4x4 AUGUST 2019 | 53
Previous-generation diesel engine has been replaced with a 898cc Kubota unit
developing 24.8bhp and 40.8lbf.ftI
t’s April Fools’ Day and
I’m travelling up to the
picturesque setting
of Lake Windermere.
Happily, I’m on anything but
a fool’s errand.
I’ve been summoned to
this wonderful part of the
world by the news of a fresh
Polaris vehicle breaking cover.
While I don’t usually need
an excuse to visit the Lake
District, this seems as good a
reason as any.
The vehicle in question is
Polaris’ new Ranger Diesel, a side-
by-side off-roader that aims to be
the ultimate partner for farmers and those in
need of an agricultural workhorse.
I happen to be making tracks up to Cumbria
in a pick-up truck. And as my speed reduces and
the roads increase in bendiness, my eyes can’t
ignore the very obvious fact that there are more
ways for a farmer to cross his or her land than
ever before.
+one are the days when fi elds would only be
marked by the footprints of a Series Land Rover
or its successor, the Defender. Pick-ups have
become much more prevalent in recent times, as
have a whole array of 4x4s, ATVs and UTVs.
In the last two decades, the Polaris Ranger
has become a stellar performer in the UTV
sector, with more than a million sold globally by
the end of 2017. The Ranger has become such
a success that there are now seemingly endless
confi gurations aZailable for prospectiZe buyers- including for some years a diesel, for which
this new model is the replacement.
It has an all-new engine, which is clearly the
headline act. But it’s supported by the small
matter of a new chassis, and comes with an
increase in payload and towing capacity, more
ground clearance, better in-cab ergonomics and
longer intervals between those all-important
services. That’s a great deal to digest and,
certainly
on paper, a lot
for Polaris to have achieved.
But if one place can show just how good (or
not) the Ranger Diesel is, that place would be
the Graythwaite Estate in the Lakes. The terrain
and conditions here are just like any other rural
backdrop (except with better views) and will
give the new machine a thorough examination.
First, though, some housekeeping. The new
Ranger Diesel starts from £12,999 excluding
VAT, and for that you won’t have a roof or any
doors on your wagon. There’s a Tractor model,
which starts from £13,499, again plus the
dreaded, though it you’re in the market you’re
surely going to be claiming it back.
There’s a wide range of accessories on the
list of optionals. But you can’t treat this like you
would the specifi cation of a pick-up, for example.
With the Ranger Diesel, you have the
opportunity to build your ideal UTV, right down
to the style of the aforementioned doors and
roof. For instance, base models are equipped
simply with side netting, but you can opt for
proper doors either with an opaque bottom or
a clear lower half that could prove useful for
visibility when off-roading.
So there are lots of derivatives to choose
from, but some things are set in stone. The new
engine, for instance, is a three-cylinder 898cc