A utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame assembly, a cab frame assembly, a front suspension assembly, a rear suspension assembly, a power steering assembly, and a powertrain assembly, all of which may be configured to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle.

A recreational off-highway vehicle includes side-by-side passenger and driver seats held within a chassis that is approximately 50 inches wide. The seats sit low in the chassis and are covered by a roll cage. Grab handles are positioned on the sides of the passenger seat. Select large round tubing protects the vehicle, while rectangular tubing frames the portions of the vehicle beneath body panels. The vehicle is powered by an engine rearward of the seats that is connected to a transaxle. The engine and transaxle are isolation mounted together with a portion of the air intake assembly. The vehicle is suited for rough terrain travel.

A utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame assembly, a cab frame assembly, a front suspension assembly, a rear suspension assembly, a power steering assembly, and a powertrain assembly, all of which may be configured to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle.

A vehicle shown herein is a side by side powersports vehicle having a utility bed recessed in the rear body portion below an upper surface, the utility bed forming a stepped portion relative to the rear body portion and having a maximum lateral width greater than a diameter of at least one of the wheels, and a minimum width less than a diameter of at least one of the wheels, whereby a spare wheel may be stored on the stepped portion of the utility bed. As shown herein, the utility bed is defined as a removable tub, which can be removed from the rear body portion. The utility bed has defined troughs in a floor thereof angled rearwardly wherein the utility bed has drains which drain away from any heat source of the vehicle. The seats of the vehicle allow longitudinal movement and tilt capability.

The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for providing off-road track drivability guidance. In an example scenario, a processor receives a sensor signal that is generated when a vehicle is driven on an off-road track. The processor evaluates the sensor signal to obtain information about a driving surface of the off-road track such as, a material composition, a gradient, and/or an amount of provided traction. The processor conveys the information to another processor (which may be a part of a server computer) that determines a drivability status of the off-road track based on the information about the driving surface and additional parameters, such as present and/or future weather conditions. The server computer may provide the drivability status in response to a query from a processor that is located in another vehicle (or in a personal communication device carried by a driver of the vehicle).

A vehicle may include a CVT unit or a power source which requires ambient air. An air inlet for an air intake system coupled to the CVT unit or the power source which requires ambient air may be provided in a side of a cargo carrying portion of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a rear radius arm suspension.

A portal box assembly for mounting a wheel to an off road vehicle in a lifted and extended wheelbase position. The assembly includes a portal gear box having an input shaft opening for an input shaft, and an output shaft extending from an output shaft opening. The portal gear box also includes a set of gears effective to transmit power from the input shaft to the output shaft, and optionally to reduce the gear ratio. The assembly is mountable to the vehicle in an extended wheelbase position in which the output shaft is positioned below and forward of the input shaft when the assembly is used to mount a forward wheel, and in which the output shaft is positioned below and rearward of the input shaft when the assembly is used to mount a rear wheel.

An automatic park lock for an off road or recreational utility vehicle includes a shift interlock solenoid with a spring biased plunger engaging and locking an operator shift lever in the park position. A cam surface on the operator shift lever slopes between a first end and a second end, and has a groove to lock the plunger to the park position. A controller energizes the shift interlock solenoid to retract the plunger when a plurality of operating parameters are satisfied.

A vehicle may include a CVT unit or a power source which requires ambient air. An air inlet for an air intake system coupled to the CVT unit or the power source which requires ambient air may be provided in a side of a cargo carrying portion of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a rear radius arm suspension.

A hybrid power system includes: an engine; a continuously variable transmission, power being transferred between the continuously variable transmission and the engine; a first transmission, power being transferred between the first transmission and the continuously variable transmission; a first main decelerator, power being transferred between the first main decelerator and the first transmission; a first half shaft, power being transferred between the first half shaft the first main decelerator; a motor; a second transmission, power being transferred between the second transmission and the motor; a second main decelerator, power being transferred between the second main decelerator and the second transmission; and a second half shaft, power being transferred between the second half shaft and the second main decelerator, one of the first half shaft and the second half shaft being a front half shaft, and the other thereof being a rear half shaft.