climbs, we backed the high- and low-speed compression damping all the
way out to let the suspension move
easier on the rocks. We could feel
an immediate improvement in comfort. We were able to drive smoothly
through sections and concentrate on
choosing lines.
Arctic Cat designed the Wildcat so
the passenger compartment is lower
than the major competitors. We suspect that is why the legroom is about
the same as other sport UTVs despite
the wheelbase being at least 5 inches
longer. Measured ground clearance is
13 inches—a little less than Polaris at
13. 5 inches—but in actual rock crawling, the skid plates didn’t get much of
a workout, and we never got hung up
when we weren’t expecting it.
MORE RIDE
For those steep, stair-step rock
climbs that Moab is famous for, the
long wheelbase was welcome, and
the Wildcat felt calm and relaxed.
It takes a lot to upset the Limited.
As long as you stay steady on the
throttle and don’t barge into anything that pops up the front wheels,
the Wildcat stays planted and climbs
very well. Part of its ability for rough
climbs is the long-travel suspension.
It has very good articulation, so you
need to be in a sticky spot to loft a
wheel. Even when you are floating
one wheel the car still feels secure.
We wondered whether the softer suspension setting would have
adverse effects off the rocks, but we
had long, fast two-tracks with rollers
and drops, and the action was still
good without bottoming. We stopped
and played in a small dune area,
and we might have had improved
feel with stiffer settings. Nevertheless,
after a 50-foot dune jump, the driver
reported it was a hard landing. No
kidding. But, we were headed back
out onto the rocks and chop of well-used roads and washes, so we stayed
with the soft settings.
As well as the Wildcat climbs, the
ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X LIMITED
Engine .OHC, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke,
V-twin
Displacement ................................951cc
Transmission .....Fully automatic CVT
Final drive ..................................... Shaft
Fuel system........................................EFI
Fuel capacity ............................. 8. 8 gal
Length/width/height .... 128”/64”/66.8”
Ground clearance......................... 13.0”
Wheelbase ...................................... 95.0”
Estimated dry weight .............. 1380 lb.
Suspension/wheel travel:
Front.................... Double A-arm /17”
Rear ............. 5-link trailing arm /18”
Tires:
Front................................... 27x9-14 ITP
Blackwater Evolution
Blackwater Evolution
Brakes:
Front.......... Dual hydraulic disc with
dual-piston calipers
Rear ..................Dual hydraulic discs
Bed capacity................................300 lb.
Towing .............................................. N/A
Colors ........................ Black with green
Price ............................................. $19,999
Contact ................. www.arcticcat.com
Camp Chef’s Brooks Hansen was
more than happy to throw red sand in
the Wildcat X Limited. The front pushes
when rammed into turns hard.
We found the Wildcat to be a good-looking machine. The low-slung look keeps the
passenger’s weight low, but ground clearance remains generous at 13 inches.
car is equally adept at descents. It is
stunning what the stock machine is
capable of in the hands of a talented
driver. The braking is not grabby but
is strong enough for any job. The longish wheelbase, low center of gravity
and well-articulated suspension all
help when you press the down button.
We doubt that it is recommended, but
we found that by using the throttle to
take the load off the transmission, we
could shift from low to high and back
while rolling. The shift was super
smooth with no grinding.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If all you care about is massive
horsepower, then there are other
brands with more power and even
turbo models with much more boost
than the Arctic Cat. If your driving
area doesn’t require (or even allow)
massive acceleration, then the Arctic
Cat is well worth serious consideration. Aside from a little front-end
push when rammed into turns aggressively, the handling is very good, and
the suspension offers a great ride.
We found the suspension reacted
well to adjustments. Despite the rock
crawling and full-throttle sand-run-ning, there was never a whiff of hot
belt smell. On top of the performance
and passenger comfort, the Wildcat X
Limited offers a lot of great standard
features for the price. ❏
