2019 Textron Wildcat XX vs. Polaris RZR XP 1000: By the Numbers

Derrek Sigler
by Derrek Sigler
The new Textron Wildcat XX is ready to take on the industry heavyweights, including the Polaris RZR XP 1000. Let’s see how they compare – by the numbers.


There is the old saying that if you should ever find yourself in prison, and I hope you never do, the first day you’re in there, you should walk up to the biggest, baddest guy on the cellblock and punch him square in the face. This will let everyone else know you’re a tough guy and they should all take you serious. With Textron Off-Road, coming into the high-performance market with a new machine means that sooner or later, you’re going to have to take the comparison to the Polaris RZR, the machine that invented the category and continually sets the benchmark. Let’s watch the Textron Wildcat XX and the Polaris RZR XP 1000 face off by the numbers and hope the guards don’t try to break up the fight.

Textron Wildcat XXPolaris RZR XP 1000
Price$20,499$17,999
Engine998cc Triple999cc Twin
Horsepower125110
Driveline/DifferentialElectric 2/4WD with 4WD LockHigh Performance True On-Demand AWD/2WD
TransmissionCVT; TEAM Rapid Response Clutches (H,L,N,R,P)Automatic PVT P/R/N/L/H
Wheelbase95 in90 in
Overall Dimensions (LxWxH)136 x 64 x 67.5 in119 x 64 x 73.75 in
Dry Weight1,816 lbs1,369 lbs
Front Tires30 x 10-15 CST Behemoth29 x 9-14; Maxxis Bighorn
Rear Tires30 x 10-15 CST Behemoth29 x 11-14; Maxxis Bighorn
Ground Clearance14.0 in13.5 in
Fuel Capacity10.0 gal9.5 gal
Front SuspensionDouble A-Arm with 18 in (45.7 cm) travelDual A-Arm 16 in (40.6 cm) Travel
Rear SuspensionTrailing Arm with 18 in (45.7 cm) travelTrailing Arm with Stabilizer Bar and 18 in (45.7 cm) Travel
Front/Rear BrakesDual Piston Front Calipers and Single Piston Rear Calipers4-Wheel Hydraulic Disc with Dual-Bore Front and Rear Calipers
Bed/Rack Capacity300 lbs300 lbs

The Cat’s Out of the Bag

The Textron Wildcat XX is not really a new machine in that we’ve all known about it for some time. Arctic Cat had been working on it for a long time before financial situations led to the buy-out and merger with Textron. We also know Textron was working on a few things before it bought Arctic Cat – the latest being the new Havoc X. Textron put the brakes on the XX’s launch because it knew that when it came out with a true performance machine, it had to come out swinging. The delays were worth it, as the new Wildcat XX is getting rave reviews from those lucky enough to have taken one for a spin.

2019 Textron Wildcat XX 2

The XX is a naturally aspirated (yes – no turbo charger!) 997cc inline triple pumping out 125 horses – the new title holder for non-turbocharged UTVs. If you were to take a close look, you’d actually find the engine to be very familiar, but Textron is pretty tight lipped about admitting it’s a Yamaha. Power delivery, from all reports, is extremely good. There are some keyboard warriors out there bemoaning the fact that it isn’t turbocharged yet, but anyone who has driven it says it does just fine without one. To think, just a few years ago, 125 horsepower would be unheard of. Now people think it isn’t enough. Relax. There will be turbo options available from the aftermarket probably by the time you read this.

What’s to say about the non-turbo RZR XP 1000? It runs on a 999cc, 110-horsepower, twin cylinder ProStar motor that we all know and are familiar with. The thing about being the big guy on the cellblock – you have to have the muscle to back it up or you don’t stay there for long. Polaris’ RZR is the benchmark. It makes great power and is the machine we compare all others to for a reason.

The Wildcat’s Wildcard

The legendary Robby Gordon was brought in to consult on the Textron Wildcat XX package and the results are easy to see. The suspension system, which uses Fox Podium 2.5 QS3 shocks, is amazing. The shocks also have bottom-out control and 18 inches of travel. They ride on offset front A-arms with an unequal length that adjusts the tire camber and ensures maximum tire contact with the ground throughout the suspension travel. There is a newly designed rear trailing arm setup that lets the tire move nearly straight up and down through the stroke of the shock. The Wildcat XX has 13.5 inches of ground clearance, too. Textron is marketing the Wildcat XX as a machine that can travel over anything, and from those that have driven one, that would appear to be accurate.

Polaris RZR XP 1000 Studio

The RZR runs Walker Evans Racing Needle shocks with 16 inches of travel in the front and 18 inches in the rear. The shocks are 2-inch in the front and 2.5 in the rear. Again, as we said, setting the standard, the RZR has dual A-arms in the front and the rear suspension set up uses trailing arms. This system has been refined over the years and works exceptionally well.

Who Wins the Fight?

We do! Both machines are excellent and will stack up well against the competition. When Arctic Cat ran the show, the Wildcat machines were known to have really good suspension, but a few other quirks played down the popularity some. The Textron Wildcat XX has amazing suspension and the rest of the machine seems to be right in the hunt. Check out Rick Sosebee’s testimonial of his ride here. Is it enough to knock off the champ? That’s up to you. Both are solid machines.

2019 Textron Wildcat XX 5

The Textron Wildcat XX starts out at $20,499. A Polaris RZR XP 1000 starts out at $17,999 and there are optional packages available for the RZR that climb that price up to be pretty equal. Tell us, which one would you buy?

Derrek Sigler
Derrek Sigler

Derrek's love for all things ATV started when he was a mere 11 years old, growing up on his family farm. His mom gave him and his sister a choice - get a horse, or a three-wheeler. The sister wanted the horse, and Derrek wanted the ATV. Luckily he won out, and was soon burning up the trails on a Yamaha Tri-Moto 200. By the time he was 14, he had saved enough of his own money by working on the farm and in his folks restaurant to buy a new 4-wheeler. That happened the day he and his mom were driving past the dealership and saw 1987 Banshee. His mom had no idea what he was buying, and he never looked back. He's been riding ever since, and been writing professionally for many years. He has ridden all over North America and been behind the controls of just about every machine out there. And yes, he still has his 1987 Yamaha Banshee.

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