2020 Can Am Maverick X3 Max X DS Turbo RR Review
Are you thinking about getting a Can Am Maverick x3? If you are then you are in the right place. Below is our Maverick x3 review, tested by me and my family. A review by someone who has actually been using it for some time and here we share our riding experiences, including the things we like and we dislike.
Updated in 2022.
I recently bought one and have been using it pretty much every weekend with some evening rides after work sprinkled in there. We have ridden it at the sand dunes, the desert, mountain trails and even on the road. The only thing I haven’t done yet is ridden it in the snow or submerged it in water, which I don’t plan on doing. It is a fun machine that my family and I have loved. My wife is the one who wanted to get a UTV and I am the one who wanted the Can-Am Maverick x3.
Our model reviewed is the 2020 Maverick X3 Max X DS Turbo RR
We got the Maverick X3 Max X DS Turbo RR, man that is a mouthful. Basically, it is a 4 seater, with 195 hp and 64in width. Why did I choose this one specifically? Right now there are 15 different options of Maverick x3’s that you can get from Can-Am. That is a lot of options. First off, we wanted the four-seater because I am married and have 4 kids…don’t judge me ;). The extra seats were a must have for us. I bought the one with 195 hp. I really don’t need the extra 23 hp but I wanted to get it because it was new for this year (2020) and I felt like it would have better resale in future years. I didn’t want the 120 hp option because I do like to ride it hard and felt like that wasn’t quite enough for me. For my wife that is plenty though. I got the one with the 64 in width because the 72-inch width machines are just too wide. They won’t fit down many of the local trails I ride on. If you plan on mobbing at the dunes all day long or just regular dirt roads, then the 72-inch-wide machine would be fine. But UTV trails in the mountains are mostly built to handle 64-inch machines and smaller. So that is why I bought the specific model of the Maverick x3’s. Now let’s go over what I like about the Can-Am Maverick x3’s. I will share the top 6 things I like and don’t like about them. And then you can decide for yourself whether or not the Maverick x3’s is the right machine for you.
But first,
To see how fun it is, check our video review below, where we test the 2020 Can Am Maverick X3 Max X DS Turbo RR on sand and share our thoughts.
Maverick X3 Max X DS Turbo RR Specs
Below are some of the highlighted features of the Maverick X3 Max DS Turbo RR Specs. If you want to read the full specifications, you can download the official spec sheet here:
The Next generation Trademark Can-Am DNA design
It has Low seating position
Ergo-Lok cockpit with four way adjustable seats
Rear tow hook
Advanced airflow dynamics
Ultra efficient and lightweight chassis
X-package graphics/seats
7.6-inch digital display with keypad
Engine Power and Type: 195 hp, Rotax ACE (Advanced Combustion Efficiency) 900 cc Turbocharged Triple-cylinder engine, liquid cooled with integrated intercooler and high-performance air filter
Fuel Delivery System: iTC™ (Intelligent Throttle Control) with EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection)
Transmission: QRS-X (Quick Response System X) CVT with high airflow, L / H / N / R / P
Drive Train: Lockable front differential with exclusive Smart-Lok* technology. True 4 modes traction system: 2WD / 4WD with front diff. lock / 4WD TRAIL ACTIV / 4WD TRAIL
Power Steering: High torque Tri-Mode Dynamic Power Steering (DPS)
Suspension: 20-inch (50.8cm) suspension TTX suspension with industry leading travel
Dimensions: L x W x H (164 x 64 x 66 inch) or (416.6 x 162.5 x 167.6 cm)
Wheelbase 135 in. (342.9 cm)
Ground Clearance 13 in. (33 cm)
Weight 1,765.9 lb (801 kg)
Storage Capacity Total: 3 gal (11.4 L) (includes storage in glovebox, center console, cup holders)
Fuel Capacity 10.5 gal (40 L)
Front Tires Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 29 x 9 x 14 inch (73.7 x 22.9 x 35.6 cm)
Rear Tires Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 29 x 11 x 14 inch (73.7 x 27.9 x 35.6 cm)
Wheels 14-in. (35.6 cm)
Top 6 Things I like about our Maverick X3
Suspension
The Fox Racing suspension on the Can-Am Maverick is amazing. I was shocked out how good the shocks were…pun intended. Really though this thing is crazy when it comes to the suspension. It almost doesn’t make sense how good it is. While driving, I will come up on a big rut or whoop in the trail and logically I know the machine can handle it just fine but my body tenses up and I clench my butt cheeks together (you know this feeling). And of course, it just rolls over it like nothing was there. People claim you can go 60 mph over whoops and their kid is sleeping in the back the whole time. I believe it but haven’t dared to do it yet myself. I personally have gotten to 45 mph over whoops and it soaked them up like they were nothing. Can-Am uses a two-stage suspension system and the long wheel base on the four seater also makes a difference. They have a remote reservoir with bypass, rebound adjustments and dual speed compression. Another great aspect of the suspension is that it is easily adjustable. You just need the right tool and you dial it into your needs. Many people like to adjust the suspension to add a couple of inches to your travel height. I personally haven’t done that and haven’t had any issues even while riding through rocky sections.
Power
I got the one with 195 hp but the Maverick X3 has 172 hp and a 120 hp option as well. For the vast majority of us the horsepower difference between the three options won’t really make a big difference. Where I believe you might notice a difference is if you are riding it in deep sand. Deep sand eats up your power like nothing else. With that said I took my machine out to the sand dunes on a hot dry spell, so the sand was very soft and deep and I never felt like I ran out of power or needed more. To think of it I don’t think I have ever maxed out the machine or got to a point where I needed more power. This thing rips. All the Maverick x3 models have a Turbo on it. If you are going to be getting the 4 seater, I do feel like it is worth the extra $2,000 to get the 172 hp over the 120 hp version.
The sound
Yes, the sound is important. I can’t be driving around in a machine that doesn’t sound good. Some other machines…ahem…rzr’s just don’t sound that great. The Can-Am Maverick X3’s are without a doubt the best sounding machines on the market right now. It sounds like a nimble freight train coming around the corner. And the sound of the turbo on top of it is like the cherry on top.
Designed for Family Fun
The whole reason I got the machine is that my wife could drive it with my kids in it. Now I didn’t really need to have the Can-Am Maverick X3 to do this. But it is awesome for my wife and she feels very comfortable driving it. Even though it has amazing power it never feels like you are out of control or scary. In fact, my wife felt more comfortable driving this one than the three other side by sides she has driven. They were the Yamaha Rhino, the Honda Pioneer and a Polaris RZR. I really like to ride dirt bikes and now my wife and the kids can ride with me. This is huge for me because they now love to camp and be outside much more. Even though my wife drives it a lot I love hopping in and taking it for a spin. It really is so much fun to drive for all skill levels.
Put some Camso tracks and you are ready for winter fun
Having the Camso track system for your maverick x3 can make it even more fun because you get to take it out in the snow. With Camso tracks you get higher clearance, and all that raw power made it awesome when roaming and speeding in the snow. But keep in mind with these tracks you loose 1/3 of your speed.
Low seating position
This was super important for my wife. One of her main complaints with other UTV’s is that she feels like she is going to tip over in them. The Maverick x3’s all sit low to the ground. This makes for a very stable and grounded feeling as you drive. I feel much more confident driving it than others side by sides as well. Also, because it sits low it isn’t as tall as most other UTV’s. This means I can fit it in my covered trailer I have where most other UTV’s wouldn’t have and I would have had to buy a new trailer.
Reliability
Can-Am makes a very good motor and overall a great machine. When talking to a guy who owns a rental company and has a fleet of about 50 side by side, he now only has the Can-Ams because his maintenance costs and downtime were so much less than any other machine. The last thing you want to deal with is problems with Can Am X3 machine, especially if you are in the middle of nowhere.
Top 6 things I don’t like
The doors
The doors on the Can-Am are my biggest complaint. Probably not for the reason you might think. The problem I have with them is that they are suicide doors. A suicide door is slang for a door that is hinged at its rear instead of the front. In a car that is fine but in an off road machine that is a problem. I have owned my machine for a couple of months and both back doors have almost been ripped off because my kids didn’t close it all the way and I didn’t notice that it had swung open. They have both been caught on trees or branches and almost been torn off. Sure, it might look cool but I would much prefer to have them swing open the normal way. Even if they don’t get ripped off on a tree, I don’t like that my door is flapping open in the wind. It would be better if instead the wind would blow the door close instead of holding it wide open.
The lights
The stock lights on the Maverick x3’s aren’t that great. I am constantly having to slow down because I am over driving my lights and can’t see very well at night. You can get aftermarket lights, which I plan on shortly doing but the stock ones are just bad. They aren’t nearly as good as other UTV’s I have driven.
Additional accessories, parts and gear is needed
I hate that I have to spend another $5k on top of the already large amount I have spent to get the machine into what I would consider a minimum for ride ready. So far, I have put on a roof, windshield, sound system, full doors and a winch, but we moved that to our commander. When I buy something, I like it to be ready out of the package to what I want. I hate feeling like they know I will want this extra stuff, but they aren’t going to add it in because they know I will buy it anyways at a premium from them. Just put some of the basic stuff on there that everyone wants. I get it, they have their reasons but for me personally it drives me nuts.
Dust and Dirt
This could be a deal killer for some, but I do have to be honest about it. As much as I love the Can-Am Maverick x3’s I feel like I get way more dusty than other side by sides I have driven or have noticed on other people on the same ride as me. Buying the full doors helped a lot and I feel is a must have if you are at all concerned with the dust. But even with the doors and a windshield it gets dusty in there. The other thing that helps is to not drive it in 4-wheel drive. The front wheels throw dirt and dust straight into the cab. If you guys have found something that works very well for reducing the amount of dust and mud that gets into the cab, I would be very interested in knowing that.
Keeping it Clean
There are so many nooks and crannies on this machine. Keeping it clean is very hard and takes a lot of time. The joke is that the only time you clean your Can-Am is when you sell it. This combined with the problem of the amount of dust, sand and dirt that gets into the cab makes keeping it clean a bit of a problem. It annoys my wife much more than I. I don’t mind it being a little dirty but even for me it is too dirty too often.
No Cargo Space
There really isn’t a lot of room for a cooler or other random stuff you might want to take on your ride. You can buy aftermarket stuff like a rack on the roof or the back of the machine, but it still isn’t that great. If you put it on the back, then you can’t see anything. It will cover the space where you can see out the back of the UTV. The best place would be to put a rack on top. I haven’t done that yet because it adds height to the trailer and just another thing to buy.
Those are the top 6 things I like and don’t like about the Can-Am Maverick x3. The other thing that is important to consider in deciding whether or not a Maverick x3 is what you should get is where you will be riding it and what you will be using it for. These machines are not work machines. Can-Am suggests that you don’t pull anything with it and it has almost no cargo space either. It is a machine built entirely around recreational uses.
Final thoughts on our Maverick X3 Max X DS Turbo RR Review
Where the Maverick x3’s outshine all other UTV’s in my opinion is the sand dunes. If you want to rip at the dunes, then you definitely should get one. It was so much fun in the sand, the handling, power, sitting low to the ground and suspension all work together to make it the ultimate sand machine. If you are riding trails that are rocky, have ruts or whoops then this machine outperforms all the other UTV’s in my opinion as well. If you are planning on staying on relatively well-groomed roads then the dust problem would be a big enough problem that I might look at some other cheaper options.
Overall, if you want a machine that is overall super fun in all conditions, and you plan on riding it hard then the Can-Am Maverick x3’s can’t be beat. I love riding it any time I can get my wife out of it. She loves it and it has been a game changer for including the family in my outdoor activities. We hope that you liked our review of the Maverick X3 Max X DS Turbo RR, and please feel free to contact us about any additional information that you would like to know.