We head to the majestic backcountry of Saguenay, Quebec and bring along the winner of the Widescape Great Wide-Open Sweepstakes to experience the ultimate WS250 adventure.

AJ gets some help from his daughter reviewing what many would consider to be the perfect combo of snowmobiles for a snow-mo-focused family – the power pleasing and fun to ride Ski-Doo MXZ Neo+ and the versatile and capable Ski-Doo Grand Touring LE featuring the ROTAX 900 ACE Turbo R.

2026 SKI-DOO SPRING CHECK ENDS: March 31, 2025

Visit ski-doo.brp.com to build your sled to order or head into your local Ski-Doo dealership to put down your SPRING CHECK deposit!

The lineup contains completely redesigned Expedition models, deep snow models that are lighter with new features including a 32-inch ski stance, redesigned entry level models and enhancements that touch every segment.

“Our customers expect constant advancement and improvements every year, even more than any other powersports product,” said Pascal Vincent, Director Global Product Strategy, Snowmobiles. “It’s recognizing and embracing the passion of the customer mindset that drives Ski-Doo to keep pushing further with new ideas and reinventing products, like you see with the 32-inch ski stance on the Summit X with Expert package and the redesign of the Expedition.”

While the Ski-Doo Expedition models already led the wide-track crossover segment, the newest iteration increases the gap significantly. It moves onto the REV Gen5 platform that brings the newest technologies and up-to-the-minute styling in addition to increasing both comfort and performance.

Versatility and functionality are key for riders and the Expedition delivers thanks in part to the new uMotion rear suspension for great on and off-trail performance. This new suspension also brings unexpected levels of comfort and capability.

Versatility attributes are extended with the Multi LinQ Plate to access the complete LinQ accessory ecosystem, and the redesigned Cargo Box that lets owners quickly and easily adapt their snowmobile to their needs day in and day out. Buyers in this segment now have access to one of the most complete and competent snowmobiles, plus a luxury look and feel!

In the deep snow world, Ski-Doo models continue to offer mountain riders targeted choices as the 2026 models evolve and push concepts further. With lighter weight and a new industry leading 32-inch ski stance on the forward-thinking Summit X with Expert package, it’s clear product development doesn’t rest at BRP.

Redesigned chassis components including shorter tunnels and heat exchangers contribute to wet weight reductions on all Freeride and Summit packages of up to 14 pounds for specific configurations – with each change targeted to meet the intended riders’ needs.

The Summit X features the most weight loss with the highest number of lightweight components for increased agility and playfulness that targets the largest cross section of deep snow riders.

The constant improvement continues across the lineup as spring only available Renegade models get their own version of the RAS RX front suspension for increased cornering prowess and stability. Backcountry buyers now have a choice of narrow RAS X or wide RAS RX front suspensions in most models, with the X-RS, X and Adrenaline packages also featuring the Pilot RX skis for the wide option.

To cap off the 2026 lineup, all Sport and Neo models will move to the REV Gen5 platform – delivering one of the finest riding experiences at the most affordable prices. Refined performance with ease of use and low levels of sound and vibration make for all day enjoyment.

The most current styling that includes LED lighting for improved nighttime vision with top-of-the-line fit and finish brings a sense of pride and sophistication to owners. This speaks to the brand’s commitment to make winter experiences the best they can be for all riders.

On the connected riding experience, the Group Ride capability, available in North America, takes a step further in its development. It is now added to the built-in GPS on snowmobiles equipped with the 10.25-inch touchscreen display and can be used with or without a phone or network connection to see other riders in your group.

In addition to the intuitive Group Ride function, riders can see topographic maps and snowmobile trails,* view their position with compass orientation, record the current trip, show or hide previous rides and experience enhanced Vibe system communications. Those choosing to connect with the BRP GO! application can access a richer experience with constant improvements being added. The 10.25-inch display is available across Ski-Doo’s most popular segments and models so everyone can enjoy 2026 enhancements.

For complete details on all the 2026 Ski-Doo news and models visit ski-doo.com.

BRP Inc. is a global leader in the world of powersports products, propulsion systems and boats built on over 80 years of ingenuity and intensive consumer focus. Through its portfolio of industry-leading and distinctive brands featuring Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft and pontoons, Can-Am on and off-road vehicles, Alumacraft and Quintrex boats, Manitou pontoons and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts and recreational aircraft, BRP unlocks exhilarating adventures and provides access to experiences across different playgrounds. The Company completes its lines of products with a dedicated parts, accessories and apparel portfolio to fully optimize the riding experience. Committed to growing responsibly, BRP is developing electric models for its existing product lines. Headquartered in Quebec, Canada, BRP has annual sales of CA$10.4 billion from over 130 countries and employs close to 20,000 driven, resourceful people as of January 31, 2024.

Economies of scale dictate what an OEM can sell a sled for. To oversimplify, if an manufacturer sells a bunch of a certain model, it can build them for less and hopefully pass that savings onto consumers. The Sea-Doo Spark PWC demonstrates this reality in the best way. Sea-Doo sells more Sparks than any other model in its line-up and the lower cost to produce Sparks results in a lower MSRP. 

So why can’t the OEMs resurrect a 440 fan from early the two-thousands and slide it into a 2005 Rev chassis and sell it for $5995?

I’m not going to dig too deep here because, as much as I respect the rationale for this question, there is no possible way a manufacturer could do this. Fan cooled 2-stroke engines are required by the EPA to use “clean credits” to get them to market. A company like Yamaha would have a ton of credits – and may even sell them to other OEMs so they can comply. 

While this might sound like good news it is not. The entire premise here is to build a low-cost sled. Buying EPA credits is not a low-cost venture. Even if Polaris has enough credits to cover sales of 550 Fan EVOs you have to wonder what happens when they run out.

Furthermore, the cost to produce a snowmobile engine – of any displacement – is not that much different when you compare a 550 fan to a 600 liquid to a 850 and…the list goes on. Simply put the manufacturing savings to be gained using a smaller displacement engine are not anywhere near what you might think.

This same rationale holds true for a snowmobile chassis, track, clutches, body work, skis, brakes and the list goes on.

The Ski-Doo NEO and the Polaris EVO are the answer. While the MSRP of both sleds is higher than $5995, the engines are mostly EPA compliant (the EVO does require credits because it’s a 2-stroke). 

The NEO uses an existing platform (the G4) and the EVO uses the ProRide platform. The savings from using in-production, up-to-date platforms and engines is substantial and passed on to the retail buyer. The fact both of these sleds are in the sub 10K range is remarkable in 2024. 

The final reality is that there is simply not enough demand for a basement priced, resurrected “old” new snowmobile. The best answer to the question is the Ski-Doo NEO and the Polaris EVO.

So don’t think there’s going to be a sub $6000 new sled on the horizon. What the OEMs (specifically Ski-Doo and Polaris) have accomplished is remarkable with the EVO and the NEO. Get a ride on either this winter and you’ll agree – they’re a ton of fun for the money.

Remember when you couldn’t buy a new sled during for full pop? That was only 3 years ago! The pandemic mentality saw tens of thousands of new sled buyers paying thousands above MSRP for a new ride. It was a phenomenon never witnessed in snowmobiling.

What now seems strange is the shocked look on the faces of dealers and OEM’s as a result of the imploding marketplace in recent days and months. Did anyone really think the escalating demand would last indefinitely?

Here’s my point. The NEO project was pointed directly at the price conscious purchaser who wanted a real snowmobile at a way low MSRP. That’s where our comments about the psychology behind the new NEO sounded an awful lot like the those behind the Sea-Doo Spark.

The NEO and the Spark share a low MSRP, deliver high value, full capability and respectable performance. Because Covid dramatically skewed retail pricing, we think the whole NEO project was at best misinterpreted and at worst completely misunderstood.

So here’s the reality. Covid is ancient history along with its ridiculously escalating pricing. We’re back to selling snowmobiles below MSRP, and sometimes substantially below and all of a sudden the NEO is looking pretty attractive.

This whole shift means the NEO can effectively pick up where it got lost in the middle of an inflated price fiasco. Check out its MSRP in the US and Canada and it really is worth a look for many reasons.

PRICING:

MXZ NEO Starting at $6,849 US and $8,549 CDN
MXZ NEO+ Starting at $7,649 US and $9,599 CDN

Summit NEO Starting at $7,999 US and $9,999 CDN
Summit NEO+ Starting at $9,499 US and $11,699 CDN

The NEO is built on a full-on REV G4 variant tub and tunnel. The front suspension is Ski-Doo’s RAS X set up. The rear skid is an all-new single shock unit delivering an impressive ride. It uses two variations of the ROTAX case reed, 600 EFI oil-injected, liquid cooled twin producing 40 and 55 in the 120-inch MXZ NEO and NEO+, and 55 and 85 ponies respectively in the 146-inch Summit NEO and NEO+.

No question horsepower numbers aren’t heroic here, but the reality is this – because the sled is capable, has good bones and is propelled by a torque laden ROTAX 600 EFI, the Neo gets up and goes. The sled is light and can be flicked around on tight trails or in deep snow delivering precise and confidence inspiring handling. Strangely it will impress even seasoned riders.

So who’s the NEO buyer? I think this very question was refused an answer when the NEO first appeared. It could turn out the NEO is a legitimate parallel to the wildly popular Sea-Doo spark. It is also possible the Neo will get panned because of its less than brawny powerplant. Keep in mind its ergos can accommodate smaller stature pilots as comfortably as full size riders.

Here’s what I think is undeniably true. The Ski-Doo NEO cannot be dismissed as something less than a full-on snowmobile. The problem with my assertion is if snowmobilers don’t get a chance to ride the NEO they may never have any appreciation for how much sled you get for the money.

AJ gives a quick summary of the updates to the 2024 Yamaha snowmobile lineup, then he takes a quick look at what Polaris is offering for 2024.

Then Luke and Mark have a look at how the Ski-Doo Neo line appeals to a variety of riders and has brought their family closer together.

Then in TEST RIDE, Mike covers off yet another iteration of the turbocharged Sidewinder and explores the differences between the pre-order L-TX LE versus the in-season L-TX SE looking at what would entice a Yamaha buyer to lay down his money to order one of these bad boys during Spring Power Surge.

The past two seasons have seen wild increases in new sled sales as buyers simply could not get enough snowmobiles to satisfy their needs. This led to a “take what you can get” mentality for both new and used sleds.

This never-seen-before reality has put the sno-mo OEMs in an enviable position. Truthfully, I can’t ever remember a time when there have been literally no unsold, non-current sleds.

Here’s what I think is a little weird, but exciting nonetheless: Unexpectedly, there is a significant amount of all-new 2023 product launching into key segments this season. Here are two:

THE SKI DOO NEO PLATFORM

The issue here cannot be overstated: Snowmobiling desperately needs more credible, truly value-priced models to inject increased participation and generate growth. Yes, the OEMs are selling snowmobiles in relatively large and highly profitable segments and these sales are occurring at near stratospheric price levels.

Most of a sled-builder’s profit comes from selling big power, full-featured models. The lower you go on the price scale, the less money OEMs make. It’s a fact that low MSRP sleds are a lot less profitable as a percentage of the revenue they generate.

I want to be careful in saying this but the new NEO series from Ski-Doo is from every measurable metric the sled we’ve been waiting for. The NEO is fully equipped with a 600cc liquid cooled, twin cylinder EFI engine, real clutches, full size dimensions, up-to-date front IFS and a never seen before long travel, single shock skid.

There’s a Brembo hydraulic brake, a 121-inch track and high quality bodywork that comes right from the G4 platform. Most importantly, check the MSRP of the NEO and NEO Plus.

These sleds are priced at a level that defies common sense but underscores how an OEM with the biggest market share, producing the most units, is capable of building a realistically equipped sled and selling it at an amazing price.

For the record, the NEO was a complete sell-out in just the first few days of Spring Break last April. I predict Ski-Doo will not be able to meet demand for these sleds again this year. Is this the snowmobile equivalent of the Sea-Doo Spark Personal Watercraft? Stay tuned.

THE NEW POLARIS S4

Suffice it to say the S-4 engine package is available in multiple models and its advent is significant in a big way. This new 4-stroke ticks virtually all the boxes, including every important piece of technology needed to compete with 4-stroke market leader, Ski-Doo. At first sight I quickly realized Polaris has not taken on this important segment without great thought and attention to detail.

The S-4 engine is – as expected – a derivative of the Pro-Star engine series used in Polaris’ off-road products. This makes great sense as Polaris has a stranglehold on the off-road biz, particularly the Side X Side segment.

This 1000cc Pro Star variant has a stellar rep for power and tough-as-nails durability. Most importantly, the engine can be produced in snowmobile trim, all the while piggybacking economies of scale created by the off-road division’s huge production volumes.

What needs to be emphasized here is this: Polaris is credibly in the 4-stroke snowmobile biz in a big way. How long before they add a turbocharger and produce 130, 150 and 180-hp variants? The bulk of the development work required to do this has already been done in the off-road biz.

In its first iteration, the new S-4 sits solidly in the 80 to 90-hp 4-stroke segment. This is a smart place for Polaris to start its 4-stroke program because, clearly, Ski-Doo sells a ridiculous number of ACE 900 95-hp sleds.

So, will these two technical developments generate robust sales to new buyers and brand switching? Hard to answer decisively at this point in the sales season. Because of COVID, new snowmobiles have sold to the bare walls the past two seasons.

With the market pressures of the pandemic now usurped by a relentlessly predicted recession, it’s hard to know what the next six months will look like and more importantly what will end up driving sales in MY 2023.

Yes, you’re right, we’ve pushed this imagery for years and have been dead-guilty of poo-pooing snowmobiles that have less than the maximum amount of power under their hoods. The fact is, we’ve been driven by your demands as much as by ours.

Snowmobilers love power and it’s one of the reasons sales are so strong amongst sleds that meet that somewhat narrow, power-hungry criteria. Power is something every snowmobiler craves and it’s the reason why you see grandmothers ordering brand new turbocharged touring sleds.

Okay, no guilt trip here. We love power, you love power – even grandma tourers love power. So, what’s wrong with that? Nuttin’, is what!

Just to blow-out your perspective though, have you tried out any of the new generation of lesser engine performance sleds out there? I’m talking sleds like the EVO, BLAST, MX-Z NEO and Yamaha’s SXVenom. Wait! Keep reading! We have a point here.

Yes, all of these sleds max out at about 65-horsepower, even less – and that isn’t enough power to cause concussive cranial acceleration or induce nosebleeds. No claim has ever been made that this is the intention of these models; rather their whole reason to exist is about “fun”.

No, we’re not talking about the kind of fun you have hitting triple digits out on a lake or blasting past your buddy’s kitted turbo SRX. As a matter of fact, the aforementioned sleds absolutely will not deliver the same level of fun when ridden with big-inchers and hypersleds.

We’re talking about a different type of fun that includes riders of all different ages and varying experience levels on power matched equipment experiencing snowmobiling together. We’re talking about fun that includes challenging your skills to ride in deep snow without climbing a near vertical precipice, to outhandle your buddies on a local snowmobile trail at legal speeds and to do all this while sipping tiny amounts of fuel.

The fact is, when you’re on the trails, riding any of these snowmobiles is every bit as much fun as riding a hyper-powered sled on the same terrain. Any trail speed you give up – and, surprisingly, it isn’t really that much on tight trails – is gained back in the gobbed-smacked realization you’re actually going a lot faster than you expected.

Each of these sleds is offered with excellent chassis engineering, decent suspension tech and enough comfort features to make a long day’s ride achievable. The very fact an experienced rider can toss any one of them around with abandon, makes them even more appealing.

They’re light and nimble, with agile handling that just dares you to have maximum fun. A seasoned rider can ride with a less experienced spouse or one of the kids and have an incredibly enjoyable day of giggles, whether riding on-trail or off.

Yes, back at work on Monday your macho image around the water cooler might take a hit, but you can find comfort in the fact you have experienced all that snowmobiling has to offer – and what you experienced was unembarrassed, unbridled, no-excuses “fun”!