Set Your Soul Free with the 2022 Polaris Slingshot
Elizabeth Blackstock
|
Three wheels? No problem.
If you’ve been dying for the open-air freedom of a motorcycle without the fear of losing your balance, there’s more to quench your thirst than a convertible. Look no further than the Polaris Slingshot, which just got a gorgeous makeover for the 2022 model year.
Even if you don’t think you’re cut out for the three-wheel life, I can assure you: You are. You just need to know how to have a little fun.
Related: 9 Reasons Why Every Woman Will Love the 2021 Toyota Supra
It’s like a street legal go-kart with a missing wheel. Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
For the People Who Don’t Mind Turning Heads
The Polaris Slingshot is not a subtle vehicle. As I drove down the street, adults craned their necks to get a look and children waved. While I waited at a stop light, some teenage boys fawned over the vehicle, asking me how much it cost.
If you’re looking for the kind of vehicle that’ll thrill you every time you get behind the wheel, you don’t have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for a sports car. The Polaris Slingshot can cost you as little as $20,000 or as much as your heart desires based on all the fun additions you can add.
“There’s no wrong way to enjoy a Slingshot,” said Vice President Chris Sergeant. “Whether attracting attention with head-turning styling or escaping for an adventure, nothing on the road allows drivers to make their mark more.”
And behind the wheel, I couldn’t help but feel that to be true. The Slingshot is a very pared-down machine — if you reach over the edge, you could literally touch the pavement beneath you — and it feels a little primal. Driving it felt like how I always imagine house-bound dogs feel when they finally get a chance to run free, using nothing but strength and muscle to bound forward.
That doesn’t mean driving it is hard. That means driving it feels connected. The vehicle becomes an extension of yourself, as easy to control as moving your arm. It gives you the satisfaction of a job well done without demanding that you actually exert yourself. And it is so much fun.
Related: 2022 Jaguar F-Type P450: Mama’s New Sports Car
The interior is basic, but it’ll have everything you need. Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Don’t Love It? Change it Up
What do you prize in a vehicle? Do you like having plenty of storage space? Are you totally here for a powerful speaker system? Do you wish you could fine-tune the looks of your vehicle? Polaris heard you, and they’ve given you the opportunity to pretty much design your perfect vehicle from the ground up with tons of customizable options. The Slingshot you drive can be as unique as your fingerprint.
And that’s what the Polaris crew wants you to do. While Polaris itself does provide tons of customizable options — a hard top, optional Brembo brakes, a vented sport hood, colors, and more — the three-wheeler is also a great canvas for any aspiring auto enthusiast. You don’t have to get your hands dirty; you just have to have the kind of imagination you usually reserve for creating gorgeous Pinterest words of your ideal home office.
A simple multi-media system is all you need. Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
The Polaris Slingshot Is for Just About Everyone
During our press event, Polaris reps revealed some pretty fascinating details about who was driving the three-wheeler and how they were driving its 2021 model:
- Female buyers increased by 60%
- Multi-cultural buyers increased by 257%
- 86% of buyers were first-time buyers, thanks to the addition of the automatic transmission, called AutoDrive
- 25% of people actually used the Slingshot as their daily driver to and from work
- 80% of people bought the car because of its looks
- Buyers usually already owned a motorcycle, boat, or sports car
Those are fascinating stats, ones that surprised even the folks at Polaris. But the numbers tell a fascinating story: The Slingshot may not appear to be the most practical car in the world, but it’s so much fun that people will use it for just about everything.
Related: Getting Rid Of Your Car? Try Donating It Instead
Honestly, I really loved the fact that the Polaris Slingshot looked like a Christopher Nolan Batmobile. Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
What We Loved
- The optional sunroof we had on our vehicle!
- The extra cooling elements Polaris added to this model year
- The sharp styling features that gave the impression of a Batmobile
- The simplicity of the vehicle, which was perfect for enjoying your drive
Nothing beats an opportunity to cruise in the open air. Photo: Polaris
Why You’ll Love This Vehicle
- It’s an excuse to get out and enjoy the outdoors
- While it a little loud, that engine noise gives you an excuse to enjoy your own little private bubble — which is much needed these days
- The Polaris Slingshot will make you feel like a badass, and who doesn’t want to feel like a badass?
- It’s more comfortable than you think, especially in the SLR and R trims.
A simple dashboard, and you’ll love it. Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Pricing and Trims
There are four different trims for the 2022 Polaris Slingshot, each with a slightly different level of pricing. Here’s what you’ll get for each of them:
- Slingshot S: A base-model three-wheeler with an option for a manual ($19,999) or automatic ($21,749) transmission
- Slingshot S (with Technology Package 1): Add a 100-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system, a security system, and a wind deflector. $22,799 for manual, $24,549 for automatic
- Slingshot SL: Add additional sculpted styling features and additional finishes, a 100-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system, a seven-inch touchscreen, and extra colors. $25,999 for manual, $27,749 for automatic
- Slingshot SLR: Add additional styling, gloss and matte finishes, sport seats, multi-tone paint and graphics in extra colors. $28,899 for manual, $30,649 for automatic
- Slingshot R: Add bold paint colors, a 203-horsepower engine, Brembo brakes, paddle shifters, navigation, Apple CarPlay (no Android Auto). $32,499 for manual, $34,499 for automatic
Prices are a few hundred dollars more expensive in California.
As I said before, you’ll be able to pick and choose different features on Polaris’ website if you’re looking to really choose your own adventure.
The main thing to do? Let go of your inhibitions and have fun. Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Disclosure: Polaris invited us to California to test out the Polaris Slingshot; all opinions are our own.