
2009 UTV Shootout Vehicle List
Arctic Cat
The Prowler XTZ 1000 represented the big-bore performance side of Arctic Cat’s lineup, while the Prowler 550 Flatbed was firmly focused on utility work. Read more about both machines in our 2009 Arctic Cat model introduction and ride report.
Diamo and Cub Cadet
The presence of the Diamo Discovery and two Cub Cadet models demonstrates how broad and unsettled the UTV market remained in 2009. Numerous companies were offering their own interpretations of the utility side-by-side, but many would not remain long-term competitors.
Honda
The Big Red was Honda’s first production side-by-side. Its automotive-style transmission and strong utility focus made it very different from the belt-driven sport and recreation machines appearing elsewhere in the test fleet.
John Deere
John Deere supplied both gas- and diesel-powered Gators for the shootout. These machines reflected the traditional work-first side of the market. Our History of the John Deere Gator follows the platform from the early AMT utility vehicles through today’s XUV lineup.
Kawasaki
Kawasaki’s three entries illustrated the widening gap between utility and recreation UTVs. The MULE models emphasized passenger and cargo capability, while the Teryx offered a 749cc V-twin, four-wheel independent suspension and a more recreation-oriented driving experience.
For 2009, Kawasaki added fuel injection and numerous drivetrain and durability refinements to the Teryx. Read our 2009 Kawasaki Teryx 750 FI Sport review, or follow the platform’s development in the History of the Kawasaki Teryx. Our History of the Kawasaki MULE covers Kawasaki’s utility family beginning with the original 1988 MULE 1000.
Kymco
The Kymco UXV 500 competed in the growing midsize utility and recreation segment. It was one of several alternatives available to buyers who wanted four-wheel drive, a cargo bed and trail capability without moving into one of the larger machines.
Polaris
Polaris arrived with three distinctly different machines. The RZR S represented the emerging sport UTV category, the RANGER XP combined utility capability with recreational performance, and the RANGER Crew addressed the growing demand for additional passenger capacity.
The 60-inch-wide RZR S was especially significant. Its wider stance and longer-travel suspension helped establish the multi-width sport UTV strategy that Polaris continues to use. Read the complete History of the Polaris RZR for more about its influence.
For detailed impressions of the utility model, see our original 2009 Polaris RANGER XP review.
QSP and Redline
The QSP Buggy and Redline Riot are reminders of the number of unconventional vehicles competing for attention during the UTV industry’s early growth. Their inclusion makes this gallery more than a collection of familiar legacy models—it also preserves machines that are now rarely seen.
Yamaha
By 2009, the Yamaha Rhino had already transformed recreational side-by-side riding and helped create an enormous aftermarket. It remained one of the most recognizable UTVs in the industry, even as newer twin-cylinder competitors pushed the market toward more power and suspension performance.
Read our complete History of the Yamaha Rhino to see how the platform helped shape modern recreational UTVs.
A Snapshot of the UTV Market in 2009
Today, manufacturers divide side-by-sides into clearly defined sport, recreation, crossover, multi-passenger and work categories. The vehicles assembled at Glen Helen in 2009 show an industry that was still determining where those boundaries belonged.
The Polaris RZR S pointed toward the future of dedicated sport UTVs. The Kawasaki Teryx and Yamaha Rhino combined utility features with genuine trail performance. The Arctic Cat Prowler XTZ 1000 demonstrated the growing demand for larger engines, while the RANGER, MULE, Gator, Big Red and Cub Cadet models remained focused on hauling people, tools and cargo.
For another period comparison with original UTV Guide driving impressions, see our 2009 UTV Model Review. You can also explore additional discontinued machines in our Historical UTV Models and Discontinued Manufacturers Archive.
Browse more firsthand event and trail coverage in our UTV Trip Reports.
