The big question is this: How much power do you really need?
Sure, a lot of snowmobile shoppers would argue, “If you’re in for a penny, you’re in for a pound”; meaning if you’ve got your wallet out, why go for a 95-130 horsepower sled if you can spend a few more bucks and get a 160-200-hp one?
The hard truth is this – and it’s challenging to get power-hungry buyers to fully understand what we’re proposing here – not everyone wants or most certainly, needs more than the 130-hp ceiling this line-up offers.
Here’s a look at some of the most popular (and largest selling) trail sleds that fall splat into the middle of the power wars.
2021 Ski-Doo MX-Z 600R: Solid As A Rock!
The 129-inch version of this platform is sweet. Its 129-inch track allows the sled to pivot quickly and give agile feedback at the handlebars.
Although the MX-Z isn’t a whole bunch lighter than its 137-inch Renegade counterpart, it feels that way, and the fact is, this sled is light enough it can handle powder forays nicely even with a 129. The 137-inch Renegade is actually more of a dual-purpose crossover than the deep snow Backcountry.
It’s nearly impossible to be critical of the 600R E-TEC engine. This potent, 125-hp twin starts instantaneously, sips fuel and oil, never spews a wisp of smoke and generates muscular, linear power all across its considerably wide power band.
pDrive clutching is spot-on and with rollers running both the primary and the secondary, you just know this sled is maximizing its power. Upshifts are quick and consistent and backshifting is flawless.
Cap the benefits off with proven-excellent rMotion out back and a selection of gas shocks ranging from non-adjustable to multiple settings for both compression and rebound and, depending on the model MX-Z you choose (TNT, X or X-RS), you can pretty much dial up any suspension setting imaginable.
This year, the premium X and X-RS MX-Z and Renegade models come with Ski-Doo’s new, wider RAS X front end – and it makes the upgrade to those models worth every penny.
Perhaps the only concern with either the Renegade or the MX-Z is the fact Polaris is nipping at these sled’s heels with its new 650 Matryx.
Since the G4 chassis has been mostly unchanged for a few model years (yes, there’s been steady improvement), left unchanged, the buying public may be tempted to wander next year.
