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Outdoorsmen will find either of the diesel-powered 4x4 Kubota RTVs worthy workhorses. The new RTV 1100 (left) is available with a heated/air-conditioned cab, hydrostatic transmission and power steering. Photo courtesy Kubota.
Kubota RTV 4x4s
“The rugged durability of a Kubota. The comfort of a car.”
That’s how Kubota touts their new side-by-side RTV 1100 Utility Vehicle (UTV). The description seems fitting, although I’d say most of us looking at something like an RTV would most likely find pickup comfort a much better comparison than “car.” Not only does this new four-wheel-drive workhorse kick it around the farm and job site, it’s the first UTV to feature a luxury cab and interior dash layout that’s much more automotive-like than an ATV.
Kubota’s “Grand Cab” on the all-new RTV 1100 is not a rickety, obnoxious add-on feature, either. It’s tightly constructed around a single ROPS-certified frame integrated into the rugged RTV chassis. Air-conditioning for those sweat-sucking summers and heating to take the frost off the upper lip on those cold winter days are just two of the many truck-like amenities. The curved glass windshield even opens outward to provide flow-through ventilation if desired.
Under the hood, the RTV 1100 makes use of Kubota’s latest diesel technology in the form of a 24.8 hp, 1,123cc, 3-cylinder built to deliver a ton of pulling power at low rpm.
The RTV 1100 also combines drivetrain features not found on other UTVs, such as power steering with a three-range (Hi-Mid-Lo) Variable Hydro Transmission. The hydrostatic tranny and steering is designed to make driving the new Kubota velvet-smooth so you have the traction, acceleration and power needed to complete the most heavy-duty of tasks without so much sweat.
I picked up a Kubota RTV 900 model from a dealer over in Texas to put through its paces here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Although the RTV 900 is not new, the model I got did give me a chance to see first-hand how well a Kubota RTV fairs when put to the task of being pushed hard through gumbo mud and wheel-deep sand; having the dump bed filled to overflowing with bits of concrete and bricks from a job site; and its stability and strength under demanding, rocky off-road conditions. I have to say it performed as good as it looks.
Although the 2008 RTV 1100 weighs considerably more than RTV 900, both have identical cargo capacity (1,631 lbs.) and tow ratings (1,300 lbs.). But I think the RTV 1100, with the enclosed cab, better creature features, a bigger engine and hydrostatic drivetrain will, no doubt, be the smoother performer around the farm or on the jobsite.
By the way, for those who pine for Kubota to offer a more compact UTV, your dreams are near. The new RTV 500 should be at dealers within the next few months. It’s more along the line of the Rhinos, Mules and Rangers, but can fit into a pickup bed.
Designed after its big brother, the RTV 500 sports a 16hp, 456cc, two-cylinder, liquid-cooled Kubota EFI four-stroke. Kubota says their new compact UTV can pull 1,100 pounds, fit perfectly with the new Land Pride Plot Ranger, and still carry more than 400 pounds in the dump box.
But what makes the RTV 500 unique in this class of side-by-side UTVs is the use of a hydrostatic transmission, so there are no drive belts to contend with and, just as important, this system gives the four-wheel-drive machine phenomenal engine breaking. This becomes really important when driving in hilly or mountainous terrain or when pulling any type of load.
—Bruce W. Smith