When most people think of Can-Am performance UTVs, they identify with the sleek, almost streamlined Maverick X3 line. There is also the Maverick Sport line showing more compact, boxy and pugnacious styling with a front end a mama bulldog would love. Maverick Sports are better suited to tight and technical off-road arenas than desert racing. Can-Am’s Maverick Sport line is an offshoot of the 50-inch Maverick Trail lines. For both the Maverick Trail and Sport, the styling is bold and blocky compared to the X3 and anything but spacey and streamlined.
Maverick Trail 50-inch machines were created for a specific and restricted trail type. Any 50-inch machine is necessarily going to be forced to conform to narrow and upright styling required by the narrow track. Spread-out 60- and 64-inch Maverick Sport models followed, but aside from curved doors for more shoulder room, the basic body shape retained the size and styling of the Maverick Trail.
Maverick Sport success and capability prompted Can-Am to embrace that platform when BRP was looking to reintroduce the Can-Am Commander nameplate. Commanders are restyled a bit and have a dump bed, but underneath they are pure Maverick Sport. In our minds, using the Maverick Sport base for the Commander was genius.
THE GOOD STUFF
We’ve always gotten along fine with the Maverick Sport, and especially any versions with the 64-inch track. They have that stable platform and the longest suspension travel of any Maverick Sport. Like all Can-Am RC variants, the Maverick Sport X rc is extremely well equipped, which makes it one of our favorite Maverick Sports. It has aggressive styling and coloration, plus 30-inch tires on 14-inch beadlock rims to aid ground clearance. “RC” in the model designation means it is a special edition for rock crawling. We realize that not every UTV fan is drawn to rock crawling, but the UHMWPE front and rear suspension arm protectors, HMWPE front skid plate and rock sliders, and 4500-pound-rated winch are not exclusive to rocks but are options any technical trail hound will appreciate.
Being what Can-Am considers a special edition, the X rc has the fancier X-package graphics and seats, the larger 7.6-inch digital display with keypad, Can-Am LED signature lights and premium taillights, panoramic mirror, and a front anchor. All things that are desirable for any sort of trail use.
MOTIVATIONAL
When Can-Am first entered the high-performance UTV market, it was with the original Maverick and the 100-horsepower Rotax 1000 V-twin engine. We have always approved of the power delivery and the deep, throaty sound of this liquid-cooled power unit. This V-twin that was once the pinnacle of Can-Am UTV performance is the motivation for the best of Maverick Trail, Sport and Commander models. With the aid of Can-Am’s iTC (Intelligent Throttle Control), electronic fuel-injection and well-tuned CVT, the Maverick Sport X rc puts 100 horsepower to the ground with gusto.
This iTC sends drive-by-wire pedal input into the ECU and transfers it to the throttle body in a smoothed-out fashion. When your foot is bouncing too much for smooth throttle inputs, iTC makes the power output less jerky than a cable-style throttle. On top of that, with iTC, Can-Am was able to provide the Maverick Sport with two power modes—Eco and Sport. Honestly, we rarely touched Eco mode, but we’d use it if we had a long distance to go between fuel stops. It trades some fun to get better fuel consumption. It also allows a smoother power delivery for slow-speed technical sections. Depending on the terrain you like to ride, smoother delivery can be a benefit.
WHAT’S THE DIFF?
Since the Can-Am is a Sport X rc for serious trail work, the company wisely equipped it with the Smart-Lok front differential. Smart-Lok provides maximum traction and the best low-speed manners in tough terrain by fully or progressively locking the front differential as conditions require. Older Visco-Loc differentials used hydraulic pressure to lock the front differential. It took multiple revolutions of the axle to lock it. Smart-Loc electronically preloads an internal clutch pack.
The idea is to have consistent traction without having to manually lock and unlock the front differential. Smart-Loc relies on information from front-wheel speed on both sides, steering angle, accelerator pedal position, gear position, engine torque and vehicle speed.
Two of the four driving modes control power to the front wheels as needed depending on the information the system is receiving. In 2WD or 4×4 differential lock, the sensors don’t offer any front differential control. In 4×4 locked mode the front wheels always have full power until the driver decides to unlock them. You may lock and unlock the differential on the fly without having to stop. The final two modes are where the system earns the smart part of its name.
If you are driving in 4×4 Trail mode, it will start to engage wheel synchronization if the system identifies a difference in speed between the front wheels. The last mode is 4×4 Rock. This mode doesn’t wait for the wheels to slip, but actively prevents slipping from the time it is engaged. We figure that Trail Activ engages the lock action progressively, prioritizing light steering and control. Rock mode likely engages more quickly, locking the differential at the first indication of wheel slip.
You may notice more steering effort required upon each change towards the fully locked front differential, but with Can-Am’s DPS, the added effort doesn’t detract from the drive. For rocks or for ordinary trail driving, Smart-Loc is a great addition.
TRAIL TAMER
The Maverick Sport X xc comes equipped with Can-Am’s Dynamic Power Steering system. Steering effort is reduced at low speeds, and the assist drops down at speed when it isn’t needed. We wished for more assist when Trail Activ mode was enabled and when the front differential was fully locked. When those options are engaged, front-wheel feedback is more pronounced through the steering wheel.
The Sport X rc is equipped with great suspension. The 64-inch track width provides the most stability available in Maverick Sport models. Can-Am achieved this by designing high-clearance front and rear A-arms that are not only stronger but offer more travel than available on 60-inch Maverick Sport models. Each corner has 14.75 inches of wheel travel. Fox Podium 2.5-inch QS3 compression- and preload-adjustable coil-over piggyback reservoir shocks soak up trail abuse. Progressive-rate shock springs are employed on the Fox Podiums that allow the machine to soak up small chop in a smooth fashion while retaining good bottoming resistance. The front and rear of the Can-Am have sway bars installed to aid stability.
The Sport X rc was developed to appeal to drivers that craved the 90.6-inch wheelbase, which handles tight tree territory better than the 102-inch wheelbase Maverick X3. It’s fine in sand dunes or the open desert, but is happiest on trails. Can-Am matched the X3 in rolling stock, opting for 14-inch beadlock wheels with 30-inch-tall Maxxis Liberty tires wrapped around them. The base Sport models come with 27-inch tires. The larger circumference aids the Maverick X rc roll over terrain easier and assists in raising the ground clearance to 15 inches.
GET COMFORTABLE
The Maverick Sport line offers a comfortable cab, along with storage space aplenty inside the cab. In front of the passenger seat is a 4-gallon storage bin in the dash, and a small 0.4-gallon storage container rests above the steering wheel. The 7.6-inch digital display with keypad shows you tachometer, speedometer, 4×4 selection, engine temperature and more. The steering wheel is comfortable in its radius, but wide at the palms to prevent closing your thumbs through the wheel. That prevents injury to your thumbs or wrists if the wheel should react suddenly.
Reaching for the dash switches from the driver seat is easy, and the driver seat is fore and aft adjustable. The steering wheel is tilt adjustable. Can-Am’s gated shifter selects forward high and low gears, along with neutral, reverse and park. There are two cup holders on the floor of the cockpit. The seats are comfortable and give you a secure feeling, though tall drivers found them a bit low. They are also prepared for harness-style belts, though three-point shoulder/lap belts come stock with the Maverick.
The full half doors of the Sport X rc have a quality fit and finish, and a secure, finished feeling and hand-hold points built in. They can be opened from inside or outside the machine utilizing separate handles.
Moving towards the rear, a compact but capable 300-pound capacity cargo bed is ready to carry gear or to embrace Can-Am accessories. A standard 2-inch hitch receiver lets the Sport X rc tow up to 1500 pounds.
ROCKING TRAILS
It is easy to see the “RC” designation in the name and pigeonhole the Maverick Sport X rc as a vehicle for limited, special use. In truth, it is a Maverick Sport X xc cross-country machine with added protection and the winch. Only the tires are somewhat limiting. The Maxxis Liberty tires lean significantly towards use in rocks and very hard-terrain surfaces. They work plenty well for general use until they wear out.
The low-rpm power delivery is impressive and effective, but it has good boost as the rpm climb. The CVT engages quickly and never hiccups.
We put the suspension to the test in the slick rock slabs it was aimed at, rocky trail routes, and across deep and soft dune sand. It performed best when the terrain was mildly rough and choppy. It conquered smaller whoop sections just fine. The Fox shocks offer a comfortable ride, but the QS3 shocks are limited to three quick and easy compression damping choices. We used setting two on the rear in almost all conditions, but switched between setting one and two in the front. You do have to exit the car to make changes, but they are fast and easy to adjust by hand. We tended to drive with all four shocks on the second compression setting.
Seating is upright compared to the X3, but the seat bases are low enough that forward vision and over-the-front fenders can be limited for shorter drivers.
ROUNDING IT UP
We are happy with Can-Am’s Maverick Sport (and Commander) lineup, and the 64-inch-wide X rc is one of our favorites of the available choices. The stock beadlock wheels, 30-inch tires, and impressive 4×4 selections complement the willing and energetic Rotax 1000R engine. Add up the comfortable interior, tough looks and easily adjustable suspension, and you have a great trail package—no matter what the trail surface is. Go to www.can-am.brp.com to check out the entire lineup of machines.
2022 CAN-AM MAVERICK SPORT X RC
Engine V-twin, OHC, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke
Displacement 976cc
Bore x stroke N/A
Starter Electric
Fuel system EFI
Fuel capacity 10 gal.
Transmission Automatic CVT
Final drive Shaft
Suspension/wheel travel:
Front Arched double A-arm w/
sway bar/14.8”
Rear Arched TTA w/ sway bar/14.8”
Brakes:
Front Dual hydraulic discs
Rear Dual hydraulic discs
Tires:
Front Maxxis Liberty 30×10-14
Rear Maxxis Liberty 30x 10-14
Length/width/height 122”/64”/74.25”
Ground clearance 15.0”
Wheelbase 90.6”
Curb weight 1,593 lb.
Payload capacity N/A
Cargo bed capacity 300 lb.
Towing capacity 1500 lb.
Colors (2022) Chalk Gray and Magma Red, (2023) Mineral Gray and Desert Tan
Price $23,799
Contact www.can-am.brp.com
