marketed as having suspensions and product features that are“ straight out of the race shop.”
But something interesting has happened as both brands’ lineups have evolved, and the results showed clearly in our test. The Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS has become – dare we say it? – more civilized over time. Other than the short windshield, it doesn’ t feel rough-and-ready like a race sled anymore.
The ride it delivers is comfortable and stable rather than hyper aggressive. Its Rotax engine provides smooth, efficient power instead of peaky, arm-stretching punch. Even its color and graphics represent a new breed of X-RS – as“ sponsor” logos and in-your-face colors are replaced by( gulp!) a very elegant looking“ Mineral Blue Premium” that hardly screams“ racer wanna-be” like its predecessors.
So did the X-RS grow up? Or did we?
What’ s New?
Aside from the aforementioned coloration( which is accented by classy touches of yellow in the ski loops, graphics, handguards and seat), the only year-over-year change on the MXZ X-RS 600 is the capabilities of its gauge.
The 10.25-inch Touchscreen Display continues to improve, now offering on-screen mapping without tethering your phone to the sled plus handy Group Ride functionality where you can track others in your riding party who have the same gauge.
We can definitely envision a future where Group Ride becomes an essential part of the riding experience. To get there, though, the sport will need the Polaris, Arctic Cat and Ski-Doo / Lynx gauges to talk to each other in the future. For now, it’ s a really neat gadget that is only handy when riding with others on new Ski-Doos with the same capability. But it’ s a start, right?
Otherwise, the MXZ X-RS package is unchanged, which isn’ t
JANUARY 2026 / SNOWGOER. COM / 21