I agree with a lot of comments on here. I have a Teryx4 that takes the load off my van. I was tired of tearing up tires, not fitting in places, etc. After having mine for a little over 2 years, here are some of the pros and cons I've seen:
Pros:
- If it breaks, you still have a regular vehicle to get home. Break your main vehicle and could be trouble.
- Easy to get around
- Very capable in mud/snow, and easier to get free if stuck
- Nice to have a small winch
- Can pull a trailer for work around the yard
- Packing out an elk is easy (much easier than an ATV)
Cons:
- More insurance to pay, and SXS's can be expensive to insure.
- They can be too big for some trails
- Expensive
- Break a belt out in the woods, better have the tools and knowledge to swap it out (I can't in my Teryx, it would basically need to be towed or I'd need a bunch of tools)
- Cold/Hot. I don't have a windshield or enclosure. Was a cold ride during a January hunt.
- Tires are a big deal. A few weeks ago, two of the four SXS's in our group cut sidewalls. Without a spare, it was the end of riding. Tires are expensive and not that curable it seems.
- Not street legal! This is a big deal. Have to tow everywhere.
- Lack of storage space if you are full of people.
- Have to tow a trailer usually. Very few fit in the back of a truck bed. A lot of toy haulers have limited space as well
- Not secure when parked while hiking off
Needless to say, I'm very mixed on owning one and thought about selling mine several times. I don't use it much except for hunting. I like having 4 seats, and it being short vs the Polaris/Can Am offerings. I have batted around the idea of swapping to a VW Baja (sounds silly, but windshield, wipers, doors, street legal, etc). My GF has a Maverick, so the other thought is maybe get an ATV instead. Having hunted on ATV's a little, they probably have more pro's and less con's IF you can deal with only one rider (no passenger). It'd be much more useful around the yard to tow attachments, etc. In the end, I simply use mine to go from camp to a spot to hike. I'm pretty much always on forest roads, which could be done with a Jeep/truck/etc.
To summarize, really depends on use in the off season, and where you live and can ride when not hunting. SXS's are way over priced IMO, really not sure they are worth it just for hunting.