It almost seems like Groundhog Day to be at this point of the year yet again, but here we are. Spring is knocking on our doors and we once again have a new wave of snowmobiles available to choose from for the coming season.
Those of you who are long-time readers of SnowTech Magazine know that we’ve been doing this for a very long time. For me personally the model year 2027 marks the 40th consecutive year of my attending the annual industry event we all refer to as “Snow Shoot” where the snowmobile manufacturers all gather in one location at the same time so the industry media can come to ride, test, photograph and shoot video of the new sleds for the coming season.
SnowTech Editor Kevin Beilke at his first Snow Shoot in March of 1987
Snowmobiles are kind of a unique product in that we are expected to place an order on a machine that, in most cases, we can’t ride, can’t touch, can’t look at and can’t even talk to someone (objective) who did ride it before placing that order. This places us, the test riders who have been doing this for so many years, in a unique position in that we are effectively the eyes and ears of the consumer, as we have the opportunity to ride the new machines and can give you some informed feedback on how what to expect, what changes have been made, how they perform and if they are worthy of your consideration.
These days with all of the instant gratification and access to information via the internet, you can readily see the specifications, features and marketing presentation from each of the snowmobile manufacturers as to what they have changed for the coming season, what the new models are, what the new technologies are, and how they spin this information to create anxiety on your part to want and purchase their new products.
This year’s event was the earliest it has ever been held. Traditionally we have “Sneak Peek” events where each manufacturer will introduce their line-up to the media for the coming season, often times combined with some ride time on select new models so we can get a feel for the new technology or model offerings. This has always been followed by all of us getting together at one location at a later date for the industry event. By having the photo shoot several weeks earlier than ever before, we eliminated the Sneak Peek introductions and ride, combining it all into a single event. This was not only more convenient but also more cost-effective for all involved, a logical thing to do with a shrinking market and marketing budgets. This also meant that the manufacturers also had less time to prepare their new models for our examination, as two weeks can be a very long time in a development schedule that is already on a tight timeline. Typically new models or new engines continue to be refined and final calibrations are not determined until well into the Spring. If there was a single glaring example of this for Model Year 2027 it would be the new 600RR engine from Ski-Doo and Lynx, as we were able to detect the calibration was not up to a “final” level of running perfection we have come to expect from each and every new Rotax engine we have ever experienced. Getting the ECU mapping and programming for the fuel delivery with the newly added boost injectors is no easy task, especially when you are in the transition area of the exhaust valves opening and closing. The good news is what we experienced in early February will be under continued development for at least three more months on the snow, if not longer when you consider where Ski-Doo goes for late Spring testing in northern Canada.
Model Year 2027 is perhaps one of the most unusual new model years we have ever witnessed. On one hand, it could be considered one of the worst years ever to buy a new sled simply due to the general lack of new models, technology and features to choose from. On the other hand, it could be considered one of the best years ever to buy a new snowmobile simply because of the current and continued inventory levels, and the fact that fewer changes means their time and effort was put into making what they have work better rather than trying to get something new and different work acceptably well.
You will quickly realize the Model Year 2027 offerings do look a lot like the 2026 machines, and in that you are correct. The manufacturers all come to this event not knowing what the competition is bringing to market for the coming year, so there is great apprehension on their part as well. In the case of market leaders Ski-Doo and Polaris, they worry about what the other is doing and if they will be up to par or if they will get caught flat-footed. Will there be a new platform? Any new engines? Any truly game-changing technologies that will quickly obsolete their current offerings? For this Model Year 2027 the answer is pretty much “no”, with one exception.
Our test and photo conditions were less than ideal this year. The snow was minimal, temps well above freezing during the day yet cold enough at night for groomers to go out and do their best. Kudos to the grooming teams out of West Yellowstone (and Island Park) for their heroic efforts to get the well-beaten trails back into shape each night. It did result in white concrete in the mornings, with soft and slushy bumps coming back into town. There was some decent snow at higher elevations, if you could get to it in the short time we had to work with.
These test conditions were great for suspension evaluations, but more difficult for handling and deep snow machines. Scratchers were used as needed when sleds were so equipped, with plenty of limping along and constant dives off the packed trail required to keep engine temps in check. Sleds with heavy front ends and meaty carbides steered even heavier, tracks with taller lugs were getting hot, and you generally had to go easy until the snow allowed some grip, unless you were lucky enough to be on one of the pre-studded machines. In these conditions the new Arctic Cats fitted with electronic power steering and pre-studded tracks definitely were the cat’s meow.
We all realize you can get the changes, specs and features of the 2027 models from various sources on-line, so what we try to do is give your our insight, opinions and ride impressions from our time on the pre-production sleds and listening to the marketing presentations. Nobody gets this magazine for free, so we must provide unique and different content than what you can obtain elsewhere. That’s where our years of experience and the constant testing we perform each and every year gives us a unique position and the ability to provide this kind of information.
Polaris 2027
Polaris continues to focus on quality and this shows in their continued customer satisfaction and product performance and reliability. What they have works and works very well. The days of recall after recall are, hopefully, behind them. This past season they did appear to reduce their build numbers for the trail and crossover segments, but instead built fairly heavy on the mountain side which, in a normal year, would be a safe bet, but this year it didn’t work out that way as the West has experienced a dismal snow year so mountain sled inventories remain quite high. This is where you will find some of the deepest discounts and greatest deals is with Polaris mountain sleds as the non-current inventory is pretty heavy. When inventory doesn’t move, it ties up capital — and that pressure ripples through the entire dealership network.
2027 Polaris RMK SPS 850 146″
This increases the financial pressure as dealerships rely on floor plan financing — essentially loans used to stock sleds on showroom floors. With interest rates around 8%, holding unsold inventory becomes expensive. The longer a sled sits, the more it costs. Inventory isn’t turning fast enough and carrying costs are rising. Bottom line, if you’re looking for a new mountain sled you will likely find some smoking hot deals on non-current inventory, and with the relatively similar line-up for 2027 you don’t have to worry about being left behind. That said, Polaris has some very sweet Factory Edition RMKs, along with a new short-tunnel 9R in the RMK SPS for 2027.
Ski-Doo 2027
Ski-Doo might have been worried about Polaris bringing a 9R Turbo to the party for 2027, but that didn’t happen. Nor did Polaris bring a new platform for 2027, so they can take a breather on that one. They were likely pretty anxious on both fronts, but knowing the inventory issues they could have placed their bets on little change, so they could follow suit.
2027 Ski-Doo Backcountry X 850 E-TEC
This isn’t to say Ski-Doo did nothing for 2027, as that just wouldn’t be like them now would it. In our eyes the biggest news from Ski-Doo for 2027 is the introduction of their next-generation 600 E-TEC engine, now called the 600RR. This one is quite frankly a surprise for us. We fully expected Ski-Doo to come with something more along the lines of a 670 or 700 displacement engine. But, they did not. Why? This is a somewhat smaller market segment than what it used to be, so the logic of making the huge investment into an all-new engine would be more difficult to get the BRP board (or powers that be) to agree to. But on the other hand, using an existing bottom end (crankshaft, cases, entire crank train) and updating the cylinders and adding boost injectors wouldn’t be nearly as expensive to do and would accomplish what most were asking for – a more powerful option below their 850 E-TEC engine size. So what we now have is a stronger 600 E-TEC with noticeably more power. Granted, it might not have the broader torque of a larger displacement engine, but when you get into the powerband it is a screamer.
Arctic Cat 2027
Here we find the biggest surprise for 2027. Arctic Cat came to the event loaded for bear. Literally. In the entire 40 years I’ve been going to Snow Shoot and riding all of the new sleds I have never had the entire line-up of Arctic Cat sleds perform as well as they did this year. The BIG news from them (and the whole industry IMO) is the addition of EPS, or Electronic Power Steering, to their 2-stroke sleds. Sure, we’ve have EPS on Yamaha and Arctic Cat 4-stroke sleds for many years so we really didn’t expect it to be such a big deal on a 2-stroke sled. The Arctic Cat Catalyst was already, at least in our experience, an extremely light, agile and maneuverable platform that had light steering to begin with, so how much of a benefit could be gained by adding more weight and complexity?
2027 Arctic Cat XF 858 SnoPro
We have a 2026 ZR 600 EPS with over 1,700 miles on it and we are simply blown away at how well it works. Mega mind blown. We did not see that one coming. It is so precise, so light, so easy, not only in the overall steering effort but also the feedback through the bars. You can go for a 200+ mile ride and it’s like a walk in the park. It is the most agile, most responsive, lightest steering best handling sled we’ve ever had. Really. It’s that good.
Add to this greatly improved performance and running quality from both the 600 and 858 two-stroke engines from Arctic Cat and we continued to be impressed. Top it off with a new 146” rear suspension that addresses our concerns of cornering capability offered by tipped-up rail designs from the competition and we have what we consider to be the most improved line-up for 2027, but more importantly – Arctic Cat is truly back in a huge way and making the much needed changes and improvements to get them back into your garage and trailer.
Lynx 2027
Funny how just a few short years ago our fourth manufacturer was Yamaha, and now it is Lynx. With Yamaha gone there is a void in the marketplace, evidenced by the rapid growth of four-stroke sales from the remaining manufacturers. Lynx also benefits from this trend as they are four-stroke heavy in their line-up. Lynx continues to offer only a portion of their European models here in North America, but this is simply due to the slow build-up of dealer network, consumer following and brand loyalty. Building a brand takes time and they are continuing to gain more followers each and every year.
2027 Lynx Commander RE
Face it, a Lynx snowmobile is not for everyone. Just like most auto manufacturers have their base brand and a luxury brand, BRP has both Ski-Doo and Lynx with Lynx truly being the higher-end offering, sometimes to the chagrin of the Ski-Doo crowd.
This is due to the simple fact Lynx snowmobiles are built to the more demanding riding conditions of northern Europe, where groomed trails are the exception, not the norm. This is the single biggest difference between a Lynx and a similar Ski-Doo model – the rear suspension design and capability. Lynx sleds must be able to endure the beating of ungroomed trails, and that means going through bigger bumps at speed without bottoming and being damaged. As such, the Lynx sleds are generally fitted with larger diameter shock absorbers capable of taking on terrain with greater capability. The higher end shock absorbers do command a higher cost, and are more complex in their calibration and set-up. Some riders who are not truly suspension-savvy have difficulty in getting their Lynx set-up properly, and they might be easily discouraged by the extra adjustments. For this reason Lynx is going to concentrate more on dealer and consumer education on the proper set-up methods, trying to sort through the bad actors who have been giving out some advice that isn’t really helping matters.
Lynx technology does follow Ski-Doo to a large degree, so we find the same new 600RR engines in the Lynx line-up for 2027. This doesn’t affect as many models for Lynx as they are more heavily biased towards the 850 E-TEC, 850 Turbo R and the 900 ACE TurboR engine packages.
Of special note is the revised Shredder RE, which aligns with the latest Freeride 146” from Ski-Doo. The 146” track length accounts for 80% of European deep snow sleds, logical as they don’t have hills of any size to contend with compared to North America.
The Best of 2027
After riding snowmobiles all of my life and being able to claim 250,000+ miles on a sled, it doesn’t take me too long on a new machine to figure out what works and what doesn’t. And, going to Snow Shoot for forty years testing new sleds also gives us a unique advantage and perspective. Yes, these are simply opinions, but very informed and experienced opinions. We get to ride the new sleds and can quickly come to conclusions that we believe would be of value to those considering a new sled purchase. Less a matter of right or wrong but one of matching your preferences to what is being offered.
Best New Technology
This one is easy, the Electronic Power Steering found on the 2027 Arctic Cat ZR el Tigre and R-XC models will be the talk of trail riders everywhere. This is one of those things you can’t discern on paper or the screen, you flat out have to ride it to believe it. All sleds steer easy on loose snow, but get some meaty carbides on there with some aggressive skis and see how easy your sled steers. EPS gives you uncanny precision, less pushing (almost to the point of oversteer if the track breaks loose), super light steering effort and incredible feedback isolation from ruts in the trail. Every snowmobiler will want to try this technology and a good number of them will be able to ride longer, further, easier, and have more fun doing so. Hats off to Arctic Cat on pulling one this off, the biggest surprise of 2027. We never would have believed it, but after riding sled after sled after sled fitted with this technology we are true believers. It’s not just game-changing, it could be life-changing for the right rider. Can you even buy a new car or truck without power steering? Sleds will soon follow.
Most Improved Line-Up
Once again, Arctic Cat gets the nod. They were the furthest behind so it was the easiest for them to make up lost ground. That said, their 600 engines are running better with new exhaust systems, their 858 engines are now running at a level we consider to be where they should have been all along, their handling is improved with the addition of EPS, their crossover sleds get a new rear suspension that was much needed, they are firing on all cylinders and their sleds flat out worked well each and every time we hopped on one. The difference in running quality since we rode them two years ago was flat out amazing and impressive.
Arctic Cat gets the nod for Most Improved Line up – “The difference in running quality since we rode them two years ago was flat out amazing and impressive.”
Best Running Quality
As a whole, all four brands truly deserve this recognition as they all came to the event with product that performed exceedingly well. Running quality typically is a reflection of engine calibration, and in that sense the Ski-Doo 850 E-TEC and Polaris 850 both continue to evolve and impress. That said, the Polaris 650 is right there and is equally impressive and runs nearly flawlessly each and every mile we ride it. In the past the Rotax 600R E-TEC has been the bell of the ball, with un-matched running quality, smooth, quiet, easy on fuel, linear power, simply excellent. With that engine now being replaced we look to the Rotax 850 E-TEC TurboR that consistently is the best overall package in terms of running quality. This should be no surprise as we have proclaimed our affection for this engine package again and again. It runs good everywhere, at any and all elevations and temperatures, it is exceedingly quiet, easy on fuel, very linear in power delivery and doesn’t really have any of the drawbacks typically associated with being a turbocharged engine. You have to really chop the throttle abruptly to get any indication of it being a turbo as it then must quickly open the wastegate and dump the boost pressure so you get some audible that yes, this is a turbo, but even then it is so subtle that most have great difficulty in knowing anything other than it pulls like a freight train anywhere and everywhere. This is technological excellence at its finest.
Polaris 650
Ski-Doo 850 Turbo R
Best Rear Suspension
Hands down across the board we marvel at how well the Lynx sleds perform with their unique rear suspension designs and calibration. They truly take the award for rear suspension capability. If we were to instead make this call based on rear suspension comfort then the argument turns to Ski-Doo as a brand, but we also would have to seriously consider the Polaris Dynamix package option of their VR1 models as we are so impressed with its performance.
In the crossover realm the Ski-Doo cMotion X is the comfort king, and the Lynx 146” package would again get our vote as most capable. Much the same goes for the mountain sleds, Ski-Doo and Lynx are going to be the ones to be riding though mile after mile of dismal moguls getting back into your play areas.
Best Rear Suspension “Hands down across the board we marvel at how well the Lynx sleds perform with their unique rear supension designs and calibration.”
We should mention here the improvement in Arctic Cat’s suspension performance, something that seems odd since it is a matter of improving shock calibration more than anything else. On the mountain end the twin rail skids found in the HCR & HCX models were both impressive, again a surprise but we did notice it.
Best Front Suspension – Best Handling
Are these synonymous? Is the best front suspension also the best handling? Are we talking performance on groomed trails, rough trails, how should we qualify this one? We’ve believed for a very long time the front suspensions from Arctic Cat and Polaris were the better packages, and we continue to believe that. Now with the addition of electronic power steering we have the caveat of easy steering and precision added to the mix. In our years and miles of experience we have never had a sled that was so easy yet so precise as an EPS Arctic Cat. Yes, a Polaris XCR can rail right there with it as can various Ski-Doo sleds, but not with such ease and confidence. Make the terrain rougher and we lean towards the Polaris as their variable caster does indeed relax the geometry and that is something that maybe takes away some precision but adds much confidence. Of all the categories we dare try to address here this is likely the most subjective. You can make any sled handle better with variations in set-up, using different carbide runners or skis, but we’re trying to focus more on engineering and design differences more that calibration or set-up. For the typical average trail or crossover rider we continue to believe Arctic Cat and Polaris get the nod here, yet fully realize each one of us has different expectations in this regard.
2027 Arctic Cat El Tigre 600 137″
Best Gauge Package
For years Polaris has totally owned this space with their Ride Command software and their 7S display, making it the envy of the industry. Even now, for 2027, we could say the Ski-Doo color display and Arctic Cat G8 Garmin display are technologically superior hardware display units, but the 7S is still the most sought after color display. Many people buy a Polaris simply because of the 7S display and how easy it makes it to navigate unfamiliar trail systems. That said, the Garmin G8 used by Arctic Cat is excellent in every regard. We are more familiar with the Polaris 7S so that might skew us somewhat as we still prefer that package and admit we have very little time with the Garmin G8 as we have not had this display on a sled for an entire season. Ski-Doo does continue to improve their color display each and every year, so we should recognize their continued efforts. Now, wouldn’t it be nice if the Group Ride functions of all three display units could communicate with each other? Don’t hold your breath, you’ll turn blue waiting for that to happen!
Best DQR (Durability, Quality, Reliability)
Oh boy, this could get interesting! For starters, four-stroke engines are more durable than two-stroke engines. This is why in high-mile areas like Quebec we now see four-stroke sled sales commanding 50% of the market. This should be common knowledge by now, a four-stroke engine is going to last for what, five times longer than a two-stroke? Ten times? You get the idea. Just about every single four-stroke is going to last 50,000 miles, easy, while getting 10,000 miles on a two-stroke is feat of magic in many cases.
Historically speaking none of our current sleds have the DQR we all came to expect from the Japan-built Yamaha sleds. We all know this took a dive when Yamaha sleds started to be built state-side. No secret there. If there is a brand we all worry about DQR it continues to be Arctic Cat, again, no secret there. Polaris has made great strides in improving their quality, but things like cheap bearings are a reminder there is much left to improve. Typically we have to clean the power valves sooner on a Polaris, and this is often times the first real issue we run into other than the “normal” service items like chain tension, clutch adjustment for drive belt wear, and of course track tension and alignment and ski/carbide service which is true of all brands, except the sleds with belt drive instead of a chaincase as they eliminate the chain tension issues.
So in the end we do lean towards a Lynx four-stroke as being the best when it comes to overall DQR, and then a Ski-Doo four-stroke, despite the nagging issues of secondary clutch roller failure. BRP did change the roller material starting with the 2025 models so we’re not certain if this continues to be as big of an issue as what it used to be, but still see too many riders having to deal with this far too often.
Many will argue the four-stroke Arctic Cat sleds fitted with Yamaha engines should be high on this list, to which we really can’t disagree. When we get to two-strokes the reliability takes a dive and have hard time truly discerning between a Polaris or BRP model as being superior to the other. We tend to believe Lynx would again emerge higher than the others, followed by Ski-Doo, then Polaris and Arctic Cat, coming to the conclusion that none of the two-stroke snowmobiles are as reliable over the long term as they should be. The thought that we are spending $20,000 on a machine with an engine that might not last for 10,000 miles does seem absurd, but that is the world we live in fueled by lightweight high performance.
Best Wind Protection
In our experience the Arctic Cat Catalyst fitted with their tall windshield has proven to be the best sled to ride when it gets really cold out. We continue to struggle with the Ski-Doo sleds and do not have a windshield that we consider to be adequate for riding at below zero temperatures. Historically our Polaris AXYS sleds fitted with their accessory mid height windshields have served us well, and the MATRYX platform does an even better job at body protection with the flared side panels. When it gets really cold we ride Polaris, and now Arctic Cat sleds.
Best Handwarmers
Easy, Polaris wins this one hands down. Their handwarmers use a unique control system when they provide variable power to maintain a constant temperature, where all of the others provide constant power (depending on the setting) which results in a variable temperature. The Polaris system reaches and holds the target temperature, which is user adjustable and selectable, and it works. If one side is getting more wind than the other it automatically adjusts and compensates. For real. The ability to adjust the target temperature for each setting (low, medium, high) is stellar as well.
Best Cargo System
If you don’t know the answer to this one then there is no hope. We continue to use the BRP LinQ system to carry fuel and cargo bags on ALL brands of sleds. It is the quickest, easiest and most secure. We pack one cargo bag and swap it from sled to sled, day after day. Up until the 2026 model year there was no other real option for carrying extra fuel than the LinQ Fuel Caddy, offered in various sizes. Polaris now came out with a fuel caddy for their sleds, but the fuel can spout isn’t carried down in the fuel tank, rather it is carried in a small separate pouch on top of the fuel can. Why? We can only speculate here, but it must have been due to an EPA or legal issue. Either way, it is less than ideal.
