America’s Cheapest New Side-By-Sides Give You Incredible Off-Road Fun For Under $16,000

The side-by-side is a sort of off-roading cheat code. It doesn’t matter if you buy one emblazoned with BRP or Polaris on it, these specially-designed rigs make even the most novice drivers look like rally legends when they’re wheeling. Sadly, the best ones cost a fortune, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re willing to go a little slower and have less capability, America’s cheapest side-by-sides offer incredible fun on a budget of under $20,000 and even under $10,000.

One of my upcoming reviews this spring will be on the Can-Am Maverick R X RS. Frankly, that side-by-side is a marvel of engineering. This “car,” as side-by-side manufacturers like to call them, can tear through trails, safely perform wicked airtime jumps, and conquer just about any terrain at just about any speed you’re brave enough to go. And these things have so much ridiculous power that triple digit speeds are possible. There is not a stock 4×4 truck or SUV on the market that could hold a candle to the best side-by-sides.

But here’s the thing: For how wonderfully awesome the Can-Am Maverick and its Polaris RZR competition are, they’re ridiculously expensive. The Maverick R X RS I tested commands $44,299. Even the cheapest Maverick R is still $35,499. You can buy a decent new car for that kind of money. Heck, you could buy a new Nissan Sentra and a really nice new motorcycle or multiple V6 Ford Mustangs.

If you thought that was expensive, buckle up. This year, Polaris launched the Polaris RZR Pro R Factory, the side-by-side market’s only factory-built race-ready rig. This nutty thing, which has an astonishing spec sheet and is built specifically as a turn-key vehicle for a professional racing team, starts at $139,999 and rises to $149,999 if you want it with 255 HP.

But what if you aren’t sitting on luxury car money to buy an off-road-only toy? Hey, look, I get it. So, let’s maximize your fun while minimizing your spend. I’ll be clear from the start here. No low-cost side-by-side will come close to the Maverick above. But if you’re okay with blazing trails at a more leisurely pace, I’m sure you’ll still have a blast.

Some manufacturers and dealers play a little loose with the fact that there isn’t a true definition of a side-by-side. Because of this, technically, the cheapest side-by-side in America is something like the Trailmaster Cheetah 8 below. It costs just $2,499 and looks like a side-by-side, but has a tiny 7.5 HP engine and a top speed of 19 mph.

I grew up driving rigs like this and they’re best at driving around an open field. Give it literally any real obstacle and it’ll just stop moving. Some dealers market these as a side-by-side, but they’re way closer to a go-kart in practical function.

I say this because the side-by-side has its roots in beefed up utility vehicles. Side-by-sides are supposed to be a bit more durable and more capable than an ATV. So, a side-by-side that can’t handle basic changes in terrain shouldn’t be called a side-by-side. Then again, I must stress how crazy it is that these vehicles are all over the place with classification. Depending on where you live, what brand you’re looking at, and what specific vehicle you’re looking at, it may not even be called a side-by-side, but a utility task vehicle, utility terrain vehicle (UTV), or recreational off-highway vehicle (ROV). As I noted earlier, some folks will even just call them “cars,” including manufacturer PR people.

If your head isn’t spinning yet, UTVs and side-by-sides then get a bit granular with their own sub-categories. See, you could buy a utility side-by-side. Those are going to be the John Deere Gators that you see driving around golf courses with little truck beds on them.

Then you move a step up into the trail or recreation class, and these are smaller vehicles made just for having off-road fun.

There’s also a sport segment, which gives you what’s more or less a trail with but with more horses in the stable. Some manufacturers also toss the 200-plus HP off-road conquerors into this category or call them something like “Wide Open.”

You’ll also find a segment of side-by-sides meant for adventure, and these things have the luxury of road-legal 4×4 trucks and SUVs. So, it’s all flexible and weird. For the purposes of this piece, my picks will be from known brands for under $20,000 and meet the criteria of being beefier than a kid’s ATV.

Cheapest Sport

Let’s start with the most speed and capability you’re going to get for $20,000. Unfortunately, with a price ceiling of $20,000 you’re not going to get any of the wide open side-by-sides or any of the super slick rigs you see getting epic airtime at your local off-road park. But you can still get a lot of bang for your buck.

It appears that most of the sport segment of the side-by-side world starts at around $21,000 before shipping and other fees. Spending about that much money would get you a Yamaha YXZ1000R, which has the distinction of having the only real manual transmission in the entire side-by-side market. Seriously, if you want to row your own gears you have only one choice.

The YXZ1000R has some neat engineering going on too with a shaft drive (many side-by-sides still rely on belt drive). Fox Podium 2.5 shocks, and lockers. Power comes from a 998cc triple making 110 HP. Again, that’s less than half the power that you get in flagship side-by-sides, but if you can’t have fun with 110 HP I would recommend seeking a doctor.

Here’s a basic spec sheet:

Power: 110 HP.
Engine: 998cc inline-three.
Dry weight: 1,567 lb.
Ground clearance: 12.2″.
Dimensions (L x W x H): 123.9″ x 64.4″ x 68″.
Wheelbase: 90.6″.

However, this isn’t about the coolest sport side-by-side you can get. If you must spend the least amount of money possible, the cheapest sport side-by-side by a known brand is the CFMoto ZForce 950 Sport.

You could get one of these for $15,299 before fees and they offer a lot of bang for the buck. Here’s a run-down of the specs:

Power: 83 HP.
Engine: 963cc V-Twin.
Dry weight: 1,436 lb.
Ground clearance: 12″.
Dimensions (L x W x H): 121″ x 60″ x 74″.
Wheelbase: 90″.

It should be noted that while CFMoto has made leaps and bounds in quality over the past decade, it’s still not exactly on-par with its competition. Reviews for the ZForce 950 Sport note that some plastics feel cheap, the suspension is a bit harsh, and that the vehicle could use another 30 HP or so. Indeed, a number of the side-by-sides in this sport class now have 100 HP or more. So going cheaper does cost you loss of power.

If you read my motorcycle content, you know that CFMoto is a Chinese company and isn’t as established as a player in the field as Polaris, Honda, or BRP. So you get a lot of bang for your buck, but you do seem to take a hit in power and some quality. This isn’t the case with the whole CFMoto lineup. If you spend around $20,000, you can get a trail rig from CFMoto with 143 HP.

Cheapest Utility

The cheapest kind of side-by-side that you can get into from a known brand will be one that’s meant for work. These kinds of UTVs won’t have a ton of power, won’t have toys, and don’t have any of the racing bits you find in the high-end stuff. Instead, they’re closer to the old-school way of off-roading where you have a simple vehicle with some good ground clearance and grabby tires.

The undisputed king of cheap is the Kawasaki Mule. A Mule SX will run you a rock-bottom $8,299 before fees. Don’t let that price fool you, either. The Mule was one of the pioneers of the modern utility side-by-side when it hit the trails back in the 1980s.

Since then, the Mule has served as a reliable workhorse for ranchers, farmers, construction firms, and just about anyone else who has needed a lightweight off-road vehicle with more beef than a normal ATV. People use these things for off-roading, too. Again, don’t expect to have your boots blown off, but if you have a forest nearby, you can have some real fun.

If you’re not entirely sure what I’m talking about here, the spec sheet will tell all:

Power: 13.5 HP.
Engine: 401cc single-cylinder.
Curb weight (dry isn’t listed): 1,032 lb.
Ground clearance: 6.7 in
Dimensions (L x W x H): 106.7″ x 52.6″ x 73.4″
Wheelbase: 70.1″.
Towing capacity: 1,100 lb.
Cargo Payload: 399 lb.

The standard Mule doesn’t even have four-wheel-drive, but you do get a rear locker. You’ll have to pay up $9,649 to get a four-wheel-drive system. With only 13.5 HP on deck, even the CFMoto will be running circles around you. However, I have seen Mules out in the wild and while they’re slow, like their namesake animal they get the job done. They will use every bit of power available in that tiny engine to get through mud and even some obstacles.

If the Mule is a bit too much toward the utility side of things, you can also get the $8,999 Honda Pioneer 500.

This one doesn’t have a big bed on the back, instead there’s just a little rack. Yet, it can still tow things, too. Honda’s powersports vehicles have a good reputation for quality. However, it should be noted that Hondas are also pretty tiny inside. So be sure to sit in one of these little guys before spending any dough.

Something neat about the Pioneer is that it costs just a little more than the Kawasaki, but doubles the power and has roughly similar overall dimensions.

Power: 29 HP (estimated).
Engine: 475cc single-cylinder.
Curb weight (dry isn’t listed): 1,027 lb.
Ground clearance: 8.5″
Vehicle size (L x W x H): 102.5″ x 50″ x 71.2″.
Wheelbase: 73″.
Towing capacity: 1,000 lb.
Cargo Payload: 450 lb.

Both of these side-by-sides are considered to be entry-level models. So, you’re getting a very basic, very plastic interior. Don’t expect fancy sound systems, colorful displays, or tons of style. The Mule doesn’t even have LED headlights. But the really cool thing about side-by-sides is that they have practically infinite upgradeability. I’ve seen folks do turbo kits, custom paintwork, huge tires, and all other sorts of stuff. However, you do have to be realistic. You aren’t going to turn a Kawasaki Mule into a Can-Am Maverick so temper your expectations.

As an honorable mention I want to nominate the Can-Am Commander.

This weirdo is a hybrid of sorts that tries to mesh sport side-by-side attributes with a utility side-by-side. I’ve tested some of these and they do some seriously good wheeling for not a ton of money. They’ll even do the big airtime jumps I love so much, but with harder landings.

I would recommend at minimum getting the Commander DPS with the 1000R engine for $18,699. Now, like everything else here, the Commander is about as basic as it gets. But you do get lockers and a sport mode, plus a very useful 2,000-pound towing capacity. Back in 2021, I took a few of these on an off-road adventure through Utah and they’re an absolute ball.

Power: 100 HP.
Engine: Rotax 976cc V-Twin.
Dry weight: 1,600 lb.
Ground clearance: 12.5″
Vehicle size (L x W x H): 128.5″ x 62″ x 70.5″.
Wheelbase: 90.6″.
Towing capacity: 2,000 lb.
Cargo Payload: 600 lb.

Now, to be clear, this isn’t a list of the best side-by-sides, but what you can get by scraping the bottom of the barrel at a name-brand company. The Polaris RZR range starts at $15,999 while the cheapest Honda Talon is $20,099. A Kawasaki Teryx is $14,199. There are lots of good side-by-sides that you can get for under $20,000. Some of them will be trail rigs, some of them will be utility rigs, and some will be the very bottom floor of the sport category.

No matter what, I would recommend coming into a cheaper side-by-side with the mindset of knowing what you’re going to get. None of these will perform anything like the flagships and expecting them to will set you up for disappointment. Instead, I think you should aim just to have the most fun for your dollar. Who cares if you can’t hit desert whoops at 90 mph, you can still have fun at a more leisurely 40 mph.

Of course, another option would be to buy a used side-by-side or to buy a used off-road SUV or truck. Not only can this be a daily driver but it can also be immensely fun off-road for about the same money. But if you want to buy a side-by-side for off-roading, you do have options and as it turns out, you can have a lot of fun for not a huge cash infusion.

Top graphic images: Manufacturers