2026 Polaris Sportsman 570 Premium 40th Anniversary Edition Review

My brother has been in the ATV/UTV world since his age was in the single digits, and though his last few years have skewed the way of the side-by-side, he still has a ton of experience behind the handlebars on a quad. Polaris loaned us a few machines to test over the summer, and though life got in the way and I couldn’t put either of them on a trail myself, my brother got some good seat time astride the 2026 Polaris Sportsman 570 Premium 40th Anniversary Edition, and he concocted a review of said machine.

Here's his thoughts on the quad in question:

“In a world of large powerhouse 1000cc machines, there’s still a much needed place for the mid-size engine. Enter the 2026 Polaris Sportsman 570, a utility quad that is true to the roots of doing what the ATVs we fell in love with back in the day did, getting us through mud, rocks, and being fully capable of pinning the throttle down a flat dirt trail. Not glamorous, but proficient. Not a machine of excess, but a machine of capability. We were lucky to spend a day in the woods with a Sportsman. Here is how it went:

I doubt when the term “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” was coined they were thinking of the Sportsman 570. More likely their means of transportation was one of one horsepower… the horse. But the term applies splendidly to the Sportsman. When you assess the individual components and capabilities of the Sportsman, nothing really stands out as elite. However, when you step off after a day in the woods, weaving through tight and rocky trails that define many of the trails you encounter in the New York and Pennsylvania areas, you can’t help but take a step back, smile, and consider that it breezed through every obstacle while giving you adequate power.

peaking of power, the low end power is about what you’d expect it to be. I liken it to a train, more so gaining speed than truly accelerating, but once you hit the mid range speed you look down to be surprised by what the speedometer says, and not necessarily in a good way. This requires you to be a little more aggressive than usual with the throttle. The weight of the rig is the main culprit here, weighing in at 703 pounds dry, and is an obstacle in itself for the 567cc engine to overcome. The Sportsman feels heavy because it is. But the weight also gives it a sturdy feel on the trails, never feeling unbalanced.

The Sportsman’s electric power steering is exceptional and helps give a more nimble feel and makes cornering a pleasure, most times feeling like we could make a full turn using just your thumb and index finger to grip the handlebars. On rocky trails the ground clearance, or lack thereof, was noticeable, often feeling the rocks bang against the skid plate (Ed Note: The Sportsman has 11.5” of GC, which is actually pretty solid for the class. But no stock machine’s ground clearance does well against Pennsylvania’s rock-strewn trails).

The Sportsman plowed forward though, never losing speed even as the rock-banging continued underneath. On-demand four wheel drive made hill climbs and mud pits no match for the Sportsman.

Storage under the front rack was waterproof and ample. We had constant water pouring over the front end through stream crossings and mud pits, and not a drop entered the storage compartment. There is enough room to store your personal belongings and some essential tools. Should you need more room, we’d recommend a storage box on the rear rack, which is easy to tie down to.

We thoroughly enjoyed riding the Sportsman 570, and we find it an excellent choice for any rider who wants to conquer the majority of trails without the need for excessive power. Depending on your experience and local trail types, the Sportsman will provide a great overall riding experience.”

-Spencer Ballot

Having spent time on other Sportsmans, I can echo everything my brother said. Polaris is doing an excellent job with the Sportsman line, from bottom to top, in regards to comfort, storage, ergonomics, ease of use, and even price-related positioning.

Mid-range ATVs will always have a bit of a middle child problem in the modern era, what with the big-bore 850 and 1000 class machines stealing the showcase. But with inflation ever-persistent and the cost of new quads not exactly decreasing any time soon, the mid-bore Sportsman 570 actually makes a great case for itself. At $10,199 the 570 Premium 40th Anniversary trim isn’t cheap (you can get into a 2027 Sportsman 850 for $11,799), it really might be all the quad most buyers need. That it comes with goodies like custom graphics, trim-specific paint, a 3,500-lb winch, and more only furthers that notion. It can also tow 1,350 pounds and carry 270 pounds across its front and rear racks makes it a good proposition for medium work duty as well.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t again bring up the aforementioned 850 for only a little more money, as well as the string of machines available from biggest rival Can-Am-- like the $10,599 Outlander XT 700, which offers more power and premium build quality for a similar price-- but those aren’t for everyone. Polaris has created a die-hard fanbase over the years and perhaps that’s exactly who the Sportsman 570 Premium 40th Anniversary is for. A good quad? Most certainly. The right quad for everyone? It could well fit that space, so long as you don’t yearn for the mega power of the big-bores.