Why UTVs Matter and What’s the Difference from ATVs

If you look anywhere online or join almost any outdoor adventure enthusiast club, you’ll see tons and tons of people talking about ATVs. There’s no way you’ve never seen one or at least heard about it even if you’re not into outdoor stuff.

However, UTVs seem to remain mostly ignored, despite all of their benefits and advantages. If you’re looking for a vehicle to take off the road on your next adventure, then you should definitely consider a UTV. And today we’ll bring you some of the major reasons why.

What Is a UTV?

A UTV is a utility terrain vehicle, more specifically a side-by-side as it is more commonly known. The charm of a UTV is that it’s as effective as a recreational vehicle as it is as a work vehicle. You can literally use it for off-road adventures, farming, and equipment hauling in equal measure.

Sure, there are certain UTV models that put more emphasis on one of these aspects than the others, but at the end of the day, all of them perform well on any of these given tasks. Not to mention that they’ve got loads of storage space, something that is simply lacking on good ol’ ATVs. Oh, and they’re smaller than SUVs, which can come in handy in multiple scenarios.

Individual UTV Properties Compared to ATVs

As mentioned earlier, there are tons of differences between UTVs and ATVs. Let’s look at the most notable ones so that you can get the bigger picture.

Steering

Unlike an ATV, a UTV uses a steering wheel and feels much closer to a car rather than an ATV when it comes to this aspect. 

Transmission, Braking, and Acceleration

You use pedals to brake and accelerate in a UTV, again, more similar to a car rather than an ATV. As for the transmission, it’s usually automatic but you can also order UTV model variants with a manual transmission as well. For this reason, you’ll need high-quality UTV belts to keep it going as much as possible.

Handling and Speed

UTVs are faster and more powerful than ATVs, but not as nimble. Their max speed is generally between 25 mph and 50 mph. However, do note that you’ll be sacrificing the ability to maneuver smoothly around corners.

Safety and Equipment

As you can imagine, a UTV is much safer to drive than an ATV, and that’s because you’ve got seatbelts and a cabin to shield you from external harm. You can also install optional windshields, rearview mirrors, and other general car-related equipment to make it street-legal. Oh, and who could forget the storage? You’ve got plenty of storage room in a UTV!

Seating and Passenger Capacity

How many people fit on an ATV? One, maybe two, right? Well, a UTV can hold up to four or even six people can fit in a UTV, depending on what model you’re looking at. Sure, there are smaller UTVs that only hold two passengers and a driver, but most UTVs can fit at least four people in total.

Uses and Overall Utility

As mentioned above, there’s a lot of storage space, so that already opens up tons of possibilities. You can perform tasks such as hauling feed, hay, and supplies on farms. At schools, they’re used to transport water jugs and sports equipment. Sometimes even sporting teams. You get the point, there are tons of things you can do with a great UTV.

The Bottom Line

UTVs are useful and entertaining at the same time. Whether you plan to handle large cargo, go camping, or simply drive it through rough terrain, a utility transport vehicle will serve you well for years to come, especially if you perform proper maintenance and take care of all the necessary accessories.

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