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Can-Am Commander Vs. Polaris General

By Kavan Wright | Behind The Wheel on September 23, 2020
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The Can-Am Commander 1000 and the Polaris General 1000 occupy the same spot on the spectrum of side-by-sides. They’re both halfway between the pure sport performance of a Maverick or a RZR and the pure utility of a Ranger or Defender.

Their unique capabilities make them very appealing to many—you can use them to help around your property, and still open up the throttle for some fun recreation on the weekends.

But when it comes to the Can-Am Commander Vs. the Polaris General, which one is right for you?

How the Commander and General Compare on Paper

First let’s take a look at the specs of the latest iteration of each vehicle. That means we’ll be comparing the 2021 General (not the XP version—we want to keep it as apples-to-apples as possible) to the 2020 Commander 1000. This gives us a baseline for comparison, but it’s far from the whole story.

A Polaris General riding on a bumpy trail in the woods
The Polaris General is a powerhouse and very well engineered. It maxes out its 999 cc Prostar engine with 100 horsepower. The RZR 1000 S suspension the General uses gives it excellent ground clearance and travel, too. It’s a great ride.
Photo by Polaris

Polaris General Specs

Engine & Drivetrain

  • Cylinders Displacement—999cc
  • Drive System Type—On-Demand True AWD/2WD/VersaTrac Turf Mode
  • Engine Type—ProStar 1000 4-Stroke DOHC Twin Cylinder
  • Fuel System/Battery—Electronic Fuel Injection
  • Horsepower—100 HP
  • Transmission/Final Drive—Automatic PVT P/R/N/L/H

Dimensions

  • Bed Box Dimensions (L x W x H)—27.5 x 43.1 x 11.6 in (69.8 x 109 x 29.5 cm)
  • Box Capacity—600 lb (272 kg) Rear Dumping Box
  • Dry Weight—1,422 lb (645 kg)
  • Fuel Capacity—9.5 gal (35.9 L)
  • Ground Clearance—12 in (30.5 cm)
  • Overall Vehicle Size (L x W x H)—116.4 x 62.5 x 73.8 in (295.6 x 158.7 x 187 cm)*
  • Payload Capacity—1,100 lb (499 kg)
  • Person Capacity—2
  • Stance—60” (152.4 cm)
  • Wheelbase—81 in (206 cm)

Brakes

  • Front/Rear Brakes—4-Wheel Hydraulic Disc with Dual-Bore Front and Rear Calipers
  • Parking Brake—Park In-Transmission

Additional Specifications

  • Cargo System—Lock & Ride
  • Front Shocks—ZF Sachs Twin Tube, Painted Springs
  • Front Suspension—Dual A-Arm with Stabilizer Bar 12.25 in (31.1 cm) Travel
  • Hitch Towing Rating—1,500 lb (680.4 kg)
  • Hitch Type—2 in (5 cm) Receiver
  • Ingress / Egress—Half Doors Standard
  • Instrumentation—Dual-sweep Analog Dials w/ 4″ LCD Rider Information Center: User Selectable Blue/Red Backlighting & Brightness, Programmable Service Intervals, Speedometer, Tachometer, Odometer, Tripmeter, Clock, Hour Meter, Gear Indicator, Fuel Gauge, Coolant Temperature, Voltmeter, Service Indicator and Codes, Seat Belt Reminder Light, Gear Indicator, DC Outlet
  • Lighting—55W low/ 60W high, LED Tail
  • Other Standard Features—Premium Graphics Package
  • Rear Shocks—ZF Sachs Twin Tube, Painted Springs
  • Rear Suspension—Dual Arm IRS with Stabilizer Bar 13.2 in (33.5 cm) Travel
  • Seat Type—Bolstered Bucket Seats with Driver Seat Slider and Height Adjustable Seat Belts
  • Tilt Steering—Standard

Tires / Wheels

  • Electronic Power Steering—Standard
  • Front Tires—27 x 9-12 NHS; CST Clincher
  • Rear Tires—27 x 11-12 NHS; CST Clincher
  • Wheels—Cast Aluminum

*Wheel Width: 60″

A can Am Commander on an easy trail
The Can-Am Commander is certainly respectable on paper. Between the 92 horsepower Rotax V-twin engine, 27-inch tires, and 11-inch ground clearance, there’s plenty of fun to be had behind the wheel of one of these.
Photo by Can-Am

Can-Am Commander Specs

Engine

  • Type—92 hp, Rotax® 976 cc, V-twin, liquid cooled
  • Fuel Delivery System—Intelligent Throttle Control (iTC) with Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI)
  • Transmission—CVT, L / H / N / R / P, standard engine braking
  • Drivetrain—Selectable 2WD / 4WD with Visco-Lok QE† auto-locking front differential
  • Power Steering—Tri-Mode Dynamic Power Steering (DPS)

Dimensions & Capacities

  • L x W x H—120.2 x 62.5 x 72 in. (305.4 x 158.8 x 182.9 cm)
  • Wheelbase—75.8 in. (192.4 cm)
  • Ground Clearance—11 in. (27.9 cm)
  • Dry Weight*—1,291.4 lb (586 kg)
  • Rack Capacity—600 lb (272 kg) Dual-Level cargo box Upper level: 400 lb (181 kg) Lower level: 200 lb (91 kg)
  • Storage Capacity—Total: 8.3 gal (31.6 L) Glove box: 4.5 gal (17.2 L) Under driver seat: 3.5 gal (13.1 L) (800R only) Center console: 0.3 gal (1.3 L)
  • Towing Capacity—1,500 lb (680 kg)

Brakes

  • Front—Dual 220 mm ventilated disc brakes with hydraulic twin-piston calipers
  • Rear—Single 214 mm ventilated disc brake with hydraulic twin-piston caliper

Suspension

  • Front Suspension—Double A-arm with sway bar / 10 in. (25.4 cm) travel
  • Front Shocks—Twin tube gas charged shocks
  • Rear Suspension—Torsional Trailing arm Independen (TTI) with external sway bar 10 in. (25.4 cm) travel
  • Rear Shocks—Twin tube gas charged shocks

Features

  • Gauge—Multifunction analog / digital: Speedometer, tachometer, odometer, trip and hour meters, fuel, gear position, sport mode, ECO™ mode, seat belt and 4 x 4 indicator, diagnostics, clock, auto shut off
  • Winch—4,500-lb (2,041 kg) winch with roller fairlead
  • Protection—Heavy-duty front bumper, mudguards, bed rails

Tires & Wheels

  • Front Tires—Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 27 x 9 x 14 in. (68.6 x 22.9 x 35.6 cm)
  • Rear Tires—Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 27 x 11 x 14 in. (68.6 x 27.9 x 35.6 cm)
  • Wheels—14-in. (35.6 cm) cast-aluminum

The Polaris General Wins On Specs

Put them side by side, and the General is the winner by a small margin.

It packs in more power, higher ground clearance, more suspension travel, and a longer wheelbase on a shorter frame.

You also have to pay attention to the front differentials of each of these machines. The Commander is rocking a Visco-Lok front diff (although it can be upgraded), while the General is loaded with its true, on-demand AWD front diff.

With a differential that locks into four-wheel drive in a fraction of a second, as opposed to the several seconds Visco-Lok takes to lock, the General has a clear advantage.

And while both machines have quality engines, the Rotax V-twin of the Commander tends to vibrate a bit less than the ProStar, potentially resulting in a more durable machine. This narrows the General’s on-paper lead a bit, but doesn’t change the game.

But what’s the real difference when you’re behind the wheel?

Head to Head on the Trail

Real world riding means a whole lot more to the prospective buyer than numbers on a page. They’re both capable trail machines, but the General has the edge thanks to the lower gear range and the superior front diff.

The Commander’s Great for Easy Rides

If you’re just going out for a cruise on an easy, well-maintained trail, you might actually prefer the Commander over the General. The torsional trailing arms are very cool. They keep the camber just about perfect through the whole range of travel. When you let loose on a trail, this thing can keep great traction through every bump and bounce because of that camber.

A black Can Am Commander on a dirt road
If you like to stick to nice trails with even terrain like this, there’s a compelling argument to get a Can-Am Commander. It’s more comfortable to sit in and has a nicer fit and finish… if you can get past the engine heat and noise.
Photo by Can-Am

Also the Commander’s cab comfort beats the General’s every time… when you’re sitting still. The seats are more comfortable, you have a bit more room, and the overall feel of the cab is just better.

Except… there is one big problem with the Commander’s cab, and that’s the engine. It sits right behind the seats and it’s LOUD and it’s HOT. With some added insulation under the panels, it can be manageable, but otherwise, riding on warm days sucks, and chatting with your passenger will make you hoarse.

But still, if you can tolerate those problems, and there’s no technical terrain, you’ll have a good time with a Commander.

The General Is Better for ANYTHING Technical

Thanks to the extra inch of ground clearance and suspension travel along with the better front diff, the General is better suited for obstacles on the trail. If there’s a log, a washout, a ditch, or a big rock in the way, the General will handle it. No problem.

When the General encounters a log, the front differential will lock the instant one of the front wheels starts to slip. Essentially, it doesn’t slip at all. Both tires have the opportunity to gain purchase, and the UTV’s low-end power pulls it up and over in no time.

Contrast that with Visco-Lok on the Commander, where you really just have three-wheel drive. When it encounters a log and a wheel slips, it just keeps on slipping for two or three full rotations before it can lock. By then, the Commander has undoubtedly rolled back off the log and lost its momentum. Plus, its higher gearing makes it struggle more to clear obstacles in the best of circumstances.

Undoubtedly, if the trail is rough, the General wins.

A polaris General 4-seater riding on rocks
The Polaris General shines on technical trails. It has an excellent front differential and low gearing. It can crawl over logs, ruts, and boulders just as easily as it can rip through the trail.
Photo by Polaris

The General Is Easier to Work On

The Polaris General has better access to its engine which makes things like changing the oil and oil filter much easier than on the Commander. Just drain the oil, reach in from the passenger side to replace the filter, then refill it with the dump bed raised.

On the Commander, accessing the engine requires you to remove the passenger seat and two of the plastic panels beneath it. It’s a lot of extra work just to change the oil.

Inspecting and changing the clutch belt on a Commander requires a similar amount of effort on the driver’s side—a far cry from the General’s exposed clutch on the driver’s side below the dump bed.

And there are other examples, too. Suffice it to say, if you’re going to do your own maintenance, the General has a huge advantage.

The Commander and General Tie on Storage

Storage space is important to consider as well. Both of these machines have plenty, but they put it in different places.

The General’s cab is packed with compartments and consoles that give you 9 gallons of storage. Wallets, gloves, papers, drinks, and more all have room right in the cab. That’s in addition to the 59 gallon dump bed.

The Commander 1000 has about half that cab storage with 4.8 gallons. But it makes up for it with its dual level cargo box. It’s a standard dump bed with a hidden storage compartment beneath the bed. It can be used even when the bed is full, or, with the removal of a panel, it can become part of your total dump bed capacity. The lower storage compartment adds approximate 30 gallons of storage. Not bad especially when you add that to the approximately 75 gallons the upper dump bed has.

We’re calling this one a tie. Both setups are very nice to have. Maybe someone will put tons of cab and bed storage in one machine someday.

Polaris Does Engineering—Can-am Does Fit and Finish

At the end of the day, you can reduce the argument down to Polaris’s superior engineering vs Can-Am’s better craftsmanship.

The General is designed better and the Commander is built better. When you’re sitting in the Commander’s cab, you can feel the craftsmanship that makes it a premium ride. From the seats, to the dash, you’ll notice the difference when you switch over to a General’s cab. The General has a less comfortable feel and a cheaper look.

By all accounts, the Can-Am’s Rotax engine has more endurance than the General’s Prostar, although both should last plenty long.

Let’s not forget the number of recalls the General has had compared to the Commander. There just tends to be more problems on average with the General than the Commander, but with normal use, both should rarely need servicing.

The Last Word

Polaris General

What we love:

  • More power
  • Lower gearing
  • More cab storage
  • Excellent front differential
  • Easy to maintenance

Deal breakers:

  • Less comfortable cab
  • Lack of polish on individual components
  • Polaris has had more recalls

Can-Am Commander

What we love:

  • Fit and finish
  • Very comfortable seats
  • Roomy cab
  • Great bed storage
  • Rotax engine

Deal Breakers

  • The engine makes the cab loud and hot
  • The Visco-Lok differential doesn’t engage quickly enough
  • High gearing reduces power
  • Maintenance is difficult

We Love the Polaris General 1000

For our money, we’re going with the Polaris General. We love the extra power and performance, and we especially love difficult trails. The Commander’s just not up for that.

While we do like the Commanders cab, we can’t ignore the heat and noise from the vibration. It’s tolerable in the winter and unbearable the rest of the year.

Plus, we never leave our machines alone, and we’d rather work on the General.

If you plan on sticking to easy trails and want to insulate your cab panels, a Commander might be better for you. But for the way we ride, the General can’t be beat.

A custom Polaris General 4-seater at moab
We love the Polaris General 1000 because we can ride it anywhere. Plus it’s easy to work on. Upgrading this General to take to Moab was a piece of cake. And it performed exceptionally well. Photo by SuperATV

RELATED CONTENT: Can-Am Commander13 head to head11 Polaris General15 specs10
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3 Comments

  1. Avatar for Kent Kent says:
    September 27, 2020 at 8:59 am

    I had to laugh at your article. My wife and I borrowed my friends 2020 Can-Am Commander over a weekend. Rough trails, 95 degree heat out side, and what felt like 205 degree’s inside, accompanied by a ton of mechanical noise. It was good handling, quick, and I loved the dash. When I got home my wife says to me, you ever buy that machine I will not be riding with you! (Hummmm good thing , bad thing) Well… went to the Polaris dealer and bought a new 2021 General. I have 55 miles on it so far, and WE absolutely love it.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for rick rick says:
    August 29, 2022 at 10:48 pm

    My commander has almost 11,000 miles, Still going strong, How many Generals can say that?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Kavan Wright Kavan Wright says:
      August 30, 2022 at 9:20 am

      Nice! I’m sure you deserve some credit for that too. How long have you been driving that thing?

      Reply

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