Desert Dominance: How Polaris Pulled Off a SXS Win at Dakar

British writer and explorer Wilfred Thesiger described the wastelands of Saudi Arabia as “a desert within a desert, so enormous and so desolate that the Arabs call it the Rub’al-Khali, or ‘The Empty Quarter.’” A continuous stretch of sand the size of France where dunes loom 700 feet above the rocky desert floor, trailing shadows … Read more

Chasing the Northern Lights in the Brand New 2024 Lexus GX 550

As we play a nocturnal waiting game, a nearly full moon beams across Numa Falls. During the interlude I snap some slow shutter shots of the Vermillion River rushing below. Then someone yells, “over there!” I spin to see the sky drenched in color. Subtle pulses of green, rose, citrine, and plum swirl together, flowing … Read more

4×4 VS AWD, Explained: What to Know Before You Go Off-Road

For a layman chatting to a mechanic or gearhead, automotive jargon can seem like a foreign language. To the average person on the street, terms like torque vectoring, locking differentials, pinion gears, and half-shafts are meaningless. However, there’s a pair of terms that’s more confusing than they need to be: 4×4 vs AWD. Knowing the … Read more

Best Off-Road Parks in America to Ride Side-by-Sides, UTVs

The thought of driving a new side-by-side, or SXS, through empty wilderness can easily sound intimidating to newcomers unaccustomed to the freedom of an off-roading adventure. Luckily, plenty of off-road parks welcome side-by-side owners and their families to blast around within a more controlled environment.  Whether catering to new riders who want to figure out … Read more