Undoubtedly, the 2023 Can-Am Commander X mr 1000R is a purpose-built mud machine. Below the surface, however, this machine is as much at home on the trails as it is in the water and mud. The Commander X mr is an interesting paradox that takes a step away from many of the “norms” we’ve grown accustomed to regarding the mud-machine market. In doing this, Can-Am gave us a highly capable machine that should get much more use than a UTV aimed solely at finding the bottom of every mud pit.
Powering the Commander X mr 1000R is the venerable liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, Rotax V-twin that Can-Am has built a fleet of ATVs and UTVs around. This engine is a chameleon, able to be transformed with a bit of tuning magic to meet the needs of multiple platforms. In the Commander X mr tune, the Rotax has an output of 100 horsepower. Intake air for combustion is pulled from a snorkel that sits high and between the bed and passenger compartment.
Mated to the Rotax is a belt-driven continuously variable transmission (CVT). The X mr utilizes a Smart-Lok front differential. It is also equipped with Can-Am’s Four-Mode traction system, offering 2WD, 4WD with front differential lock, 4WD mud and 4WD trail modes. The rear differential can also be locked/unlocked with the flick of a switch. Keeping the CVT and belt cool is essential, requiring intake and exhaust ports to cool the belt and pulleys with airflow. To protect the CVT from mud and water infiltration, CVT intake/exhaust snorkels are utilized. These are located next to the engine-intake snorkel behind the passenger compartment.
Front suspension is the standard dual-A-arm setup, offering up to 14 inches of travel. The lower front A-arms are arched to further enhance 15 inches of ground clearance. The rear suspension uses an arched Torsional Trailing Arm (TTA), providing 14 inches of travel out back. The shocks are fundamental twin-tube gas shocks that lack compression or rebound adjustment. Front and rear sway bars help control body roll on this nearly 1,800-plus-pound UTV.
In addition to the intake and CVT snorkels, the Commander X mr gets equipped with some exclusive options. Wide fender flares and tall doors do a decent job of keeping the roost and debris out of the cabin. A Can-Am 4,500-pound winch with synthetic rope did an excellent job dragging our demo unit out of a bottomless mud pit. Four 30-inch XPS Swamp Force tires provide decent traction in the mud and on the trails.
With the push of the starter button, the Commander X mr jumps to life with the sweet sound of the burbling Rotax V-twin. We chose to test our machine at Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) in Coal Township, Pennsylvania. AOAA has plenty of fantastic trails and mud obstacles that range from mild to no way!
On the trail, the Commander X mr handles surprisingly well. You can certainly feel the weight of the heavy 30-inch tires on acceleration, but it wasn’t excessive. The X mr comes with basic twin-tube gas shocks, which provide a decent ride. A set of compression/rebound-adjustable Fox shocks like Can-Am uses on many other machines would undoubtedly be a great addition. While the handling is much better than expected, the heavy weight of the mud tires robs the Rotax of the responsiveness it is capable of.
Oversized tires, lower gears and high ground clearance also give the Commander X mr an unexpected hidden talent—it’s an excellent rock crawler! The Smart-Lok and Four-Mode 4WD system that makes it capable in the mud also allows it to conquer rocky trails.
As we approached the muddier trails, the benefits of the Commander X mr started to materialize. The high ground clearance and excellent traction from the 30-inch XPS Swamp Force tires were evident. We negotiated mud-filled trails that would generally be avoided in a lesser machine. The X mr handled them with ease. Additionally, the protection from the fender flares and large doors definitely helps keep the slop out of the cabin.
On our adventure, we eventually reached an area known as the “Excelsior Swamp.” This spot is preceded by a plethora of warning signs stating the mud is deep and to proceed with extreme caution. I saw a military Humvee buried up to the windshield in this area a few years ago. So, of course, we figured this was the perfect spot to test the capability of the winch. We buried our Commander X mr up to the hood. The swamp is a bottomless pit with no traction to be found. Fortunately, we had enough forethought to aim the X mr towards a tree before attempting to enter the obstacle. Twenty minutes or so later, that standard 4,500-pound winch dragged the Commander X mr from the bowels of the Excelsior Swamp precisely as we expected.
I was most surprised and impressed about how good of a trail/adventure/rock-crawling machine the Commander X mr was. Building a UTV that can handle the demands of deep-water crossings and serious mud fits an important niche. Doing this while not giving up proper trail manners is an even more important characteristic.
If I were only going to purchase a UTV for mud riding, there are certainly more aggressive and fun options. However, if you’re looking for a machine that can conquer any trail (while also lugging a bed full of gear), including those with mud holes and rocky outcroppings, the 2023 Can-Am Commander X mr 1000R is a competent candidate.
