Since the introduction of the Ski-Doo NEO, the sno-mo biz has been pretty difficult to navigate. Obviously the whole Covid paradigm shook the industry to its roots and altered the marketplace generating so much demand, prices for new (and used) sleds went stratospheric creating what I’ll call a “false market”.
Remember when you couldn’t buy a new sled during for full pop? That was only 3 years ago! The pandemic mentality saw tens of thousands of new sled buyers paying thousands above MSRP for a new ride. It was a phenomenon never witnessed in snowmobiling.
What now seems strange is the shocked look on the faces of dealers and OEM’s as a result of the imploding marketplace in recent days and months. Did anyone really think the escalating demand would last indefinitely?
Here’s my point. The NEO project was pointed directly at the price conscious purchaser who wanted a real snowmobile at a way low MSRP. That’s where our comments about the psychology behind the new NEO sounded an awful lot like the those behind the Sea-Doo Spark.
The NEO and the Spark share a low MSRP, deliver high value, full capability and respectable performance. Because Covid dramatically skewed retail pricing, we think the whole NEO project was at best misinterpreted and at worst completely misunderstood.
So here’s the reality. Covid is ancient history along with its ridiculously escalating pricing. We’re back to selling snowmobiles below MSRP, and sometimes substantially below and all of a sudden the NEO is looking pretty attractive.
This whole shift means the NEO can effectively pick up where it got lost in the middle of an inflated price fiasco. Check out its MSRP in the US and Canada and it really is worth a look for many reasons.
PRICING:
MXZ NEO Starting at $6,849 US and $8,549 CDN
MXZ NEO+ Starting at $7,649 US and $9,599 CDN
Summit NEO Starting at $7,999 US and $9,999 CDN
Summit NEO+ Starting at $9,499 US and $11,699 CDN
The NEO is built on a full-on REV G4 variant tub and tunnel. The front suspension is Ski-Doo’s RAS X set up. The rear skid is an all-new single shock unit delivering an impressive ride. It uses two variations of the ROTAX case reed, 600 EFI oil-injected, liquid cooled twin producing 40 and 55 in the 120-inch MXZ NEO and NEO+, and 55 and 85 ponies respectively in the 146-inch Summit NEO and NEO+.
No question horsepower numbers aren’t heroic here, but the reality is this – because the sled is capable, has good bones and is propelled by a torque laden ROTAX 600 EFI, the Neo gets up and goes. The sled is light and can be flicked around on tight trails or in deep snow delivering precise and confidence inspiring handling. Strangely it will impress even seasoned riders.
So who’s the NEO buyer? I think this very question was refused an answer when the NEO first appeared. It could turn out the NEO is a legitimate parallel to the wildly popular Sea-Doo spark. It is also possible the Neo will get panned because of its less than brawny powerplant. Keep in mind its ergos can accommodate smaller stature pilots as comfortably as full size riders.
Here’s what I think is undeniably true. The Ski-Doo NEO cannot be dismissed as something less than a full-on snowmobile. The problem with my assertion is if snowmobilers don’t get a chance to ride the NEO they may never have any appreciation for how much sled you get for the money.
