TESTED | POLARIS GENERAL 4 1000 EPS DELUXE | First Impression | Tested

Not quite racer, not quite ag machine, the Polaris General 4 1000 Deluxe sits perfectly in the middle. We test one to find out how versatile it is.

Polaris offer a plethora of different size machines with different purposes. The purpose of each machine is typically pretty clear such as the Ranger and RZR ranges. But many people ask us, “Where does the General fit?”

The tray isn’t as big as the Ranger models so they won’t carry he same amount of cargo and the running gear isn’t quite as sharp as the RZR’s so racing flat-out on a motocross track isn’t what it’s designed for either (although it can still do both quite well and have you working well into the night or your heart pumping with adrenalin). That leaves the General, in-particular the General 4 1000 Deluxe in the recreational category.

Here in Australia we don’t have the driving areas like the U.S. does so recreational riding isn’t as common as it should be but that doesn’t mean the General is less-popular than their other models. In fact, according to Polaris, the General range is just as popular as their other models with side-by-side loving Aussies simply because it is so versatile.

We got the chance to spend a day with the Polaris General 4 1000 EPS Deluxe to see just how versatile it is. We will get our hands on this machine again for an extended test to put it through a more thorough examination at a later date.

Motor – The General 4 1000 runs a 999cc / ProStar 1000 4-Stroke DOHC Twin Cylinder with On-Demand True AWD/2WD/VersaTrac Turf Mode. The Prostar donk pumps out 100hp but it should be noted this is not a turbo motor and as such does not put out the same horsepower as the top-of-the line RZR models. So if all you care about is breaking the land speed record then you are better off getting the RZR XP 4.

The on-demand all-wheel-drive system is now part of Polaris’s DNA and is seen on most of their models, as is this motor. It is excellent. It gets traction when it needs it and retards the wheels that don’t need spinning ensuring the drive is more stable. When coupled with Polaris’s Turf Mode which slows the inside wheel down so you don’t rip up your grass when performing a tight turn, the General 4 100 motor still worked well for agricultural purposes and going in and out of gullies.

999cc may seem like overkill for some farms if you plan on using this vehicle mainly for work but the torquey engine can tow 680kg too so a small spray unit mounted on a trailer can be pulled. We love this engine. It is reliable, strong and smooth.

It’s not aggressive or touchy on the throttle so it can be used for mustering as well. But, if you want to get up it, there’s plenty of power at your disposal. It doesn’t sit you in your seat like the turbo models do when you plant your foot but that’s the price you pay if you want to use it for work too. There’s still plenty of punch to frighten your passengers in the back seat, even at 842kg dry.

Comfort – The General 4 1000 EPS Deluxe is the most comfortable to sit in of the entire Polaris range. It runs bucket seats all round (that’s 4 of them) that are super comfortable. I prefer them to the Ranger seat as they hold you in tighter when using this vehicle for recreational activities like ripping around a trail or climbing hills but they aren’t as hard and race-ready as the RZR so you can sit in them for much longer. They were a little harder to get in and out of when opening gates than the Ranger but I still prefer them.

The General 4 1000 EPS Deluxe also runs the Fox 2.0 Podium shocks which I think is some of the best recreational suspension around. It’s not tuned like the RZR suspension so it is softer than that but it offers loads more travel and resistance than the Ranger, in fact nearly 10cm more than the Ranger. You can fly through the scrub smashing into holes and logs without being bucked off line and bashing the undercarriage.

This is partly due to the wheel size too. The Polaris General 4 1000 EPS Deluxe runs a 27-inch tyre as opposed to the 25-inch tyre in the four seat Ranger. That bigger tyre size and long suspension travel gives the General nearly 5cm of extra ground clearance which we found perfect for driving fast through the bush when chasing cattle or pigs where the ground was hidden by grass.

Work – The General 4 1000 has a dump box capacity of 272kg. This is a fair amount but it is not as generous as the four-seat Ranger’s 454kg. Still, it is double the four-seat RZR dump box capacity of 136kg so if you don’t intend on racing your SXS then you are getting similar performance for recreational driving as you do with the RZR but better work output.

A for towing, like I said the 680kg pulling ability is impressive but the Ranger pulls nearly 1200kg. If you plan on towing a spray unit more than anything else, just be wary the Ranger offers significantly more.

As for the rest of the General, it has more sporty features than the Ranger such as a Polaris HD 4500 LB Winch, Sport Low Profile Front Bumper, Sport Roof, Convex Rear View Mirror, Stage 1 Rockford Fosgate Audio. The General 4 1000 EPS Deluxe will cost you $31,995 but the whisper is that Polaris will be having a price rise for all 2022 models.