When someone says “UTV,” what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Chances are it’s a sporty model with two seats and not much else. Performance-based UTVs are all the rage, but it wasn’t always that way. Not long ago, UTVs were more associated with farms and job sites and not dunes and trails.
Utility side-by-sides have been making people’s lives easier for years. And if you plan to haul a lot of stuff with your UTV’s bed, you may want to consider one that comes with a dump bed. Your back will thank you! To make your choice easier we’ve compiled a list of the top dump-bed-equipped UTVs.
So what exactly does a dump bed do? Having a dump bed means you can tilt the whole bed to dump whatever you’re hauling, saving a lot of time and effort.
The uses of a dump bed include, but are not limited to:
There’s nothing wrong with a pickup truck, but a side-by-side with a dump bed has a lot of advantages over a standard pickup.
With a UTV, you have the ability to go places where pickup trucks can’t. They also leave a smaller footprint, so you won’t have tire tracks everywhere.
Not to mention, a UTV is much more affordable than a truck, and you’ll save a lot of gas money. Besides, how often do you see a pickup truck with a dump bed?
Unloading the contents of your bed by hand can get tedious. It can also be a pain… literally. Constantly unloading by hand can wear you out and strain your back. A dump bed can save you time and effort.
Why work harder when you can work smarter? Think of all the time you’ll save when you aren’t unloading the contents of your bed by hand. There’ll be more time for hitting up trails and exploring the countryside.
Utility side-by-sides remain a large segment of the UTV market. We’ve gathered a list in alphabetical order of some of the biggest names in the dump-bed-equipped utility market to help you find the right one.
No stranger to the side-by-side game, Arctic Cat makes the three-passenger Prowler Pro and six-passenger Prowler Pro Crew.
Can-Am spoils you for choice. You can get multiple bed sizes, three or six-person seating, and four or six-wheels. There’s even the option on some models for hydraulic power beds—a great feature to have for those extra-heavy loads!
This company makes all kinds of vehicles across multiple industries, so it’s no wonder that they have plenty of utility side-by-sides in their Pioneer line.
This name is familiar to farmers across the country, and they make a wide range of UTVs. Whether it’s a farm, large property, or a construction site, they make a machine for it.
Kawasaki made the first Mule back way back in 1988 and hasn’t stopped innovating. They now produce a variety of Mules for nearly any job.
While not the biggest name in the States, Kubota brings years of construction and farm equipment experience to the UTV market with their models.
Polaris is one of the biggest names in UTVs, and they make a wide range of work-focused machines. Whatever the job, chances are Polaris has the machine for you.
This company has made UTVs for over 15 years now, and they show no signs of stopping. They offer several variations of their workhorse Yamaha Viking at various price points.
Choosing the right UTV with a dump bed may seem daunting with all the options available. But by focusing on your needs, you can make the choice easier.
You should consider:
By thinking about what you want to use your UTV for, you can be confident the UTV you’ve chosen will work for you.
We hope this helps you narrow down your decision. What might be right for some might not be right for others, but there is no doubt a UTV with a dump bed can help get the job done.
13 Comments
i will be towing / dragging equipment on artificial turf, one person and some garbage bags. the equipment is to dress up the artificial turf
Hey Gerald! You should be fine with any of these machines really. A UTV with turf mode may be more ideal. The only ones on this list that do not include this are the Yamaha Viking and the Kubota RTV. Thanks for tuning in with us!
Do any of these have the ability to attach a snow plow, and powerful enough to plow?
Hey William, thanks for tuning in. Any of these machines will be able to plow with a plow mount, and they will have the power to plow. You shouldn’t expect to be able to push 3 ft of snow at a time, but they will get the job done.
Are these all 4x4s
Hey Jo, they are! But they all do it a little bit differently. Some, like Polaris and Can-Am machines, have limited slip differentials so they behave more like AWD machines. Most others have manual differential lock and work more like a traditional 4WD. Thanks for reading!
After MUCH research I settled on the Polaris but I must tell you although I love the hydraulic dump bed I really have a hard time driving it because I am on the shorter side, 5’2″. I can barely reach the gas pedal and have to sit almost in the middle to make it work. I asked the company if there was some modifications but I get no response. Is there one of these that would work better for the people who need these but aren’t tall?
Good question. There are some aftermarket extended pedals out there for you like the Throttle MAXX. We’ve never used it, so we can speak to the product’s or the company’s quality, but it’s probably worth looking into. Apart from that, you’d probably have better luck in a midsize Ranger. They’re smaller all around, so you’d be sacrificing overall space for a slightly better fit for you. They are nice little machines though. Good luck and happy riding!
You are the BEST! I hope this works because I really don’t want to sell it! Thank you again!
No problem! Good luck! There are a lot of different options for pedal extenders. I’m sure you can find something that works.
Thanks so much for both the question and your answer! I’m short at 5’ 1 ½” and I know which one to study on and what to do if I pick one that doesn’t fit?
I’m looking to find which one has the highest ground clearance. I cross railroad tracks and have been hung up a time or two with my Kawasaki mule 4010 even with blocks cut to ramp me up and “pallet style” supports to keep me from dropping down in between the tracks
Hey David. You’ll get the most ground clearance with a Can-Am Defender XMR with 15″. The Ranger XP 1000 gives you 13″ and a base model Defender gives you 11″. Your Mule 4010 only has 7″ of ground clearance. Thanks for reading!