Performance means different things to different people. Straight-line acceleration might spring to mind for some, while others might think of suspension travel or cornering grip. But when it comes to the Performance Packages offered by Holley Off-Road, the term takes on a broader meaning. In the pursuit of truly elevated vehicle capability, a wide range of systems must be taken into consideration in order to deliver a balanced package. After all, horsepower isn’t worth much if the chassis can’t keep up, and better handling won’t do you much good if you can’t keep yourself properly planted in the driver’s seat.
This mindset is the basis of Holley Off-Road’s Performance Packages. By leveraging the wide range of respected aftermarket performance brands that reside under the Holley Performance umbrella, Holley Off-Road has been able to create platform-based solutions that deliver a seamless modification experience for off-road enthusiasts. No more hunting around for compatible parts or scouring the internet for anecdotal evidence about what combinations work well together; these packages offer a one-click solution for folks who want to meaningfully improve their vehicles’ capability with proven combinations – and save a few bucks while doing so. The packages offer free shipping and a 10% savings versus buying each product separately.
“With these packages, all of the homework has already been done for you,” explains Holley Performance Off-Road Suspension Business Unit Director, Bryan Grigsby. “We know what works well together and which components will complement one another to deliver a vehicle with balanced performance improvements.”
Holley Off-Road kicked off its Performance Package offerings earlier this year with support for popular truck platforms like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Bronco, and Chevrolet Silverado, and now the concept is expanding into the world of side-by-sides with offerings for the two-door and four-door versions of the 2017-2025 Can Am X3 and 2018-2021 Polaris Turbo S.
Shop Holley Off-Road UTV Performance Packages here.
“The concept follows the same approach that we used with the trucks,” Grigsby says. “Engineering teams from across Holley’s brand portfolio have worked together to develop comprehensive and cohesive packages for these UTVs. Our experience in the aftermarket space gives us the ability to predict the upgrade path that enthusiasts will take – if someone is upgrading to ADS suspension, for example, they’ll likely be installing a bigger wheel and tire as well, so we’re also going to want some horsepower to compensate for the increased rotating mass, along with other performance tweaks that support these upgrades. Consumer demand influences some of the components that are considered for these packages, but it’s the extensive testing that we do out in the desert that really gives us a clear picture of where the biggest improvements can be made.”
Grigsby says that these packages are primarily aimed at recreational use rather than all-out competition, and that use-case requires a tailored approach to deliver meaningful performance improvements while also ensuring that comfort and safety remain high priorities.
“You have to remember that the OEs are trying to get these vehicles built at the lowest production cost possible. So the design choices become a game of priorities in that situation, and seating – for example – isn’t high on the list. But if you’re going to be in this vehicle for hours at a time, the comfort and the safety of the seat that you’re in matters quite a bit.”
With that in mind, Holley Off-Road selected Simpson Racing Pro Sport off-road suspension seats for these packages, along with Simpson D3 off-road safety harnesses.
“A suspension seat is going to help reduce the amount of energy that’s transferred to your body during impacts,” he points out. “But we’re also cognizant of the fact that what works for a racer isn’t going to be ideal for a recreational UTV, so that really guided our selection process with the seats. The factory five-point harnesses leave something to be desired, too, so the D3 was a natural choice for us. While the factory harnesses can start to get pretty uncomfortable during long stints in the vehicle, the D3 has nice thick pads that greatly enhance comfort while also delivering the level of safety that Simpson is known for.”
The cabin of both the X3 and Turbo S also benefit from XDR’s Magnum Grip dual-gate shifter.
“Some UTVs have earned reputation for popping out of gear suddenly if you’re going through the bumps a little too hard,” Grigsby cautions. “That’s a safety concern for us, and the XDR gated shifter takes care of that while also providing a lockout feature for Park. If you’re in a situation where you’re going up a hill and it feels like the vehicle is about to pitch over backwards, you can throw that thing right into reverse and immediately back out of it.” Can Am X3 models also score a matching grab handle as part of the package.
On the suspension front, the Can Am X3 Performance Package includes an ADS Direct Fit MBR Race Suspension kit, while the Polaris Turbo S gets XDR’s performance spring package.
“These two kits accomplish the same thing on a foundational level, the main difference is that the package for the Polaris Turbo S comes with a tuned set of springs rather than the coilover-style setup that’s used with the Can Am X3,” he notes. “And the price difference between the two packages reflects that.” The Can Am X3’s MBR kit features a 3.0 internal bypass shock with a dual-hose reservoir. These shocks also boast independent settings for high and low-speed compression and rebound that’s externally adjustable, as well as seven-zone internal bypass adjustability.
“The spring rates and valving are dialed in specifically for either the two-door or the four-door model,” says Grigsby. “And then the external adjustments allow you to fine-tune things from there based on your driving style and how much weight you’re carrying. And if any of those variables go beyond the norm, folks can just call us and we can make those adjustments prior to shipping the kit out.”
While the suspension upgrades for the Polaris Turbo S aren’t as extensive, there are some important differences between the factory hardware and the spring package that XDR has developed. “The OE springs are kind of a dual-rate setup, but they don’t really function that way in practice,” he says. “We often find that the upper spring is completely collapsed, and the end user is actually just riding on the primary spring at that point, which transfers a lot of harshness into the vehicle. But by using an upgraded upper tender spring, lockout collars, and a pre-load adjuster as well as higher spring rates, it provides a true dual-rate setup with much greater capability and better ride quality.”
Of course no comprehensive performance kit would be complete without a dose of additional horsepower. With that in mind, Holley Off-Road has included intake, exhaust, and turbocharger upgrades in their UTV Performance Packages which bolster engine output while enhancing the soundtrack.
“The XDR Off-Road Performance Exhaust [for Can Am X3, above, left] and XDR Off-Road Competition Exhaust [for Polaris Turbo S, above, right] are 304 stainless steel, TIG-welded ‘slip on’ systems,” says Grigsby. “They maintain the factory head pipe, and they’re equipped with a DBX muffler with Cool Shell technology, which vastly reduces the heat-affect zone of the system.”
On the other side of the internal combustion equation, the Can Am X3 scores an XDR performance air intake as well as an XDR Off-Road Delta Boost Tuner module. “This intake system is going to flow better than the factory hardware, and it’s constructed from silicon instead of the injection-molded plastic that the factory uses. Because that plastic lacks flexibility, it tends to deteriorate rapidly, and we’ve seen situations where rough sections of the trail will cause the factory intake tubing to disconnect from the rest of the assembly. So we wanted to address that as well.” Both the Can Am X3 (below, left) and Polaris Turbo S (below, right) performance packages also include an XDR off-road blow-off valve.
“This blow-off valve allows the end user to dictate what level of PSI they want the valve to blow off at, and you can recirculate it if you don’t want the noise,” he says. “If you do want the noise, we also include the hardware you need to set it up to vent to the atmosphere. And if you opt to do that with the Can Am X3, you can also take advantage of the increased boost levels that the tuning module can deliver.”
It’s also important to note that Holley Off-Road’s UTV Performance Packages are offered at a 10% discount as compared to purchasing these components individually. So not only will these packages deliver enhanced capability out on the trail without any of the guesswork, they’ll also save folks a substantial chunk of change in the process.
Grigsby tells us that the 2017-2025 Can Am X3 and 2018-2021 Polaris Turbo S offerings are just the first volley of UTV Performance Packages are expected to debut this year.
“Polaris Pro R and Turbo R, the 2025 Polaris Turbo S, Can Am Maverick R, and Kawasaki KRX 1000 are all on our radar. We’re hoping to have the majority of these packages released by the fourth quarter of 2025 – just in time for sand season!”
Shop 2018-2021 Polaris Turbo S Performance Packages here.
Shop 2017-2025 Can Am X3 Performance Packages here.
