Reviews There’s Two Side-by-Sides to Every Story John Schwartze January 8, 2026 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Read our affiliate policy. Find out more about how we test products. Photos by In Season Media Let it be known that vehicles offered up for review by RECOIL staff may end up suffering more PTSD than Ellen DeGeneres employees. A few years ago we had the chance to sully up a Can-Am Defender 6×6 DPS HD10 on a hunting trip along with various other tasks meant to find its vulnerabilities. Despite our best efforts to make it cry mercy, it was like an Ibex on wheels — nimble and resilient. Recently, Can-Am lent us some other gluttons for punishment, its Defender Limited and longer-wheelbase Defender Pro XT. We made our way a bit west of Madison, Wisconsin, to go turkey hunting with CARNIVORE Issue 1 alumni chef Jesse Griffiths and needed some transport to work our way through the Badger State’s wilderness. We have to say, overall ride quality for moving dudes and gear in this environment was not choppy at all. The Defender Limited has plenty of pep, lots of room to accessorize, and hovers at around $30K. Independent suspension, front and rear lockers, and larger-than-average 30-inch tires on the Limited gave it great ground clearance and better traction than you might find on some of its contemporaries. In other words, these are just plain fun to drive in this type of topography. Can-Am also seems to understand that many of us still appreciate simplicity by not trying to make these into the Escalade EXT versions of side-by-sides. Just having switches/controls that are easy to understand and few in number is evidence that there’s no need to fix what ain’t broke. The Defenders also manage to maximize the utilitarian theme with plenty of racks and compartments for storage. Can-Am Defender Limited Length/Width/Height: 126 by 65 by 81 inches Wheelbase: 83 inches Ground Clearance: 14 inches Dry Weight: 1,976 pounds Motor: Rotax 976cc V-twin Towing capacity: 2,500 pounds Payload: 1,200 pounds Wheels: 14 inches 2026 model starting at $14,500 Can-Am Defender Pro XT Length/Width/Height: 159.7 by 64 by 80 inches Wheelbase: 115.5 inches Ground Clearance: 13 inches Dry Weight: 1,942 pounds Motor: Rotax 976cc V-twin Towing capacity: 2,500 pounds Payload: 1,570 pounds Wheels: 14 inches 2026 model starting at $24,700 The shorter-wheelbase version that we spent most of our time in ran in 2WD like a raped ape, but when we locked everything up, steering was a bit tough on the tight stuff. Yes, we know we’re being a bit idealistic on that, but for those who aren’t familiar with driving a SxS of any kind, you’re going to experience some of that with a short wheelbase and narrow track. Even a group of experienced hunters have trips that don't go as planned, which was not our transport's fault at all. We think the birds were tipped off we were coming. However, 4WD gripes aside, a fairly tight turning radius makes it very maneuverable. Each one features the same 976cc V-twin liquid-cooled Rotax powerplant that our 6×6 was equipped with. We’re not complaining, but we can’t help but notice that side-by-sides are trending into features more reminiscent of passenger cars. Among the bells and whistles we enjoyed were enclosed cabs, heat, A/C, wipers, and power front windows (although manual ones are available too). This pair of Can-Am's never let us down and, since the turkeys managed to avoid us this time, getting to run these through wooded terrain turned out to be one of the funnest parts of the trip. You can always down-spec it a bit if you want to be closer to nature and keep the rough-and-ready personality, but for those of us getting crankier about comfort with age, at least they’re listening to their customers. Having a strut-supported tilting bed that’s not just raw metal is another plus on trips like these, with the Defender Pro XT’s bed measuring out at 72 by 54.5 by 10 inches. Since more people are becoming increasingly interested in knowing the origin of their machinery these days, if you’re curious where these are made, most come out of Juarez, Mexico. Depending on whatever your intentions are, Defenders offer a nice, rounded array of features. There are 21 different packages available for the Defender lineup alone, with the new Defender XT available with a smaller HD7 650cc engine. Whether it’s being used for plowing, hunting, farming, construction, law enforcement, etc., these make for a nice base to kit out with umpteen accessories for a very utilitarian runabout. Even when hunting season's over, these make for excellent ranch hands and trail runners Ranging from around $12K on up to about $37K for the highest trim level (Defender Max Lone Star Cab), you’re getting a lot of range to find the right combo of options for your needs. The Defender is basically the workhorse of the Can-Am fleet. With 12 inches of travel (11 on the Pro XT), in muddy, leafy, wooded areas, they got around without hesitation. Our trip wasn’t as fruitful as we’d hoped in terms of getting a jump on our Thanksgiving dinner, but for traversing the hunting terrain, it fit the bill as reliable transport. If your goal is strictly off-roading, although these are plenty capable, other models are geared toward that hobby with suspensions that have greater options for adjustment. We really didn’t get to put the proverbial wood to this duo in a multi-month review where we can really get granular about the issues. Fuel capacity on both is a touch over 10 gallons, which ain’t bad. These being 2024 models, we were miffed that these didn’t offer factory-tinted windows or lockable cab doors. However, we were pleased to learn Can-Am has upgraded the 2025 models to include these items. Overall, we enjoyed these for the time we had them and look forward to abusing them more on future trips. Why you can trust RECOIL Since our founding in 2012, RECOIL remains the premier firearms lifestyle publication for the modern shooting enthusiast. We deliver cutting-edge coverage of guns, gear, accessories and technology. 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