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The 2024 Can-Am Maverick R UTV is turning heads. Big power, impressive suspension, and a fancy transmission are just a few reasons why.
Combine a new aggressive chassis with a 240-horsepower engine and a quick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and you’re likely to have one exciting and capable UTV. Add in some luxury items like a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment screen, and the all-new 2024 Can-Am Maverick R is ready for some comfortable and speedy adventures.
With a 108-inch wheelbase, a curb weight of around 2,150 pounds, a push-button start, and a $36,000-plus price tag, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a consumer street car. It, of course, is not, but instead is the latest and most sporty UTV to hit the market.
This 2024 Maverick R has a new 999cc turbocharged engine putting 240 horsepower through an all-new double-clutch transmission (DCT). Combined with new suspension geometry that offers more ground clearance while also a lower center of gravity (CG), this UTV will no doubt be a speedy, capable machine.
With over 300,000 test miles, Can-Am says more than any other vehicle it has developed, this two-seater UTV should be able to take the abuse it will no doubt receive. The sport side-by-side market has just been elevated again and blurred the lines in many ways with other consumer vehicles.
An all-new Rotax 999cc turbocharged inline three-cylinder, four-stroke, fuel-injected engine powers the 2024 Maverick R. The 240 horsepower it puts out is possible through the use of a new Rotax 54 mm turbo with an electronically activated wastegate. New “tension rods” help the engine withstand the high pressures that producing this much power demands.
There is also a dedicated oil cooler for oil jets that cool each piston individually. It is a dry-sump engine, so the angles and G-forces the vehicle experiences won’t affect engine performance. There are also lots of cooling systems in place, including two radiators.
Can-Am says the new Maverick R has the only DCT top HP transmission in the industry. Rotax has apparently been working on it for 8 years, and it is the first DCT for the brand.
The Rotax seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is gear driven, so has no belts to fail or replace. It also has a dedicated radiator for cooling. It has both automatic and manual modes, and the auto mode can be overridden through the paddle shifters.
This transmission is only in Maverick R at this point. Sadly, there is no launch control system/programming at this time.
One of the coolest features of this new transmission is the ability to shift on the fly from high to low range, and vice versa. This makes transitioning from rock crawling to high-speed desert, and back again, super fast. Whether racing or on weekend trail adventures this feature will save time.
There are three engine drive modes on the 2024 Maverick R. You can choose between Normal, Sport, or Sport+. Or, better yet, you can build your own custom drive mode for your preferences and unique driving conditions. The electronic drive modes control suspension, differential, steering, transmission, and engine calibrations.
In Sport+ mode, there is also a new ART (Advanced Response Technology) system. This system preloads the turbo to achieve peak throttle response, without the lag most turbo setups inherently have.
The 2024 Can-Am Maverick R is a ground-up built vehicle, so it can handle the high horsepower. The new look is the future of sport UTVs from Can-Am. Its racing-inspired, rounded, low roll-cage design and LED lighting tech help define the signature styling. There is also tons of accessory integration, as you’d expect on a modern UTV.
The machine weighs from 2,150 to 2,250 pounds dry. It has a 108-inch wheelbase and a 77-inch track width. The Best in the Desert racing series (limits UTVs to an 80-inch track width), and some local trail ordinances, defined the width.
On offer is a massive 17 inches of ground clearance and a low center of gravity. This is accomplished through the new suspension, which uses forged aluminum HD tall knuckles. This setup also offers 25 inches of front and 26 inches of rear suspension travel.
The first high-speed rated tires on a UTV are on offer, in sizes ranging from 30 to 32 inches. Up to a 35-inch tire will fit under the unique suspension knuckles. These tires are wrapped around either 15- or 16-inch beadlock wheels, that are 7 inches wide. They have also been upgraded to a 6-lug setup for strength.
The top shock options for the 2024 Can-Am Maverick R are Smart-Shox Fox Live Valve Gen 3, 2.5 and 3.0 Podium shocks. Can-Am says they are the longest UTV shocks Fox has ever built.
Also, Can-Am has put its largest brakes yet on the 2024 Maverick R. Upfront you get 32mm three-piston calipers with 265mm discs. In the rear you get 30mm dual-piston calipers with 255mm discs.
While the seats are a carry-over from the 2022 Maverick X3, everything else in the 2024 Maverick R is new. The highlight of course is the available 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen — a first for Can-Am. It even has a palm rest with traction on it for better control when bouncing around off-road.
A tilt and telescoping steering wheel with infotainment controls and top center marker, just like a performance car, is also on offer. A center console button pad for important controls makes operating the systems with gloves on that much easier and faster.
There is a center dash storage bin with loads of charging ports. Storage in the cab also consists of a small glove box on the passenger side.
Just like new 4×4 vehicles being offered by the big SUV and truck manufacturers, there are a ton of accessories on offer to make this ride your own. The first things available for the 2024 Maverick R are bumpers, audio systems, a windshield, mirrors, roof racks, LinQ cargo solutions, and rock sliders.
Also on offer are SMART electrical accessories — which are managed through the touchscreen and a switch panel. These include smart lighting systems in the hood, roof, and mirrors. The lights change from wide to spot as the vehicle speed increases and change from side to side as the steering moves.
The roof accessory with roof-scoop is required if you run a windshield. Otherwise, air won’t get to the engine cooling intake in the cabin between the riders, at head level.
This new super sporty UTV will be hitting U.S. Can-Am dealers in just a few weeks, starting in mid-September. Pricing ranges from $36,000 to $44,000, depending on the model.
The 2024 Can-Am Maverick R lineup offers four models to choose from: R, X (rear camera, four-point harness, touchscreen), X RS (16-inch wheels, 32-inch tires, front camera, Fox Shocks), and X RS with Smart-Shox.
The 2022 Can-Am Maverick X3 is performance-driven, user-friendly, and approachable. And it's a blast to drive. Read more…
Bryon Dorr is the Motors Editor of GearJunkie. He has been writing about overland travel, off-road vehicles, general automotive, whitewater kayaks, and outdoor and travel gear for 12+ years. He has created content for a wide range of outdoor, automotive, and travel media outlets, both online and in print, as well as for a wide range of commercial clients as a photographer, social media marketer, business consultant, and copy editor. After living on the road for nearly eight years, he is now based in Portland, Oregon. Bryon is an avid kayaker, cyclist, skier/snowboarder, runner, and photographer. When not outdoors doing human-powered adventures you’ll find him behind the wheel or bars of something with a motor and wheels finding adventure around the globe. You can keep up with his life of adventure on your favorite social media @ExplorElements.
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