Testing Kymco's UXV 500 UTV - Multipurpose Conqueror

In recent years the UTV has left the farm and secured its place among ATVs in every form of off-road use. Their large size and stature can falsely give these vehicles the appearance of being limited strictly to utility use, but this is certainly not the case. They can be found with hunters behind the wheel conquering treacherous terrain or going to extremes and braving the Baja 1000. If you haven't experienced the excitement that UTVs offer, seize the moment when the opportunity presents itself. I promise you won't be disappointed.

The big manufacturers view this UTV explosion as a great opportunity to expand their product line, and the latest introduction to this market is the Kymco UXV 500. Kymco is one of the most recent manufacturers to become a major player in the ATV industry, and it has quickly earned the reputation of providing quality machines with great reliability. If you're asking yourself, "Who is Kymco?" or thinking "I've never heard of these guys," don't jump to conclusions! If your kids are (hopefully) riding a name-brand 50-90cc machine, there is a good possibility it's a Kymco bearing the badge of another company. The South Carolina company may be relatively new to us ATV enthusiasts, but it was incorporated and began manufacturing motorcycles in 1963. This explains why its Mongoose 300 held up to a year of severe abuse at the hands of our most grueling and unorthodox tester: me! (Those who know me can fully understand just how much this statement says for Kymco.)

We were present for the introduction of the UXV 500 where we spent the entire day testing preproduction prototype units. Rather than base our overall opinion on a preproduction machine that was to receive numerous changes, we patiently awaited the arrival of the first production machines to reach our shores. As this initial small shipment of UTVs was being released from customs, we were gearing up for another trip to South Carolina. This is where we would have a full weekend to put the UXV 500 through the wringer before reporting our final conclusion to the ATV Rider readers. Having multiple editors based out of Georgia gives us an edge on the competition due to the many ATV manufacturing facilities located in the South. With Kymco's headquarters being a mere stone's throw away, we again were the pioneers as we boarded the first units to be uncrated.

It was inevitable that this machine would soon become a filthy mess as we thrashed around in the woods of SC. So, before jumping in and strapping on our seat belts, we did an initial walk-around to get a good feel for the fit and finish of the unit. A sleek appearance and clean lines were immediately evident, but it is the comfort and overall function that grabbed our attention.

An abundance of dry storage is always appreciated on wet days, and the UXV has plenty. Located under the hood is an easily accessible compartment that's great for packing away items that you wish to keep dry, such as jackets or a sack lunch. The glove compartment is another storage option that provides ample space for the items you may wish to access during an adventure. A tilting cargo bed is another benefit of the UXV, offering plenty of space for hauling anything from camping equipment to firewood. With a weight capacity of 420 pounds you're not likely to surpass the payload of the unit.

If you do find yourself maxing out the load capacity, you can be assured the 498.5cc water-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC powerplant is capable of hauling it to your destination. Kymco doesn't currently offer a huge 800-1000cc engine for the UXV, but I don't believe its intentions were for this unit to compete in the Best in the Desert series. While this machine is certainly not going to be breaking any land speed records, it will reach an impressive 55 mph. This powerplant is almost identical to the one that propels Kymco's MXU 500, and it happens to be one of the most powerful in its class and price range. An automatic CVT transmission with high and low range makes the UXV a breeze to operate. It may just sound like another sales pitch coming from the mouth of your salesperson, but there will come times that you find yourself in sticky situations. This is when you'll appreciate the easy-to-operate 4WD selector and locking differential that keeps all four tires pulling until you're over or through whatever obstacle you've encountered.

I speak from experience when I say that a UTV must be highly capable of overcoming treacherous terrain. You'll agree when you find yourself miles from civilization and stick a machine that tips the scale at over half a ton. This is when reality sets in and you realize you have a serious problem on your hands. The UXV provided the confidence that is needed to push further into the demanding terra firma found in South Carolina.

Stability at high speed and on off-camber trails is exceptional due to the UXV's 59-inch width. This does, on the other hand, present difficulties when navigating through tight, winding trails. We found ourselves slowing down to safely pass between trees and had to occasionally use reverse to squeeze around some nasty hairpin turns. Crawling over downed trees and creeping through a garden of boulders presented no problems thanks to the 12.2 inches of ground clearance. High-centering on obstacles isn't as easy to overcome in a UTV as it is on an ATV, and every bit of available clearance is needed to keep the belly high and dry. When the going gets tough momentum is often the key to overcoming even the most challenging of terrain.

Aftermarket accessories aren't as abundant as those offered for competitors' machines, but as the overall number of units increases, I'm sure this will change. However, Kymco has been working directly with Koplin in the design and manufacturing of unique accessories specifically for the UXV 500. We had the opportunity to mount up a pair of gun scabbards along with an auxiliary fuel can. The installation was simple, and even though I didn't bring along any rifles to put in the scabbards they remained secure throughout our testing. Next trip I'll try to remember to bring along my old Remington Model 700 so we can squeeze in some target practice while we're on the clock. Wink, wink.

At the end of our weekend adventure we concluded the Kymco UXV 500 a success. We suffered no mechanical failure of any kind and had a blast thrashing around in the UTV. I feel confident this machine is just as reliable as Kymco's other units that we've tested in the past. It would be a great vehicle for hunters or enthusiasts with the need for their rides to haul heavy loads and double as a weekend recreation machine for the entire family. With a price tag of $7999 it comes in around $500 to $1000 under the price of comparable machines. This is enough to buy new skid lids or invest in some of the Koplin products that Kymco offers for its UXV.