Extreme Machines.

 The Teryx4 has been in production for just over two years now, and Kawasaki has nailed down the proper creature comforts for this vehicle. Coupled with the new look of the seats and paint scheme, the shifter, steering wheel, cup holders and digital gauge cluster are each within easy reach for all-day comfort. The 12-volt outlet came in handy for those select editors who liked to bring their phones and digital accessories along for the ride. For those of us who were on the taller side (I’m about 6’3”), the front seats offer three different adjustments, fore and aft, for optimum comfort. The setting furthest back kept me secure, comfortable, and ready to mash either pedal at a moment’s notice on our two days of riding. The only thing I would like to see altered is the position of the foot pedals. For all day comfort, we hope Kawasaki pushes these more towards the front floorboard, so you don’t have to use the muscles in the front of your legs so much. Otherwise, the footrest and the cabin in general is a comfotable and pleasant place to be while out riding. The incorporated doors keep all four passengers in place and lessen the worry about unwanted debris finding its way into the cabin.

 The Teryx4 can easily fit four adults, and we are consistently amazed at the fact that they didn’t have to lengthen the wheelbase all that much when compared to the standard, two-seat Teryx (85.7 inches in the T4 versus 76 inches in the T2). This fact is proven even more in our minds when out driving the four-seater. While you can feel the slight increase in wheelbase, the way the Teryx4 drives on the trail reminds us of a high-strung slot car. Put the vehicle in 4-wheel drive, point it where you want it, and gas it! The T4 turns and pivots with ease; all the while the power steering and nicely weighted brake pedal are easy to modulate to ensure proper corner entry and exit.

From the seat of your pants, you can feel how impressive the new FOX Podium shocks perform in a variety of terrains. Never once did these shocks fade on us; and let me tell you, we definitely put the Teryx4 through its paces. While there is still the same amount of travel as that on last year’s T4 (8 inches in the front and 8.3 inches out back), the significant difference here is the quality of the shocks and the ability to make on-the-fly adjustments while you are out on the trail. Compression clickers come standard with these FOX shocks, and they provide a good amount of adjustability for a variety of terrains, driving styles, and weight distributions on the Teryx4. 

Speaking of power, the engine improvements build upon an already hearty V-twin. The jump in cc’s from 749 to 783 is felt throughout the entire RPM range, but especially in the low-end grunt. For example, we put the gear shifter in low, which allows you to travel up to 30 mph, and tore off for some of the tighter trails. The power from this motor builds right off the bottom. Wheelspin is easy to achieve when gassed hard from a standstill, but for those of us who aren’t on-off throttle drivers, the pedal is easily modulated and the power is put to the ground without a hitch. Hauling through the tight trails was a joy, and the newly refined transmission made it even more of a joy to gas the T4 as hard as the terrain would allow. Needless to say, this new Teryx4 is worthy of its new “800” emblem on the side, and the power it puts to the ground was exceptional, even if we were at over 6ooo feet elevation the entire time.

Overall, Kawasaki has made significant and welcomed improvements to its 2014 Teryx4. The motor and suspension upgrades make this machine even more capable and the styling improvements successfully add that “wow” factor the Teryx4 has been searching for, especially with the LE model. To top it off, prices remain reasonable when compared to the rest of the UTV market. Base models (available in Sunrise Yellow) can be had for $15,799, MSRP. A Realtree Camo edition is available for an MSRP of $16,299, and the LE model, which is available in two colors: Candy Lime Green and Candy Burnt Orange, retails for an MSRP of $16,999.