The Polaris Ranger 500 is the newest addition to the Polaris off-road family for the 2026 model year. The mid-size is essentially a gateway of sort for those new to utility vehicles and off-road vehicles in general, less powerful than other models in the Ranger line while maintaining the company’s signature quality.

In a media availability that included 131 Off-Road prior to Tuesday’s reveal, Polaris hammered home that “approachability” was the primary goal with the Ranger 500 by bringing “Polaris quality, reliability, scale” to a market that has little to no prior experience with ORVs. Said people could range from new property owners to folks needing something that can help with mulching and plowing. According to Polaris, a third of its customers have never operated a side-by-side prior.

“Similar to all our vehicle designs, we start with the question ‘What does this customer care about?” and ‘What do they need from their vehicle?’,” Polaris ORV VP of Product Portfolio Brandon Kraemer explained. “With the new Ranger 500, value is key but it also needs to deliver the Ranger brand’s renowned reliability along wih a practicality that is important to this customer. We focused on incorporating the features that a first-time side-by-side owner would find most valuable when working around their yard or property.”

While it boasts many of the same features as its older siblings, those will come factory installed at purchase to make life easier for inexperienced customers like the 2,500-pound steel winch, LED headlights, and sport roof with integrated accessory mounting. Save for the roof, everything else isn’t as built in since Polaris wanted to maximize open space for more customizability.

Relying on customer feedback like rider comfort versus fitting inside, it is narrower at 58.5 inches compared to the Ranger 570, 1000, and XP 1000. The 500 also comes with more intuitive controls and ample storage in the dashboard and under the hood, the latter of which opens with two latches.

Even though it’s a smaller Ranger, the gas-assisted dump box can haul up to 300 pounds with a 1,500-lb towing capacity. It also has a gas- and shock-assisted hydraulic that can be activated with a one-handed motion lever. The cargo boxes use lock-and-ride technology that make them easy for the user to install.

The Ranger 500 uses a 28-horsepower ProStar 570 single-cylinder engine that’s officially described as a 567cc motor but is basically a detuned 570. On the latter’s part, aided by a custom exhaust system, it is quieter than the average 570 despite featuring much of the same architecture. It does not come with an engine brake like previous models but does have the same serviceability and oil filter. Speeds can be set in five-mph increments starting at 15 miles per hour and up to 40 mph.

Although components of the suspension and driveline are shared with other models, the latter has been simplified so that the customer could “just get in the vehicle, click their seatbelt, close the net, shift in, and go forward.” There are no drive modes and the continuously variable transmission instead consists of high, low, park, and neutral.

It features a MacPherson strut system with a double A-arm suspension. The front suspension comes in at nine inches while the rear is one inch greater (the rear wheels are also wider, though overall the 500 uses 25-inch tires and 12″ aluminum style wheels), with ten inches of ground clearance. The grease points on the 500 are easier to reach than on other Rangers with fewer pivot marks.

While supposed to stay in four-wheel drive, the rear diff can be unlocked as well as Turf Mode. Since the vehicle uses a limited-slip differential, the front diff can also disengage on its own—allowing for three-wheel drive—if it senses that its services are not necessary.

A full-coverage skid plate covers the Ranger’s underbelly from the front end to the rear. The UTV also comes with a four-wheel hydraulic disc brake system that’s in the Ranger SP 570 model.

32 accessories in total are available, produced by Polaris Engineering and Kolpin and are “really affordably priced” compared to other OEMs’. Kolpin is responsible for most of the storage accessories like the bed box, chainsaw mount, gun boot and mount, rhino grips, overbed rack, and overhead in-cab; the aftermarket parts producer also developed the plow mount and DirtWorks system. Accessories built by Polaris include the sun visor, lightbar and Pulse system, and trash can hauler.

The 500 is only available in two-seater form with no plans for four, and without doors to make it easier for passengers to enter and exit while receiving better airflow. Still, Polaris is open to adding doors in the future if demand is there.

Naturally, the manufacturer will offer on-demand resources like the dealer network.

“With the continued shift from city living to rural residences, more and more people are finding themselves with ample space, yard projects, and time spent outdoors,” explained Polaris ORV president Reid Wilson. “While the Ranger brand has been the #1 selling utility side-by-side brand for 27 years, we see an opportunity to expand our lineup with a vehicle that offers the right features at the right price, helping to make the work a little easier and creating the opportunity for a little more fun while doing it. The new Ranger 500 is an approachable and dependable solution that is backed by Polaris’ legacy of off-road excellence.”

The 2026 Ranger 500 will begin shipping to dealers in early August with an MSRP of $9,999. Polaris designed, engineered, and tested the Ranger 500 in the United States but production is in Monterrey.

Featured image credit: Polaris Off-Road Vehicles