When you hear about a John Deere, you usually think of one of its many farm harvesting tractors. But they make much more than that. One other piece of equipment, that’s becoming popular nowadays, is the line of UTVs that you could use on your farm or other types of properties. 

MotorTrend reviewed the Gator XUV 835R model and found it to be pretty useful for many things. Let’s look at what this UTV is, what it’s for, and how much it could cost you. 

What exactly is the John Deere Gator XUV?

The John Deere Gator is a UTV otherwise known as a Utility Task Vehicle. There are a few different side-by-side models. The one showcased in the review is actually an XUV or crossover utility vehicle to be more precise. 

John Deere builds these to be workhorses performing various tasks throughout one particular property, whether it be a private home or a commercial business. They can haul items back and forth, remove barriers in a roadway, and even gain access to places a work truck isn’t able to get to. 

They’re able to perform even more tasks, but most require some sort of accessory that you can attach to the UTV, like a snow blade, for example. You can clear snow off a path, move a dirt pile, or even push a fallen tree out of the way with just one attachment. 

What are the specs of this XUV?

The John Deere Gator 835R model, reviewed by MotorTrend, has a 0.8-liter, DOHC 12-valve motor with three cylinders. Paired with it is a continuously variable transmission with a ‘Park’ position, which you don’t often see on a UTV type vehicle.

The Gator also distinguishes itself from others by utilizing a car-like suspension. John Deere designs these Gators for off-road use, and they can handle almost any terrain. The suspension installed on the 835R allows it to absorb the toughest of terrain surfaces. You’ll notice that it comes with power steering to help maneuver your way around easily. 

This top of the line model gives you a decent amount of speed for an ATV or UTV. MotorTrend found the top speed for it to be 53 mph, which is higher than the listed 45 mph. When testing it on a 0-to-50 mph run, the UTV clocked it at 16.8 seconds. It’s a bit slower than some other ones they tested. 

The Gator also has a 1,000-lb payload capacity limit with a 2,000-lb towing capacity. These XUVs can haul a lot and pull around a number of heavy items, such as large tree logs.  

What competes against this John Deere XUV, and how much will it cost?

One of its biggest competitors is Bombardier’s Can-Am, which has an 82-hp Rotax V-Twin engine running with 69 lb-ft of torque. It has a larger towing capacity than the Gator, but it doesn’t have the plethora of accessories like John Deere offers. 

Some of the other ATV rivals, like the Yamaha Viking EPS, Polaris’ General XP 1000, and Honda’s Talon 1000 don’t come with the climate-controlled enclosed cab that you get with the Gator XUV. 

When it comes to price, you’ll see a vast range of numbers. The smaller end of the WorkSeries of UTVs come in around $7,900 to $13,300 for base models. A midsize model ranges from $9,600 to approximately $15,000. With the full-size versions, you can expect to pay about $14,700 all the way up to $27,400. The 835R model, they tested with specific accessories, cost $29,400. 

The John Deere Gator XUV is one of the best full-size utility vehicles on the market. With tons of accessories to choose from, you can customize your UTV to help with just about any task you need on your property.