Next-Gen ProCross Chassis

There continues to be on-going clarification as to what Arctic Cat is calling their new-style ProCross bodywork, first introduced for 2017 on the 9000-Series models, including the King Cat and Thundercat models, along with the ZR 6000 RS Edition and the ZR 6000R race models. Arctic Cat still refers to these sleds as being “ProCross” models, which they are because they still have the ProCross chassis and suspension packages. It is the bodywork that has changed, and we had originally been told it would be referred to as the Gen II ProCross. This is what the Arctic Cat engineering staff had been calling it, and it was a very accurate term as in this latest “platform variation” the rolling chassis is pretty much the same, with the main differences being in the plastic bodywork.

Now for the 2018 model year we’re being told the Arctic Cat marketing team would rather we refer to it as the Next-Gen” ProCross. Still very accurate, but a change in what was originally indicated. You will see the latest new models from Arctic Cat being referred to as ProCross, even though they look different. It’s still a ProCross down inside, where on the outside it is the next-generation body.

From an operational standpoint, the biggest differences you notice when riding a Gen II ProCross are going to be the new LED headlight (only on the higher-end packages for 2018, not all Next-Gen models), the reduced intake noise from the relocated intake (that is no longer pointed up towards the rider), and how the body console doesn’t spread your legs when you slide up into it for taking a corner. It really is a noticeable improvement.

One thing is for sure, it looks very similar and some riders really have to take pause to notice the difference. This was, according to Arctic Cat, very intentional and by design. They wanted to leverage the ProCross heritage and Arctic Cat identity, but give it a bold, fresh new appearance. And, since the actual underlying platform is still a Procross, there was only so much that could be done dimensionally to the outward appearance in the facelift process.