This impressive suspension and the all-wheel shaft drive give the Sportsman 500 rider an industry-leading 11 inches of ground clearance. 

The MacPherson strut independent front suspension has 6.25 inches of travel and provides the Sportsman 500 with a turning radius of just 65 inches. 

The vehicle’s power is supplied by the Polaris 500 engine, a 4-valve, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled powerplant with an advanced dry sump lubrication system and a 34mm Mikuni carburetor.

 The engine’s output is managed by the automatic PVT (Polaris Variable Transmission) with the Polaris EBS (Engine Braking System). The PVT requires no shifting and is a dual-sensing transmission that responds to both engine RPM and vehicle torque load. 

The Sportsman 500 has E-Z Shift high and low gear range, plus reverse. Additional traction is available instantly thanks to the Polaris intelligent On-Demand true 4-wheel drive system. It senses when the rear wheels lose traction, then automatically, engages both front wheels with full torque. An on/off switch located by the right handgrip lets a driver activate the 4WD system with push-button ease. 

Power is delivered to the wheels by a 4-wheel independent shaft drive system, so even when it is in four-wheel drive, all four wheels are powered by shaft drive. 

The single-lever, all-wheel hydraulic disc brakes and hydraulic rear axle-mounted foot brake provide consistent, reliable braking. 

The full floorboards and front and rear cargo racks are made of a durable, composite material. The racks have a total capacity of 270 pounds, and a rack extender is standard on the rear rack.

 The Sportsman 500 also has a tow hitch (tow capacity is 1,225 pounds), an adjustable quartz halogen headlight, two grille-mounted headlights, and a brake light. Instrumentation includes a speedometer, odometer, hourmeter, and tripmeter.

 Extended riding range is made possible by the 5.25-gallon fuel tank, and accessory items can be powered using the front DC receptacle or rear DC plug-in.