Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Buying a utv....gas vs diesel?

I have been looking hard at UTVs. I would getting one mainly as a work machine for where I can't get a tractor or truck. I am willing to shell out the cash, but I want it to last many, many years. I probably won't put has many hours on annual basis as many.

This raises the question of diesel vs gas. I have no experience with diesel except a tractor my late father bought used more than 40 years ago. We do have a diesel tank on the farm. The diesel cost a little more up front. They don't have electric power steering. Not sure how much of a benefit that is anyway or if it's just one more thing that can brake. Feedback much appreciated.

I bought a Polaris ranger last year (2014 model ) and have enjoyed it. Wished I would have gotten on sooner.

Selling point for me on the ranger was the bench seat that 3 grown men can ride, comes in handy hunting. Towing and hauling is good on these also.

Mind doesn't have power steering, I see no use for it. Something electronic to tear up.

The fuel injection models are sensitive to voltage. The older models had an atv battery that would run down easy when using extra lights, etc and would kill the utv.

The newer models have a car battery, I put a hole in battery of mine and went to SAMs bought a AGM battery to replace it.

A friend has a diesel Kubota utv on his farm. Saying it's a POS is an understatement.

Interesting Bearcat, I thought Kubota was a pretty good brand as far as conventional tractors go not that that should make them a good utv maker I guess but you'd think they'd have figured it out better than what your friend experiences..

You won't regret buying a "good" UTV. I've had quads and bikes my whole life, got into a Ranger about 10-11 years ago and never looked back. Owned 5-6 since. I'll take a UTV over a quad ANY day of the week.

I see no use for a diesel UTV unless you want a rig that is heavier, slower, more expensive and more costly to repair. The only exception would be if you are using strictly it for a small tractor and nothing else.

I won't get into a brand war here but I just can't justify an oil burner and the baggage that comes with them.

Maybe he just got a lemon but if you go anywhere in it be prepared to wrench or walk. Top speed is about 30mph, if you get it over 20 mph for a short ways it starts overheating. It eats batteries like cookie monster in a chips-ahoy factory, and I think I could grab the rear hitch and it wouldn't pull me. The good things are it's loud, rides a little rougher than a covered wagon and sometimes it starts. His is an early model so the new ones may be better.


Their tractors seem to be very good.


A guy down the road that I haven't talked to has a Kubota UTV and he drives it up and down the road some so that automatically makes it better than my friends. His is newer.

I don't have a UTV so I can't talk on that. I do have a couple of ATV's, one with power steering and one without. My older one is a 2002 model honda rancher, the newer one is a 2010 rancher. The 2010 has power steering. When I was buying it I was going back and forth over whether or not to shell out the money for the PS, I finally decided to go for it. After owning it for 5 years I'll say power steering is the absolute best thing since sliced bread! I would never, ever, buy another ATV without it, it's almost life changing it's that good.

So my only point is that no matter what you end up getting, get something that has power steering. If you have to go to another brand then do it, just get the PS! It'll magnify your enjoyment of the machine 10X.

I use my 2009 Ranger for work and wish I had power steering. My next one will have it. I think the diesel in a Ranger would be a great work tool but the plastic UTV will fall apart around the motor. I'd do the gas motor again. It's been great an I can hit 50mph if I want/need to.

ditto on the kubota.
My friend has one.
No power.
too delicate.
hard to steer.
no speed.

As soon as I am able, i will get a polaris ranger.

Very interesting info. I, too, thought a Kubota would be a good unit, since their tractors get raves..

I like my mule 610. It is small and isn't fast but with an aftermarket rear seat in the bed and a winch it will go anywhere and carry 4 people.

I like the small size. It resides on my 350 acre farm and rarely leaves. Runs roads and fire breaks great.

Bought it last summer and have about 40 hours on it. I like the simplicity of it - not many bells and whistles to break

Power steering and diesel weren't options for me and I wouldn't have paid for them if they had been

If you're gonna use it hard and want it to last, find a good used Rhino.There are bigger, and fancier machines, but not tougher.

I don't use a UTV, but did look at them a bit when I was shopping for my last ATV. You mentioned it would be used in places you couldn't get to with your tractor or truck....with that in mind, make size a consideration when you're shopping. A lot of the UTV's out there are BIG...really BIG. So big that they may not fit somewhere a tractor wouldn't. Honda's Pioneer in the 500 size is a bit more compact, but it has a back rack rather than a bed.

I'd look more at the size and options you want for how you'll use it and narrow your choices down, then consider gas vs diesel if it still makes any difference to you.

Honda fan here. Bought a Big Red in '09 and it was so reliable it was boring. Sold it in March to a fellow hunt club member and bought a Pioneer 700. Very happy with it so far too. I think diesel in a UTV is impractical, unless fuel economy is that important to you. Even then, the downsides (Frequent fuel filter changes, more noise and smell, heavier, etc) far outweigh any advantage a diesel may have for this type of vehicle.

Old and new a few weeks ago setting coyote traps.

I've owned a bunch of Honda atvs and have had similar results. We haven't had much abusive experience with the utvs, but would expect similar results. They definitely ride good and have the power.

Kubota should probably stick to building tractors........

I use my SxS (UTV) for rec use...not farm use...'09 Rhino...

700 FI...Good solid & dependable machine..will climb a tree...

Your use sounds more utilty..never owned a Polaris.....I would look

at Honda as shown in link...or maybe consider an older Toyota P/U

some full size UTV's are just as big as 'Taco trucks & cost more

http://powersports.honda.com/2016/pioneer-700-4.aspx

I too have a Honda Pioneer 700, but mine's the 4 seater model. Don't have a whole lot of time on it, but I do like it. It's not as fast as my BILs Ranger, but will cruise at 35-40 pretty easily. I like that it has a car-like transmission instead of a belt.

We had narrowed it down to the Honda and a Kawasaki Mule 6 seater. We opted for the Honda because: 1. it was cheaper, 2. it was much smaller (ie turning radius) and 3. transmission vs. belt.

Buy a Suzuki Samurai, pull the rear seat and half-cab it. Bed is nearly the same size as a UTV, street legal, excellent off road,, comfortable to ride it, and they look awesome. Sami's are fairly cheap, mine was $1800.


I hope to half-cab mine soon.


Link to half-cab build: http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content?topic=86137.0

Power steering was invented for front lockers.

I spend a LOT of time in UTVs hunting every year. My hunting buddy has had Polaris rangers mostly. I upgraded his suspension and we stick a big dog box on the back with 4 dogs and go hundreds of miles lion hunting. I wouldn't own a UTV without power steering any more than I would own a pickup without it.

I have ridden in several of the diesel Kubotas (Ed has one in fact). They are fine on the farm but won't cut it for hunting-too slow, too heavy, too stinky, too expensive.

I would NEVER own a Ranger crew either- they are totally useless in the places I go. They are for riding around on roads that you can take your pickup on- the wheelbase is too long and they get hung up real easy. I have pulled more than one out that was hung up in the rocks.

I like the little mini pickups about as well as anything, they are cheap, have a heater, have a cab and can both fast and slow. The Daihatsu/ Suzuki trucks are far better than a diesel Kubota for most things.