COMPARISON / 600-CLASS TRAIL SLED
Ski-Doo MXZ Neo + Polaris 650 Indy XCR Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS 600R E-TEC Polaris 650 Indy XC Lynx Rave RE 600R E-TEC Arctic Cat ZR 600 137 ATAC
with the 7.2-inch digital display that doesn’ t have on-screen mapping or Group Ride capabilities.
Otherwise, the Rave RE 600R returns with its primary features from last year, including what Lynx calls the Radien2 chassis platform with body panels that force the rider a bit deeper on the chassis. By far its most impactful unique feature that separates a Rave from an MXZ is its radical and uncoupled PPS3 rear suspension. It transfers weight quickly and decisively to the rear axle, lifting or unweighting the skis whenever the throttle is grabbed.
Damping duties are handled by oversized KYB Pro 46 Kashima-coated clicker shocks all around, with external compression and rebound adjustment and seemingly endless capabilities.
The Rave’ s 599.4cc E-TEC direct-injected twin is identical to the one in the Ski-Doo, with pDrive primary and QRS secondary clutches sending the power through a chaincase to the 15- by 137- by 1.5-inch Ice Ripper XT track with pre-studded lugs. With its reinforced chassis and skidframe, the Lynx 600 weighs in at a hefty 505 pounds – on the heavy side for this class.
Past Rides
When we rode the 2025 Rave RE 600R E-TEC at altitude in the spring of 2024 at Rode Reports, we were impressed with how having less power actually helped mitigate some of the traits our test team disliked about higher-output Rave models we’ ve tested.
Specifically, the softer hit of the normally 125 horsepower engine – which was probably making about 105 horsepower when being ridden at 7,000 to 9,000 feet – reduced the dramatic weight transfer characteristic of the PPS3 skid frame compared to its more powerful siblings. As a result, the rider didn’ t have to be quite as deliberate and cautious with their throttle inputs when re-engaging the fun flipper in the middle of turns.
“ This is the first Lynx I wouldn’ t mind taking on a multiday, non-aggressive cruise with a tour group, though I might need to build up my shoulder muscles in advance,” one rider noted last year.
The second half of that quote references the impact of the Blade XC + skis. It took more effort to get these skis – which feature a long and deep keel – to change course than other modern ski designs, but they are decisive. Frankly, we’ re now curious to see how an electric power-steering assist system like what is used by Arctic Cat could impact the experience.
Our team agreed that the Rave’ s design, suspensions and shocks still perform best when the sled is ridden hard in straight-line mogul fields and is definitely a fun machine in the right hands and conditions.
The Rave RE 600 is also quite visually stunning, with its traditional bright red and black design gleaming off the snow. We know Lynx officials are consciously working to further distinguish the brand from its Ski-Doo sibling and we feel that’ s a smart move. With that in mind, it’ ll be interesting to see how long Lynx sticks with the PPS3 rear suspension – it’ s the brand’ s biggest point of differentiation, but it’ s also a limiting factor for most North American trail riders.
2025 Arctic Cat ZR 600 137 ATAC
2025 Arctic Cat ZR 600 137 ATAC
Arctic Cat’ s absence from the 2026 Rode Reports / Snow Shoot event didn’ t just limit the ability of media outlets like ours to test and photograph the new machines, it also cast a long shadow over the entire gathering. It was like hosting a family Christmas with Grandma’ s empty chair at the head of the table. In fact, even officials from Ski-Doo, Polaris and Lynx seemed a bit off their game without competition from the green sleds.
Spirits were lifted slightly on the first day of testing when news spilled through the staging area that an Arctic Cat official was in town with a single 2026 model that was used in an industry photo shoot. Still, there was plenty of trepidation about the brand’ s future after Textron made clear that it wanted out of the snowmobile and powersports business.
The timing felt like such a shame: With the launch of the new Catalyst chassis in model year 2024 and then the new 858 twin-cylinder engine for 2025, Arctic Cat was building some serious momentum before Textron put the squeeze on. Would all that innovation disappear into the abyss? Exactly eight weeks after we flew home from testing in West Yellowstone, Montana, Brad Darling and a group of investors announced they were purchasing Arctic Cat. The next day, the brand unveiled a surprisingly complete 2026 snowmobile lineup. That included several ZR 600 models – ZR 600 Sno Pros( with either a 129- or 137-inch track), a ZR 600 ATAC 137 and a ZR 600 R-XC 137 – any of which would have fit nicely into this story. Then, for good measure, Cat unveiled a ZR 600 EPS model with power steering at Hay Days in September.
However, no pre-production models of any of those 2026 machines were built and test ridden. So we’ re left to recap what we know based on previous test rides on the Catalyst-chassis based machines.
26 / JANUARY 2026 / SNOWGOER. COM