The 2020 Kawasaki Teryx KRX 1000 knows how to have fun off the beaten path

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The KRX 1000 is Kawasaki’s top-dog side-by-side. It’s an off-road athlete that comes kitted up with some of the very best hardware in its universe, and it looks like the Warthog from Halo 2. There’s big ground clearance, and special placement and protection for vital components to protect them from the terrain beneath. My tester came with rock rails, mud tires, front diff lock, and even a snorkel kit that allows it to drive through chest-deep water.

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It’s all powered by a 999-cc engine, which sits just ahead of the rear axle. It sends 112 horsepower to the ground, while towering Fox Shocks at each corner provide precision damping control across a massive amount of suspension travel. With these ingredients as the basis of its recipe, KRX 1000 serves up huge confidence, consistent ride comfort on challenging terrain, and sharp, eager, almost dramatic responses to its operator inputs.

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So, it’s a machine built and equipped for the shopper who wants to go all out. It’s for someone after the top-performing side-by-side from their favorite brand, a new toy, or a new tool, that’ll help them connect with new places, new hobbies, and new experiences . And it’s all dialed in to keep you grinning, every step of the way. The Kawasaki KRX 1000 intends to be your all-access pass to any outdoor adventure you’ve got in mind.

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Recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the KRX 1000 while enjoying what’s become, for me, an important new hobby: getting out and exploring the world around me. I’d never driven a side-by-side before — though as one of the gnarliest side-by-sides on the scene, the KRX 1000 would make for a memorable fist time. Importantly, though this machine is built, powered and equipped to satisfy the pros, it’s also an approachable machine for a rookie such as myself, and one that’ll leave said rookies with loads of capability to grow into as they become more experienced and adventurous.

The KRX 1000’s suspension turns to Fox Shocks, tapping into years or expertise in off-road racing. The suspension system is  engineered for maximum control and comfort in severe use, and works better the faster and rougher the terrain passing beneath. Mogul surfaces that send crossovers and SUVs bounding and slamming down the trail barely even register to the KRX’s driver. Ditto running over a log, rut, or the sort of rock you’d slow down to avoid if you were in an F-150. Ground clearance is generous, and the tire treads are designed to chuck muck, claw over loose rocks, and climb things so steep and slippery you’d struggle to tackle them on foot. It chews right on through the same sort of peanut-butter-and-boulders terrain that would spell the end of the trail for a Jeep Wrangler.

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Quickly, the KRX 1000 encourages rookies its new operator to quit worrying about getting stuck or scraping the floor pan. That’s thanks in no small part to the hilariously point-and-shoot traction, combined with a suspension that seems to say “didn’t hurt, didn’t hurt” to just about everything you drive over. Even when passing over big bumps and obstacles, I was never compelled to swear out loud and apologize to the machine.

It’s not long before even an apprehensive off-roader like me stops wincing and worrying about scraping or slipping or getting stuck, and starts smiling as the KRX 1000 strikes worry after worry from your mental checklist. More importantly, you’re having fun and feeling well supported as the machine invites you to see what it can do, at your own pace. It reminds me of driving a Porsche 911: big performance capabilities, but more than happy to just go for a relaxing drive, if you like. Both machines are easy to learn with, and you’re having a good time, whether you’re pushing or not.

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The KRX’s steering is light and quick, almost like a go-kart. There’s low-range gearing for crawling and climbing, and it can inch you down a boulder-strewn hill without touching the brakes. The operator and passenger sit up high and alert, and you feel the machine’s suspension and driveline doing the work beneath you, the Fox Shocks acting as a sort of ride quality forcefield between you and the trail. It’s almost like riding a mud-caked lazy-boy with massive ground clearance.

With it’s 999-cc engine opened up, the KRX 1000 is a smooth performer. A one-speed CVT means KRX oozes off of the line with no hard kick or jump, which might leave sportier drivers wishing for something a more dramatic. But the powercurve arrives smoothly, and with plenty of force. The acceleration is swift, steady, smooth, and totally uninterrupted. With your foot to the firewall and a little momentum behind it, the KRX 1000 surges ahead in a serious hurry.

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That’s a good thing, since higher speeds and uneven surfaces allow drivers to see some of the suspension’s very best work. At some point before long, you’ll be inspired to open the KRX up fully, perhaps on a mogul-covered railbed that connects one trail you’re exploring to the next. It’s in that exact situation I wore the biggest grin of the test drive; with the engine hammering away behind me, speeds approaching 100 km/h, and the Fox Shocks working their magic beneath, I was comfortably flying over a surface that has to be tackled at near walking speeds in a roadgoing vehicle.

Covering rough and sloppy ground quickly and comfortably is the KRX 1000’s secret sauce. Drivers can fly down the trails, take in a half-dozen or more scenic stops in a day’s ride, and you’ll arrive at all of them relaxed and comfortable: maybe for a picnic, some photos, or just to catch up with some friends and family. You’re maximizing how much of the great outdoors you can cover in a given day.  If you’re into outdoor photography, this means more shots per day, and the ability to move at high speed from one photo stop to the next, maximizing daylight.

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With my tester’s accessory light bar, there wasn’t even a rush to get out of the wilderness by dark since the trail ahead can be positively soaked with clean, white light at the flick of a switch. Plus, with no paint to scratch, a fully protected underbody, and my tester’s built-in winch, you’ve got little to worry about and lots to enjoy — even if you’ll keep on exploring once the sun goes down.

On gripes, the KRX 1000 did leave me wishing for better rearward sightlines at times, and shoppers should consider the limited storage for larger items that they’d like to keep protected. My camera bag, for instance, typically sat on the front passenger seat, or the front passenger’s lap — firmly sealed into a garbage bag to protect the gear from mud and sand. A trip to the accessory catalog may be required to kit your KRX up if you’ll be bringing much gear along for your adventures.

All said, apprehensive first-time riders will probably need a few rides to feel things out — but once you do, the KRX 1000 is all smiles. Before long, you stop worrying, and begin enjoying a care-free thrill-ride in your own off-road sports car.