Dreaming of a Private Ranch Retreat? Dream of Bringing the 2025 Kawasaki Ridge Crew ORV Along, Too

Of course, driving through the deep snow on the mountains and the mud in the valleys was the main event, and something the Kawasaki Ridge Crew handled beautifully, but we were also led through multiple activities so we could experience the Ridge Crew in different settings and see how helpful it could be in real life. And wow!

Our first chore for the 2025 Kawasaki Ridge Crew was to load some hay bales in the back. After a few tries, we learned it can hold two square bales in the bed, with the tailgate closed. Then you can stack two more on top if you want. This is one of the things I could see myself doing at home since we use a lot of straw bales for mulching our gardens.

We also shoveled snow into the bed so we could try out the dumping bed on the Ridge. Despite the snow being quite heavy, my drive partner and I were able to dump the load quite easily. Kawasaki rates the cargo bed’s payload capacity at 1,000 pounds. I’m not sure what you’d carry that would meet that limit, but the Ridge is absolutely ready for it.

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Next, I got to impress myself by backing up to and hooking up a small flatbed utility trailer. Let me tell you, that got my wheels turning! I would get a lot of use out of a small trailer here on the farm if I had a way to pull it around. The Crew’s towing capacity is 2,500lb, and the standard 2” ball hitch means you can hook up a real trailer, not just one of those little lawn trailers your mower can haul. That’s pretty impressive.

The Kawasaki Ridge Crew is built to accessorize, and one of the coolest accessories is a snow plow. We got to see that in action, high up on a mountain where the snow was up to my knees. The demo included hooking up to the plow, moving snow, and taking the plow off, and I was amazed at how simple the whole process was.

I’m no stranger to winches, but I’ve always used them on trucks to pull another vehicle out of a bad situation. On the ranch, we got to use the Ridge Crew’s on-board Warn winch to move giant fallen logs off a trail, and I couldn’t help but think how helpful that would have been on the wooded acreage I grew up on would have been. So many downed trees.

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This 4-door ORV is based on their very popular Ridge (2-door) and has a lengthened frame, upgraded suspension, and increased braking power to accommodate the longer length and extra weight.

What this means is you can now take the whole crew with you, seating 5-6 depending on the configuration. And the HVAC-equipped cab means you will all be comfortable no matter where you roam. 

All the things that make the Ridge a favorite amongst outdoor enthusiasts come standard on the Ridge Crew. From multiple power modes for Work, Normal driving, and Sport applications to three drive modes that include 2-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive, and 4-wheel drive with diff lock, the Kawasaki Ridge Crew transitions from work to play at the push of a button.

One of the design features that really impressed me was the engine orientation paired with a heat shield and cooling fan. Bringing fresh air in at the front of the vehicle and having the hot air exit out the back, after passing through a heat shield, helps to keep the cab temperatures down in the summer. 

The Kawasaki Ridge Crew boasts an in-line 4-cylinder engine that gives you 92-horsepower and 65.8 lb ft of torque, all of which you’ll need to plow snow or winch fallen trees off your path. 27” tires and 13” of ground clearance boosted my confidence in the snow for sure! And the molded bucket seats in the XR model I drove helped me to feel secure as we sped up and down the snowy mountain trails. 

The Ridge Crew is available in two main configurations, the Crew and the Crew XR. The engine output of the XR is a little higher at 116 horsepower, you get front and rear diff lock instead of just rear, and the tire size increases by two inches which increases the ground clearance by an inch, but all of the other differences are cosmetic: accent lights, different seats, and a sportier bumper.

At this launch event, we drove the XR Limited, which had bucket seats in the front and a deep center console for storage, but the other configurations have a bench seat in the front, so you can seat six. I’d want the bench seat because my littlest helper likes to sit right beside me, and the dog also likes to be up front. Besides, the Ridge Crew has so much storage throughout the vehicle that not having that center console wouldn’t be an issue.

Overall, the Kawasaki Ridge Crew is 64 inches wide, 81-82 inches tall, and 155-161 inches long, depending on the wheels and brush guard selected. The width is really important for those who plan to trailer their ORV to other locations, and a 64” width will fit on most utility trailers.

The Kawasaki Ridge Crew comes with a static windshield with wipers, 4 solid doors with power windows, a rear bumper and brush guard, steel wheel wells, and full skid plates. All of this combined makes for a safe, dry cabin and plenty of reinforcement for the trail.

When it comes to storage, the Kawasaki Ridge Crew has it in spades. We’re talking cubbies everywhere you look! There’s a glove box, of course, but you’ll also find bins above the windshield, pockets in the doors and seat backs, storage under seats, a lid above the glove box that houses a couple of USB ports, and drink holders for everyone.

There are two 12V DC power outlets on board, one up front and one in the rear. There’s also a 3rd USB port in the backseat to give all your passengers charging options.

Kawasaki’s team took cues from the automotive world when designing the Ridge Crew and made sure it had a truck-like interior. The adjustable-tilt steering wheel, sliding adjustable molded seats, and even the car-like key and displays feel very familiar and more like your everyday driver than an off-road utility vehicle.

Premium details like floor lighting, backlit switches, and anti-cinch seat belts add to the all-around comfort and usability.

The Kawasaki Ridge Crew and Ridge XR Crew come with 7” full color TFT Meters that have 3 displays and auto brightness adjustability. The Limited model comes standard with an additional screen that is an 8” Garmin with group ride capacity, so you can link up with other Garmin users in your group and all show up on the same map.

This Garmin setup also provides audio and navigation controls and reminds me of the big nav screens in most cars and trucks.

Then, if you’re extra geeky about your ORV’s performance and keeping track of your adventures, you can download Kawasaki’s Rideology app and sync that to your Kawasaki Ridge Crew so you can see all your vehicle info and trip recordings and even share this info with friends. 

Want to dress up your Kawasaki Ridge Crew? The company offers almost 50 accessories that you can use to customize your ORV. There are dozens of options for lighting, audio, extra protective pieces for the outside, a flip-up windshield, a powered cargo bed lift, a toolbox above the bed rack, side mirrors, and more.

Then there are hard-working attachments like the snow plow and a Warn winch, plus all the accessories for those.

And then, you don’t have to close your eyes to image the land, the mountains and the valleys. You can simply head out and explore it.