Top defender
Can-Am has added to its Defender UTV/side by side range for 2020, with the arrival of the Pro HD-10.
The UXV 700i from Kymco NZ presents a decent set of specifications for a side by side.
And as discovered during 10 days on farm, the machine was very capable without being too complicated.
At the heart of the UXV, a 695cc SOHC, 4-stroke with four valves per cylinder pushes out a usable 45hp. Electronic injection enables immediate starting and smooth tickover and acceleration through the rev range.
The transmission is a quality CVT with high, low, neutral, reverse and park positions. And a big plus goes to the selection action that is slick, trouble free, positive and achievable even on slopes that impose a load on the transmission. This is much better than many of its classier contemporaries.
Further down the drive line, a rotary dial to the left of the steering wheel allows on-the-fly selection of 2WD, 4WD and 4WD with diff lock.
Out on the farm, the suspension deserves special mention for its independent double A-arm layout in each corner with 7.5 inches of travel.
It uses Kaifa long travel gas shocks with adjustable pre-load, compression and rebound settings normally only found on sports machines. All this combined gives a very supple ride over all types of terrain.
Wheel equipment is 12-inch steels shod with 25-inch Maxxis off road tyres that plugged through mud.
Two people get a good ride in high back bucket seats, and safety is provided by a substantial ROPS frame, door opening nets and inertia reel seat belts with speed inhibitors.
A comprehensive digital display offers information on all key features.
Rated top speed is a capable 87km/h and safe stopping is by dual discs up front and a single disc at the rear.
Living with the machine is easy, given the slick gear selection and well weighted electric power steering. Add to that a centre binnacle that prevents the occupants sliding together, good handgrips for the passenger and the customary cup holders then you get the picture.
Storage in the operator/passenger area is a glovebox to the right, a centre cubby hole and a lidded bin under the driver’s seat, plus a useful bin under the front hood, although it is a little awkward to get to.
Vents at the middle of the centre binnacle release hot air from the engine bay -- ideal for warming hands.
The Kymco easily climbs inclines and safely tackles declines using its excellent engine braking achieved in the low range selection.
The load tray holds 250kg and while it looks a little smaller than its competitors it worked well. It has recessed release levers on each side and gas strut assistance for easy tipping.
Towing capacity is rated at 550kg with a heavy duty 50mm receiver carrying the tow-bar.
Underneath, robust bash plates protect the underside and a well designed driveline helps cleaning with a hose or pressure washer.
The compact dimensions deserve a mention as they make manoeuvring easy in tights spots. Negatives include a badly positioned park brake under the centre of the dashboard, and the lack of a turf setting resulted in marks on the writer’s lawn.
Certainly worth a closer look but make sure you negotiate a windscreen in the deal.
The facts
• Kymco set up in 1964
• 3000 employees
• R&D spending 7% of sales revenue
• Output 570,000 vehicles each year
• Presence in 102 countries
• Working alliances with BMW, Kawasaki and Arctic Cat
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
OPINION: Should cows in NZ be microchipped?
OPINION: Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the…