2015 Arctic Cat Wildcat

2015 Arctic Cat Wildcat Sport Limited EPS First Drive

Adventure Ride: Bryce Canyon, Utah

For model year 2015 Arctic Cat has creatively engineered yet another trail-specific machine with the release of its 60-inch Wildcat Sport line. This new Wildcat Sport Limited with power steering will get you out of the house and into an adventure you will remember for years to come. Our test of this new machine would be conducted in the rugged terrain of Bryce Canyon, Utah, and with elevations of almost 11,000 feet in the planned route it was sure to tax the available power as well. With the sun barely peeking over the trees we set out to see just how this new rig would perform.

Most who are familiar with the Wildcat name will remember the super-long-travel suspension, yet for Arctic Cat's newest member of the family a moderate scale back in travel as well as width keeps the rough trails at bay. At 60 inches the newest kitty from Arctic Cat will get you into the narrower trails, and it could be a great machine for those of us who live without the desert terrain. The fresh suspension on this Cat has dual A-arms both front and rear, with travel at 12.2 inches in the front and 12.6 in the rear. This gave us the reach as well as the comfort we needed to cross the rock- and sometimes tree-riddled trails on our ride up into the mountains of Utah.

Shocks are another part of the story on the new line of Wildcats. There are several to choose from, and it can get confusing when trying to decipher the models each setup is offered on. Our Wildcat Sport Limited had Elka Stage 5 shocks mounted up, with plenty of adjustment including dual-speed compression and rebound. Needless to say, we had no trouble tuning the ride to our liking. But for those who need choices, the JRI ECX-1 shocks with full compression adjustability are available on this machine too. With an overall ground clearance of 13 inches it was no challenge for the AC Wildcat Sport to get over the massive rock gardens riddling the dry river beds of the canyon. Our WCS always felt in control and rock crawling was a blast in this rig.

For power in the newest Cat a 60-hp, 700cc, four-stroke powerplant is hooked to a Team Industries Rapid Response automatic belt-driven transmission. This engine is fuel injected and liquid-cooled for reliable performance in any condition. With some of the altitudes on our ride reaching 10,500, the engine fired without fail and seemed to maintain a good power curve even as we reached these very dense air heights. Putting the power and torque to the ground is something the engineers at Team Industries know all about, and our ride through more than 200 miles of trail and rugged landscape proved it. One key item for the gearheads in the room would be the fact that you can get to the clutch side of the engine for repair really easily on this new Wildcat Sport. It's nice to be able to inspect or service your machine if you need to.

As far as the creature comforts in the cab of the Wildcat, once you've seen one you've seen them all is my story. This doesn't mean it's a bad thing, just very similar to the others. The layout of the cab is much the same as its siblings and everything is placed well within reach. Functionality is key, and Arctic Cat included what you would need and left you room to add in your extras after the fact. Once positioned in the driver's seat, I really wished the front of the seat had a little more bolstering to keep me planted. I felt as if I was sliding forward all day which, led me to notice the very slick floors that provide little grip, if any. Some sheets of grip tape would fix that quickly. The power steering on this machine performs as it should, and when driving through many very tight as well as rocky sections it was a nice feature, for sure. We did have a chance to really open the Wildcat up on some ranch roads. We were surprised at not only the available power in the mid to high power ranges but the overall handling during these throttle-happy times. Overall this machine is another piece of evidence that Arctic Cat is taking the SxS sport market seriously and creating a variety of rigs to pacify consumers everywhere.

Plus:	Minus:
Tighter trail width	Seating seems flat and needs frontal bolstering
Huge sealed under-hood storage	Lack of grip in floorboards
Power steering
Endless shock choices

2015 Arctic Cat Wildcat Sport Limited EPS	Specifications
MSRP:	$13,399 Sport, $13,999 Sport XT, $15,699 Sport Limited EPS
Engine
Type:	4-stroke twin cylinder
Displacement:	700cc
Bore x stroke:	76.9mm x 75.3mm
Cooling:	Liquid-cooled w/ twin fan
Fuel system:	EFI
Starting system:	Electric
Drivetrain
Drive system:	2/4 WD + electric diff-lock
Transmission:	Rapid Response clutch, high/loe range, reverse & park
Suspension (Type/Travel)
Front:	Double A-arms w/ anti-sway bar w/ 12.2 in. travel
Rear:	Double A-arms w/ anti-sway bar w/ 12.6 in. travel
Tires/Wheels
Front:	27x8R-12
Rear:	26x10R-12
Brakes
Front:	Hydraulic disc
Rear:	Hydraulic disc
Dimensions
Claimed dry weight:	1050 lb.
Ground clearance:	13.0 in.
Length/width/height:	110.5 in./60.0 in./64.3 in.
Wheelbase:	84.6 in.
Fuel capacity:	7.4 gal.
Alternator capacity:	36 amps
Load Capacity
Rear rack capacity:	300 lb.
Towing capacity:	1500 lb.
Electrical
Lighting:	LED headlights and taillights
Special features:	2 bucket seats, tilt steering, JRi shocks, Elka Stage 5 shocks (limited EPS), front & rear sway bar, LED taillights, rear 2-in. receiver, Rapid Response CVT system
Colors:	Green, Lime, Red