Night Rider: Kawi’s Teryx KRX 1000 Blackout Ed. Blazes a Trail at Dusk

Southern Utah set the stage for our gathering—famous for the brilliant red cliffs and rosy sand much like where we would later test a trio of Teryx KRX4 1000 Blackout Editions. But it wasn’t until sunset that we’d have the chance to take this limited model for a spin. It is the “Blackout” version, after all. And Kawi wanted us to see why that evening. So, sometime after lunch, we pointed the shuttle toward the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park to acquire the editorial-essential photo and video before visibility faded for good. At least too much for the lenses to capture any action.

From the first turn of the wheel, the Teryx brought back memories. Fun ones. Emotions from rides past flooded in as the pathways ahead ebbed and flowed through the deep canyons, sandy shoots, and great big rock slabs. All culminating in a wide grin as the dial on my gauge began to mirror my enthusiasm: wide open and without a care in the world.

No surprises here, of course. Tried and true, the KRX 1000 platform–and my preferred choice of a four-seater–was built to make anyone feel like a seasoned driver. Just like I remembered, the stealthy “Flat Ebony” side-by-side floated over uneven terrain. Momentum didn’t break through sweeping corners or the luge-style half pipes that tunneled between the desert flora. Unless I came up on another rider’s bumper. Then it was just sit and wait with my playlist blaring until the next vehicle filled my mirrors or the UTV ahead was given about a minute head start. 

The KRX4’s four-stroke, DOHC, eight-valve, 999cc parallel-twin engine plowed through the air with the kind of guttural power that feels alive. The CVT transmission with centrifugal clutch—seamless as ever—kept the delivery smooth, even when the landscape was anything but. It’s meant to thrive in wide-open wilderness, even when the world is frozen stiff. And equipped with a full lighting kit, it didn’t flinch under the weight of nightfall. There is still that familiar clanking noise from the suspension that fans of the Teryx are used to. But engineers from Team Green assured us it’s not only “harmless,” but they might be working on a remedy–if only for the driver’s peace of mind.

Admittedly, this fresh take on the Teryx hasn’t diverged too much from its origin. It still has the same dual-hydraulic disk brakes, Maxxis Carnivore tires, and CVT transmission; they share the 999cc engine, EPS system, instruments, and tech; and the flagship and Blackout iterations mostly have the same stats like payload, fuel capacity, turning radius, and (close enough) dimensions. They have some slightly differing measurements, travel, and weight, but it’s all-n-all a copy of the fundamentals. However, the new guy in town is Johnny Cash cool, sporting a “Man in Black” livery with plenty of auxiliary attachments to make it stand out at midnight.

Where they don’t match–color aside–is apparent in the ride experience. While the traditional KRX4 1000 comes with Showa 2.5 piggyback shocks in the front, the Blackout Edition is equipped with FOX 2.5 PODIUM LSC shocks with piggyback reservoir. The former is outfitted with a steel skid plate and drain plugs, while the latter comes with that and more: namely a lot of LED lights, including a 38-inch light bar mounted to the front of the KQR Premium Roof, 8-inch lights mounted to the front bumper, another two 8-inch lights mounted to the rear of the roof, as well as the Hifonics Audio System and a WARN VRX 45 Powersport Winch.

The black-on-black livery was as stealthy as it was striking. Kawasaki went all in with matte black finishes, subtle gray accents, and just a whisper of metallic green in the decals to tie it back to its roots. But the real showstopper wasn’t the paint—it was the light setup (as you might be able to tell from the aforementioned kit). Those dual light bars punched through the darkness like a lighthouse in a storm. Rated IP68 waterproof and built to handle a beating, they switched between blinding white and soft green with a simple flick of a switch, offering two very different ways to brighten the night.

This isn’t brand new. No. What makes this model stand out is what it stands for: subtle stealth and perhaps a disregard for the status quo. Or maybe…it’s just fun to ride in the dark! And this Teryx is made to do that very thing. The green hue felt almost soothing—perfect for keeping the caravan in check without blinding your buddies in the dust. Or, in our case, the fog. The white light, though, put me in fighter pilot mode. It threw an immense amount of light far enough ahead to make the wilderness come to life, lighting up every bump, bank, and boulder I wanted to blast over. 

It’s the type of detail that makes you want to push hard and drive fast(er) through the night, testing what 13.8 inches (max) of ground clearance and the Maxxis tires can really handle. Turns out, they can handle a lot. However, it was the KRX’s ability to maintain speed despite the tunnel vision that caught my attention. It flowed from day to night quite well. When we set off, the skies were blue and the ride was fluid with a few subtle challenges. I thought it couldn’t get better.

As the sun dipped into the horizon, due to the tall bluffs, the vista didn’t seem so vast, though. What I saw across the narrow valley were more escarpments, covered in a hybrid of sparse woodlands and resilient xerophytes. At our playground just outside Kanab, Utah, the ground was a mix of hard-packed dirt and powdery sand. A recent rain turned the ground into a paste, which churned under our Carnivore tires, chewing through the earth and spitting chunks of moistened mud into the cabins as the aggressive tread design dug in with their claws. My vessel pulled up the rear, save for the chase car behind me. So, I took in a lot of that mixture when I’d follow too closely. But I like playing chase and hung back at each opportunity so I could hunt down the leaders like a fox scrambling to catch the hare. 

Even when the dirt gummed up the tracks, the drivetrain kept pulling, and the Teryx’s electronically controlled locking front differential stepped in to save the day when things got out of hand. The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) gave just enough assistance to let me snake through the tight turns without feeling disconnected, and the steel frame’s rigidity inspired just enough confidence to let the gas pedal stay pinned to the floor. The Blackout’s wide stance and low center of gravity made all the difference. At 68 inches across, it hugged the ground like a big cat stalking prey. Not to mention the high-strength steel roll cage above me was a comforting insurance policy, though I planned to keep all four tires firmly on the ground.

The smooth flowy track, albeit narrow at times, carved grooves into the desert floor. They became these organic sorts of bumpers. The banks were so steep and stiff from the cold that it bounced the KRXs around more frantically the harder you tried to fight against them. I had to be careful in the corners because at night it was too difficult to see them coming, and trying to drift in dirt that won’t give way to your momentum could lead to a rollover. When we first started cruising up the mountains and down the canyons we could see clearly over the side of the cliffs. But with all those great big drop-offs to the side, I wanted to avoid going rubber-side-up in the dark—at all costs. 

With an MSRP starting at $28,999 for the four-seater and $24,999 for the two-seater, Kawasaki offers a special lineup that caters both to family outings and spirited two-person excursions. For those who crave adventure after the sun goes down, the Teryx KRX4 1000 Blackout Edition is an appropriate companion that feels right at home in the shadows. Its robust performance, thoughtful features, and signature “Man in Black” styling make it more than just a vehicle—an invitation to explore the unknown. Whether navigating narrow desert canyons, chasing the horizon on sandy trails, or simply reveling in the night, this machine is built to emblazon every moment. Kawasaki didn’t reinvent the wheel; they just made it shine brighter in the moonlight.