Kawasaki Mule vs Polaris Ranger comes down to towing, fuel and what comes standard. The 2027 Ranger 1000 tows 2,500 lb against 2,000 lb for the Mule PRO-FXR 1000 and has a larger fuel tank. The Mule includes power steering at $15,999, which is $500 less than the Ranger 1000 EPS.
The two closest three-seat models are the 2027 Polaris Ranger 1000 and the 2027 Kawasaki Mule PRO-FXR 1000, both with a 999cc engine and a bench seat for three.
| 2027 model | Polaris Ranger 1000 | Kawasaki Mule PRO-FXR 1000 |
|---|
| Starting price | $14,499 (EPS trim $16,499) | $15,999, power steering included |
| Towing | 2,500 lb | 2,000 lb |
| Cargo box | 1,000 lb (California 600 lb) | 999 lb (California 600 lb) |
| Payload | 1,500 lb (California 1,100 lb) | 1,616.3 lb (California 1,263.5 lb) |
| Ground clearance | 12 in. | 12.2 in. standard, 13.2 in. maximum |
| Overall width | 62.5 in. | 64.0 in. |
| Fuel capacity | 11.35 gal | 7.9 gal |
| Wheel travel | 10 in. front and rear | 11.0 in. front, 10.1 in. rear |
Prices are manufacturer starting prices and exclude destination, taxes and dealer fees. Polaris adds a $1,195 destination charge to the Ranger 1000. Kawasaki's starting prices also exclude destination, so ask the dealer for that amount. See Ranger and Mule side-by-sides for sale on Searchshop.
The comparison uses published data, not test drives. Each Mule was paired with the Ranger closest to it in seats and engine size, then compared on what a buyer can check before calling a dealer: starting price, towing, cargo box, payload, ground clearance, width, fuel and wheel travel.
Specifications and prices come from kawasaki.com and polaris.com for the 2027 model year, read on 12 October 2026. Dealer asking prices come from Searchshop's own listings the same day. Horsepower is not compared across brands: Kawasaki rates its engines under ISO standard 4106 and says that figure may be higher than an SAE measurement, and Polaris's pages do not say which standard it uses.
The Ranger 1000 has the lower entry price, but the Mule PRO-FXR 1000 is cheaper once power steering is included. The base Ranger 1000 starts at $14,499 without electronic power steering. The Ranger 1000 EPS starts at $16,499, and the Ranger 1000 Premium at $18,499.
The Mule PRO-FXR 1000 starts at $15,999 with rack-and-pinion electric power steering and tilt steering. Kawasaki's Mule PRO-FX 1000 HD Edition, a related three-seat model, starts at $17,699.
The Ranger 1000 tows more, and the Mule PRO-FXR 1000 is rated to carry more. Polaris rates the Ranger 1000 at 2,500 lb of towing against 2,000 lb for the Mule. The cargo boxes are rated almost the same, at 1,000 lb and 999 lb, and both drop to 600 lb on California models.
Payload, the total weight of people and cargo a machine is rated to carry, is 1,616.3 lb on the Mule PRO-FXR 1000 against 1,500 lb on the Ranger 1000. California payload ratings are lower on both: 1,263.5 lb for the Mule and 1,100 lb for the Ranger.
The Ranger 1000 is narrower and carries more fuel, while the Mule PRO-FXR 1000 sits slightly higher. The Ranger is 62.5 inches wide against 64.0 inches for the Mule, which matters for gates, trailers and narrow farm tracks. The Ranger holds 11.35 gallons of fuel against 7.9 gallons in the Mule.
Polaris lists 12 inches of ground clearance for the Ranger 1000 and 12.5 inches for the Premium trim. Kawasaki lists 12.2 inches standard and 13.2 inches maximum for the Mule PRO-FXR 1000. Wheel travel is 10 inches front and rear on the Ranger 1000, and 11.0 inches front and 10.1 inches rear on the Mule.
The Mule PRO-MX and the Ranger 600 tow the same 1,500 lb, but the Mule has the bigger cargo bed. The two-seat 2027 Mule PRO-MX starts at $12,899 with a 695cc single-cylinder engine, a 699 lb cargo bed (600 lb in California), a 1,200 lb payload, 10.6 inches of ground clearance and a 9.5-gallon tank. It is 60.0 inches wide.
The 2027 Ranger 600 comes with two or four seats and starts at $11,999, plus a $1,145 destination charge. Polaris lists 1,500 lb of towing, a dump box rated for up to 500 lb, 11 inches of ground clearance and a 56-inch width, which suits narrower trails and gates. Electronic power steering comes on the Ranger 600 Premium and NorthStar trims.
At the low end of each lineup, Kawasaki lists the two-seat Mule SX from $7,799 and Polaris the two-seat Ranger 500 from $9,999.
Kawasaki's six-seat Mules convert between three and six seats, and Kawasaki also sells diesel Mules. The Mule PRO-FXT 1000 LE starts at $18,899 and uses Kawasaki's Trans Cab system to switch between one row of three seats and two rows of six. Its cargo bed is rated at 999 lb with three seats and 350 lb with six. It tows 2,000 lb.
Polaris's six-seat Ranger Crew XP 1000 Premium starts at $23,999, with a 1,000 lb cargo box, a 1,600 lb payload and 2,500 lb of towing. Polaris's cab models include the Ranger 1000 CAB from $21,999 and the Ranger XP 1000 Cab from $24,499.
For diesel, Kawasaki lists the three-seat Mule PRO-DX from $18,699 and the three-to-six-seat Mule PRO-DXT from $20,299, both with a 993cc three-cylinder diesel engine and 2,000 lb of towing.
Median dealer asking prices for new Mules and Rangers on Searchshop ran from $14,099 to $24,499 on 12 October 2026, depending on the model family. The table covers new listings with a price among the 3,132 ATV and side-by-side listings on Searchshop that day, matched to each family by the model name in the listing title.
| Family (new) | Listings | Dealers | Median asking price |
|---|
| Kawasaki Mule PRO-MX | 17 | 9 | $14,099 |
| Kawasaki Mule PRO-FXR 1000 | 11 | 5 | $15,999 |
| Kawasaki Mule PRO-FXT 1000 | 34 | 8 | $20,999 |
| Polaris Ranger 1000 (not Crew) | 32 | 9 | $18,299 |
| Polaris Ranger XP 1000 (not Crew) | 26 | 8 | $24,499 |
Each family mixes trims and model years, mostly 2026, so a median is a guide to what is on dealer lots rather than a like-for-like price. The Ranger 1000 family includes 4 cab models and the Ranger XP 1000 family 7. Compare any unit's asking price with the manufacturer's starting price for the same trim and year.
Choose on towing, standard equipment, fuel and seating, because those are where the published figures differ most.
- Heavier trailers: the Ranger 1000, rated at 2,500 lb against 2,000 lb for the full-size Mules.
- Power steering for less: the Mule PRO-FXR 1000 at $15,999, against $16,499 for the Ranger 1000 EPS.
- Longer days between fill-ups: the Ranger 1000, with an 11.35-gallon tank against 7.9 gallons.
- Narrow gates and trails: the Ranger 1000 at 62.5 inches, or the Ranger 600 at 56 inches.
- Switching between three and six seats, or a diesel engine: the Mule PRO-FXT 1000 or the diesel Mule PRO-DX and PRO-DXT.
- Lowest entry price: the Mule SX from $7,799.
For more on choosing a utility machine, read the side-by-side buyer's guide and the ATV vs UTV guide, or compare another brand in Polaris vs Can-Am. When you have a shortlist, compare Mule and Ranger listings from dealers on Searchshop.
The Polaris Ranger tows more in the full-size class. Polaris rates the 2027 Ranger 1000, Ranger XP 1000 and Ranger Crew XP 1000 Premium at 2,500 lb, while Kawasaki rates its full-size gas and diesel Mule PRO models at 2,000 lb. In the smaller class, the Mule PRO-MX and Ranger 600 are both rated at 1,500 lb.
Yes, Kawasaki sells two diesel Mules. The three-seat Mule PRO-DX starts at $18,699 and the Mule PRO-DXT, which converts between three and six seats, starts at $20,299. Both use a 993cc three-cylinder diesel engine and are rated to tow 2,000 lb.
Polaris's Ranger lineup starts at $9,999 for the two-seat Ranger 500. For 2027, the Ranger 600 starts at $11,999, the Ranger 1000 at $14,499 and the Ranger XP 1000 at $21,799. Polaris prices exclude destination and handling fees, tax, title, license and registration; the Ranger 1000 destination charge is $1,195.
The Kawasaki Mule PRO-FXR 1000 is wider, at 64.0 inches against 62.5 inches for the Polaris Ranger 1000. Buyers who need something narrower for gates or trails can look at the Ranger 600 at 56 inches or the Mule PRO-MX at 60.0 inches.
