2018 Caterpillar CUV82 vs. Gravely Atlas JSV: By the Numbers

When an equipment company partners with a UTV manufacturer to bring a new machine to the market, you can bet it will be a workhorse with some known technology. Caterpillar, known more for making backhoes and bulldozers, recently entered the UTV market with the new CUV machines in a joint venture with Textron Off-Road. This isn’t the first time an equipment company has done this. Gravely, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of commercial lawn equipment, partnered with Polaris a couple of years ago to create the Atlas JSV. The CUV and the JSV have quite a bit in common, too, so let’s see how they compare…by the numbers.

Power

The two main things most buyers in the utility segment go looking for is capacity and power. A machine has to have both to be able to get the job down. On the power side of things, both machines go about it completely different ways. The Caterpillar CUV82 runs a .8L, or 800cc three-cylinder, liquid-cooled four-stroke motor. It pumps out a claimed 50 horsepower. Not a lot is known about the motor at this time, although it is most likely very similar to the Weber-designed engines Textron is building for its Stampede line out of the Thief River Falls, Minn. Factory. It can get the CUV up to around the 45 mph mark, which is plenty for a working machine. It also has a 25 mph configurable speed setting for slower-speed work needs.

The Gravely JSV-3000 EFI runs on the tried and true Polaris 570cc, single-cylinder platform that we’ve seen in several Polaris machines. It produces 40 horsepower in the JSV, according to Gravely. The JSV can run up to 35 mph.

Both machines also come in a diesel-powered version. Each of them is powered by a 1,023cc diesel motor producing around 25 horsepower with a top speed of 25 mph.

Similar Capabilities

There are a couple of features of these two utility powerhouses that are very similar. The cargo boxes are made from steel instead of composite materials like most UTVs. The reason, of course, is durability. The JSV holds the advantage in capacity with 1,250 pounds. This is thanks to the deDion suspension system borrowed from Polaris’ Brutus line. This system helps minimize ground clearance issues even when fully loaded. The CUV82 from CAT has a 1,000-pound capacity.

Both machines come standard with 25-inch Carlisle All Trail tires on 12-inch wheels. This is a pretty common knobby turf tire that gets decent traction without tearing up the lawn.

Towing is pretty even at 2,000 lbs each. Ground clearance is also pretty close with the Cat having 10.5 inches and the Atlas having 10 inches of ground clearance. They even have similar heavy-duty front steel bumpers. Neither machine comes standard with power steering.

Who Wants One?

2018 Caterpillar CUV82 Review: First Drive

Like we said from the start, these are hard-core work and utility machines. They aren’t aimed at the recreational crowd, so if trail riding is your thing, these are not the machines you’re looking for. Gravely stated when the Atlas JSV was launches that its target market was contractors and landscape companies looking to add a UTV to the stable. Caterpillar has a massive following among construction and other forms of heavy industry, so the CUV82 will be a popular addition there. If you’re the type that puts in hard hours on the jobsite and you need a machine that has the same get-the-job-done attitude that you do, either of these machines would be a good choice. That could be on a farm, ranch, construction site, worksite… the list goes on.