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Ripping the 2025 Yamaha RMAX Lineup in Arizona

Yamaha made a raft of small changes for 2025 that amount to a huge update.

May 8, 2025

The Yamaha RMAX lineup got a whole lot nicer for the 2025 model year, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it to look at it. With the big exception of the 2025 Yamaha RMAX4 1000 —the first four-seater RMAX with a proper bed—the RMAX is visually unchanged. Under the skin, Yamaha made a bunch of key changes. We flew to Arizona to check out the latest version of the RMAX—check it out below.

Even the biggest RMAX is an adept rock crawler and desert hustler. Yamaha says RMAX customers use their rigs for recreation 60 to 75% of the time.Yamaha

For ’25, the RMAX gets an in-dash version of Yamaha’s Adventure Pro. The hard-mounted version controls the stereo, has miles of preloaded maps, will do group ride tracking, and displays vehicle vital functions. The drawback is that it is no longer available in the Yamaha accessory catalog, so you can’t get an entry-level RMAX and add it.Yamaha

The RMAX’s great strength is its attention to detail versus its cost. Yamaha has managed to keep even the top-spec RMAX4 1000 Limited under $30,000 (just) without forgoing premium-feeling details.Yamaha

Details like the soft pads on the door panel and console are brilliant. Right where you brace with your knees, Yamaha thought to add padding. It’s immediately noticeable, and it does a lot to reduce fatigue over a ride day.Yamaha

The interior is easy to write off at first glance. There are a lot of hard plastics, and the aesthetics aren’t as dialed as they are on some newer machines. But the details—especially the ones you touch—are all exceptional. From the control knobs, to the steering wheel, to the passenger grab handle, Yamaha made an effort to throw in soft-touch surfaces. The seats are fantastic, and the ergonomics are solid. And, because it’s made of rugged stuff, you can hose it out at the end of a dirty ride day without worry.Yamaha

The styling is the same as it ever was—still handsome, still current. We love it.Yamaha

If you wanted to bring your crew in earlier versions of the RMAX, you were limited to a model with a convertible rear cargo/seating area. The 2025 Yamaha RMAX4 1000 cures that, with ample seating for four adults and a dumping cargo bed.Yamaha

With just over 100 hp on tap, the RMAX isn’t close to the fastest UTV out there. But it will make you feel like an absolute hero when you’re firing across the desert at Mach Chicken. Or, relative Mach Chicken.Yamaha

You wanna know what else? Well, Yamaha added turf mode for 2025. That means you can unlock the rear differential and not absolutely destroy your grass. If you don’t care about grass, how about maneuverability? ’Cause now it has a lot more of that too.Yamaha

Yamaha’s rad D-Mode switch is unchanged. The switch selects between three preprogrammed throttle maps on the Sport, XT-R, and Limited trims. It’s also available in the accessory catalog.Yamaha

The RMAX XT-R and Limited trims come with a Warn winch.Yamaha

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