The Quickshift

• Can-Am launches the all-new four-seater UTV Maverick R Max
• It is Can-Am’s newest fast side-by-side
• Prices start at $39,199 for the 240-horsepower UTV

Although I love my adventures alone, there’s nothing better than hearing your own thoughts. Getting out into the wild is much more fun when I can bring others along. Scaring, I mean entertaining, my friends and family while driving through a forgotten piece of forest, desert or mud and seeing their faces full of smiles is just priceless.

And that’s a big reason why we bought a four-seat Can-Am Maverick X3 Max when we moved to Utah. But I didn’t buy the full-size Maverick X3 Max back then, and I was upset about it for a long time. Now that’s over, because Can-Am has released the all-new Maverick R Max, and just like its two-seat brother, it looks absolutely INSANE.

Do you think you have what it takes to tame a four-seat, 240-horsepower mini trophy truck? I certainly think so, but I lost my mind ages ago. Let’s look at the details of this trusty machine.

Can-Am

Can-Am

Can-Am

The most important thing to know about the new Maverick R Max is that it retains its 240-horsepower Rotax turbo engine and continues to be mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. You can all breathe a sigh of relief now that the family members aren’t losing out in the horsepower war in the side-by-side community.

But to be fair, the Maverick R Max is basically a longer version of the two-seat Maverick R, as it has the same adaptive suspension, wild steering knuckles and wacky styling. Also unchanged from the two-seat version is the UTV’s infotainment screen, which houses modes, music, settings and even the rearview camera.

Can-Am did make a few small changes when converting the Maverick R to four seats. “Engineers optimized the seven-speed DCT for multi-passenger driving, with a 40% shorter first gear ratio, improved torque control for low-speed maneuvers, and reinforced components for maximum durability.” They also updated the UTV’s 10.25-inch touchscreen display with more features, such as front and rear cameras.

Tires, wheels, brakes and the rest of the suspension components remain unchanged, which is also good news.

In terms of equipment, there will be four different trim levels including Max, Max X, Max R and Max X rs, the latter of which will feature Can-Am’s Smart Shox suspension for greater adjustability. And that’s about it. It’s just a four-seat version of the Maverick R range and that’s absolutely fantastic in my opinion.

What I see from the pictures provided by Can-Am is that even though the Maverick R Max is a four-seater, I could still do the same thing as our Maverick X3 Max and install a folding seat between the two rear seats so that all three of my children, as well as my wife and I, can go out and enjoy the outdoors and the trails around our house. For us, this has been a great solution and our kids have really enjoyed their time on the trails.

I wonder if it would just be replaced?

Can-Am

Can-Am

Can-Am

Now let’s get to the pricing, because just like the Maverick R two-seater, the four-seater isn’t cheap. MSRP for the base model Maverick R Max starts at $39,199, goes up to $42,199 for the R Max X, goes up to $46,099 for the R Max R, and tops out at a staggering $47,799 for the R Max X rs. Can-Am also sells plenty of accessories that let you customize your Maverick R Max, so those base prices are sure to go up.

But you get a lot for it, because these are basically four-seater precursors built just for zipping through dunes, deserts and trails. And again, there’s 240 horsepower on tap, which is just insane considering the whole car weighs just a few kilos over a tonne.

Nervous giggling intensifies

And that’s it. I’m looking forward to trying this out in the near future because this Maverick R Max looks amazing and it’s right up my alley. Do you think Can-Am will give me a friends and family discount?