2022 Yamaha Grizzly EPS XT-R First Look

This is Yamaha’s ultimate utility ATV. First introduced with the XT-R trim badging back in 2020, the 2022 Yamaha Grizzly EPS XT-R is a sport-utility crossover ATV equipped to hit the trail with both function and style. The Grizzly XT-R is available for this model year in a new Tactical Black and Carbon Metallic color, but goes otherwise unchanged. Big 14-inch alloy wheels are color matched to accent the Grizzly’s dramatic look.

At first glance you’d probably think this is a normal Grizzly 700 with a different paint scheme. Well, you’d be mostly right. It shares nearly all of its parts with the Grizzly EPS SE, which slots into the trim lineup just below the XT-R, even the slick 14-inch matte wheels and 27-inch Maxxis Zilla tires. However, an extra $400 for the XT-R nets you a 2,500-pound-rated Warn winch mounted to the front frame and those sweet graphics that tell everyone around that you’re not there to hit the beginner trails.

Yamaha was kind enough to swap out the mud-focused Zilla tires for some more appropriate hardpack tires it offers through the Shop Yamaha website. These EFX MotoHammer 27-inch tires should be right at home in the rocky and sand-filled desert terrain of Moab, Utah, with their denser lug pattern and wider width. Yamaha uses an offset pattern with 9-inch-wide MotoHammer up front and 11-inch-wide MotoHammers in the rear.

The 2022 Grizzly EPS XT-R weighs in at 789 pounds wet on our UTV Driver scales with optional tires. Weight is biased to the front by 4 percent. Our guess is the 2,500-pound-rated Warn winch is the bulk of that front bias on the XT-R trim.

Utility is baked in through the front and rear racks. The front rack is rated for 110 pounds of cargo while the rear is rated for 198 pounds. The rear frame is set up with a standard 2-inch hitch receiver for towing. It’s rated for 1,322 pounds of towing capacity. You also get three small storage cubbies: in the rear bumper, behind the handlebars, and on the front right fender.

The center-mounted cubby that sits behind the handlebars, where you’d normally see a fuel tank, is where the optional Yamaha Adventure Pro GPS unit mounts. Yamaha engineers pushed the fuel tank to the rear to keep weight low. The filler cap is on the right rear fender.

The 2022 Grizzly EPS XT-R still uses the aging but trusted 686cc liquid-cooled SOHC single-cylinder engine. While it slots into the 700 class of utility quads, its power output is more akin to a Polaris Sportsman 570 machine. That being said, the Grizzly has plenty of grunt-and-go on tap to push the vehicle’s chassis right to its hilarious limits.

The transmission is a classic belt-driven Yamaha Ultramatic-style automatic CVT with five total gears; park, reverse, neutral, high, and low. It’s buttery smooth and simple to use. The transfer case and shaft-driven drivetrain can be controlled through simple handlebar-mounted buttons. A 2WD/4WD switch is locked on the right bar with optional locking front differential switch. The left bar holds the override button for on-the-fly removal of the speed limitations while operating in 4WD fully locked mode, if you should find a need to clean the lugs on those meaty tires while operating in low-traction environments like mudholes.

The cream of the crop Grizzly gets independent double-wishbone suspension with five-way preload-adjustable coilover shocks on all four corners. The shocks are generic and go without adjustable dampers. It’s recommended that any preload adjustments be done with the weight of the vehicle off the coil and you’ll need the appropriate spanner that’s not included with your purchase. We’re not the first to say it but we can’t help but think modern adjustable remote-reservoir Fox shocks would transform this quad into something truly great.

Grizzly EPS XT-R owners also get all the creature comforts offered on the lineup. Electric power steering, LED lighting, upper and lower brake levers, and a wide ergonomic seat for long days on the trail.

We’re excited to get this year’s Grizzly XT-R out on the Moab rocks to see how it and the optional EFX MotoHammer tires stack up. Look for a full review in the coming months as we put some miles under its belt.

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