The Polaris Sportsman 570 has been the best-selling utility ATV in North America for years, and the 2025 model keeps the formula that made it a fixture on farms, hunting leases and trailheads. You get a torquey mid-size single, real 4WD, and a price that undercuts the big-bore machines without feeling stripped out. But best-selling doesn’t always mean best for you. Here’s what it actually delivers: the performance, where it cuts a corner, and who should buy it. (New to spec sheets? Our guide on how to read ATV & UTV specs explains which numbers matter.)
At the heart of the Sportsman 570 is Polaris’s 567cc ProStar single. On paper, roughly 44 horsepower is mid-pack for a utility quad, but the delivery is what wins people over. There’s strong low-end torque that pulls cleanly from just off idle, which is exactly what you want when you’re crawling over roots, plowing snow or easing a loaded machine up a hill. The automatic PVT transmission means no clutch and no shifting, and built-in engine braking holds you back on steep descents.
Top speed is the question everyone searches for, so here’s a straight answer. Polaris doesn’t publish a figure, but in the real world most owners see the mid-50s, around 55 mph, on flat hard ground. For a utility ATV that’s plenty. This is a machine built for torque and traction, not a sport quad chasing a trap speed.
How it rides: steering, suspension and On-Demand AWD
Polaris’s On-Demand AWD is the Sportsman’s signature trick. You run in 2WD to save fuel and lighten the steering, and the moment the rear wheels slip, the front axle engages on its own, then lets go again once grip returns. It works cleanly, and it’s a big part of why the 570 feels so planted for less-experienced riders. There’s 11.5 inches of ground clearance to clear the usual obstacles, and at 48 inches wide the machine still fits the trail-width limits that lock out bigger quads.
There’s one real ergonomic knock. The base Sportsman 570 doesn’t come with electronic power steering (EPS), and you’ll feel that at low speed, on side-hills, and at the end of a long day of chores. Polaris saves EPS for pricier trims and for the step-up Sportsman 850, which has it as standard. If steering effort matters to you, that alone is a good reason to look up the range or cross-shop.
Work capability: towing, racks and real chores
This is where the Sportsman earns its keep. The 1,225 lb tow rating is enough for a small utility trailer, a yard cart or a deer drag, and the racks work with Polaris’s Lock & Ride accessories, one of the deepest catalogs in the business, so boxes, tool mounts and plows clip on and off without tools. Add engine braking for loaded descents and On-Demand AWD for traction under load, and you’ve got a real workhorse for property and hunting, not just a weekend toy.
Who it’s for
The Sportsman 570 is the right ATV if you want one machine that does a bit of everything: light ranch and property work, hunting, food-plot duty, snow removal and the odd weekend trail ride. It’s approachable enough to be a first full-size quad. (If that’s you, read our best beginner ATVs guide first.) And it keeps enough torque and tow rating to stay useful as your skills grow.
It isn’t the pick if you want maximum power, since you’d step up the range for that. It’s also not ideal if you want effortless low-speed steering on a tight budget, because the EPS-standard rivals below do that better, or if you need a passenger seat, because this is a single-rider machine. Once you have to carry someone, you’re really shopping for a UTV.
How it compares
At $7,499 the 570 lands in the most competitive class in the ATV market. Three rivals belong on your shortlist:
- Can-Am Outlander 500, $7,199. A little cheaper and a little less power (about 40 hp), but Can-Am throws in DPS power steering. Compare them →
- Honda FourTrax Rancher 420, $6,199. The value and reliability benchmark. Smaller, at about 27 hp, but $1,300 cheaper. Compare them →
- Yamaha Kodiak 700 EPS, $9,699. More engine, more power and standard EPS, though it runs about $2,200 more. Compare them →
One thing worth flagging: the CFMoto CForce 600 ($7,299) and Arctic Cat Alterra 600 EPS ($8,499) both include EPS as standard, which only sharpens the case that the base 570’s weak spot is its steering.
Where it sits in the Sportsman lineup
If the 570 is close but not quite right, Polaris gives you a clear ladder. Step up to the Sportsman 850 ($9,999) for 78 hp and standard EPS, or the Sportsman XP 1000 S ($12,999) for a wider stance and 90 hp. You can also compare the 570 and 850 directly. Shopping for a younger rider? The Sportsman 110 EFI ($3,599) is the youth-sized entry point.
Price and value: is it worth it?
At $7,499 the Sportsman 570 sits right in the middle of its class. It costs more than a Rancher 420, lines up with an Outlander 500, and comes in well under a Kodiak 700. What you’re paying for is a proven engine, best-in-class On-Demand AWD, that huge Lock & Ride accessory catalog, and the largest dealer and parts network in the business, which also helps hold up resale value.
So is it worth it? Yes, with one asterisk. If you can live without power steering, or you’re willing to budget for an EPS trim, it’s one of the safest buys in the ATV world: capable, reliable, easy to own and easy to sell. If low-speed steering effort is a dealbreaker for you, spend a little more on an EPS-equipped machine and you won’t look back.
Pros and cons
The good: a torquey, proven 567cc ProStar engine, excellent On-Demand AWD traction, a solid 1,225 lb tow rating backed by the deep Lock & Ride accessory range, easy manners for newer riders, and a dealer network and resale value that are hard to beat.
The catch: no electronic power steering on the base trim, it’s single-rider only, and a few rivals hand you EPS for similar money.
The verdict
The 2025 Polaris Sportsman 570 is the default answer to “what utility ATV should I buy?”, and it earns that spot. It does nearly everything well, it costs a fair price, and it’s backed by the deepest support network in the category. Just go in knowing the base trim skips power steering, and decide whether that matters to you before you sign.
Want to see how it stacks up against something specific? Drop it into the side-by-side comparison tool, or browse the full ATV database to filter by power, weight and price.
