BEST OF 2025
Best Utility ATV 2025
Polaris Sportsman XP 1000 S
The King of South African Farms & Hunting
88 hp • 952 cc twin • Active Descent Control • 680 kg towing • 363 kg total payload • 68 km/h top speed
Published: 18 March 2025 • Updated: 6 December 2025
When South African farmers, game ranchers and serious hunters vote with their wallets, one machine keeps winning: the 2025 Polaris Sportsman XP 1000 S.
No other utility ATV on the market today combines this level of raw power, intelligent 4×4 systems, ride comfort and sheer towing ability — making it the undisputed champion for real work in the veld.
Why SA Farmers & Hunters Choose It
- ✓On-Demand True AWD with turf mode — protects your lawn yet engages instantly when needed
- ✓Active Descent Control (ADC) + Engine Braking — full control on steep downhill loads
- ✓680 kg towing — pull a 1-ton trailer fully loaded with ease
- ✓363 kg total payload (front + rear racks)
- ✓34.3 cm ground clearance and 29″ tyres — clears almost anything in the bush
- ✓Factory winch & mount ready — most owners add a 4,500 lb Warn winch
Real-World SA Performance
We’ve watched these machines haul full bakkie-loads of firewood, pull stuck Land Cruisers out of mud, and carry two hunters plus a kudu carcass without breaking a sweat. The 2025 model gets the new sealed “S” suspension with Walker Evans needle shocks — smoother ride, less body roll, and better stability when loaded.
How It Stacks Up Against the Competition
- ✓Can-Am Outlander 1000R XT — slightly more power but harsher ride and less towing limited to 750 kg
- ✓Honda Foreman Rubicon — legendary reliability but only 47 hp
- ✓CFMOTO CForce 1000 — cheaper but lacks Polaris refinement and dealer network
Verdict
If you need one ATV that can work Monday-to-Friday farm work, weekend hunting trips, and still blast down a dirt road at 68 km/h — the 2025 Polaris Sportsman XP 1000 S remains unbeatable in South Africa.