Can-Am Commander XT 1000R specifications, dimensions and price

Can-Am · Crossover

The Can-Am Commander XT 1000R is Can-Am's crossover side-by-side, between the work-first Defender and the sport-only Maverick, with a factory winch and full hard roof standard and the larger 976cc Rotax V-twin rated at 100 hp. It has a 2,000 lb tow rating, a 600 lb bed and a 10 gal tank, from $15,499; 2027 Can-Am Commander XT 1000R specifications and price.

Off-Road Xtreme tested the Commander on the standard 28-inch XPS Trail King tires and says it started to feel boggy in loose sand until the tester engaged Sport Mode, which sent significant power to all four tires and helped it through the open terrain. The reviewer notes the mechanical tilt steering wheel and says the seat belts work like a normal car's.

But complains that closing the door on the belts left them dangling instead of retracting. 4Riders tested the 2025 Commander XT-P 1000R and says the seats are very comfortable for driver and passenger but that the cabin noise level is high, especially at cruising speed and under heavy load, and concludes that it offers a very solid combination of power, comfort and handling.

Can-Am lists arched double A-arms in front and an arched TTA rear with twin-tube gas-charged shocks and 15 in of travel at each end, 13 in of ground clearance, a 90.6 in wheelbase and XPS Trail King 28 x 9-14 tires. The machine weighs an estimated 1,694 lb dry and uses a Quick Response System CVT with an extra-low range. The 1,694 lb weight is 176 lb less than the Defender XU XT HD11.

Commander against the crossover rival

Polaris's General XP 1000 is the closest rival on this site, at $23,999 and 1,685 lb estimated dry. The Commander XT 1000R costs $8,500 less at $15,499 and weighs almost the same, and it comes with the winch and roof. Choose the Commander for trail and light work with a fixed roof, and the Defender for heavier loads.

Where it sits in the Can-Am line

Can-Am builds three families on related engines and the Commander sits between them. The Defender XU XT HD11 has a 95 hp triple, 12 in of travel, an 85 in wheelbase, a 2,500 lb tow rating and a 900 lb bed, costs $19,799 and seats three.

The Commander XT 1000R has a 100 hp V-twin, 15 in of travel, a 90.6 in wheelbase, a 2,000 lb tow rating and a 600 lb bed, costs $15,499 and seats two. The Maverick X3 DS Turbo has 135 hp, 20 in of travel and a 102 in wheelbase, and costs $19,999.

The Commander is the middle machine for a rider who wants more travel and speed than a work machine but does not need a race car, and it costs $4,300 less than the Defender.

What the equipment and figures mean on the trail

Fifteen inches of travel and 13 in of ground clearance put the Commander well ahead of a work-oriented machine's 12 in and 14 in balance, and the 28 x 9-14 tires roll over ruts that stop a utility tire. The 10 gal tank is adequate for a day. The tilt steering wheel and roof are standard.

The complaints from testers are practical ones: sand can slow it until Sport Mode is on, the belts can hang in the door. The cabin is loud at cruising speed. None of those are dealbreakers, but a buyer who lives in noisy trails should try one with the roof on before signing.

Commander XT 1000R against the General XP 1000.

Polaris's General XP 1000 is the crossover rival. It costs $23,999.

Can-Am Commander XT 1000R

976cc; 1,694 lb; 2,000 lb; $15,499.

2027 Can-Am Commander XT 1000R questions

How much horsepower does the Can-Am Commander XT 1000R make?

Can-Am rates the 976cc Rotax V-twin at 100 hp. The XT package includes a factory winch and full hard roof.

Is the Commander XT 1000R loud inside?

4Riders says the noise level inside the cabin is high, especially at cruising speed and under heavy engine load, though the seats are very comfortable.