Polaris Updates Slingshot for 2023

Matthew Guy
by Matthew Guy

For sheer enjoyment and hilarity, the Polaris Slingshot is about the most fun one can have with their clothes on in a road-going vehicle. Three wheels, a ripsaw engine, and a seating position seemingly an inch above the ground all conspire to create one heckuva grin machine. For the upcoming 2023 model year, Polaris is giving its rocket a few tweaks.


First out of the gate is a palette of new colors – something to which we wouldn’t regularly give notice or column inches when it comes to passenger cars, but the Slingshot’s personality is so expressive that any addition of looka-me paint choices is worth talking about. Head-turning paint schemes like Pacific Teal, Lime Shadow, and Miami Blue Fade are available on a smattering of trims and deliver retina-searing color to the already outrageous Slingshot lineup. It’s almost as good as the palette on offer for the soon-departed Charger and Challenger. Almost.


Anyone who’s into powersports (*raises hand*) knows Polaris is currently king of the game when it comes to in-vehicle infotainment – even in their off-road and snowmobile offerings. While other brands are content to provide displays reminiscent of a 1980’s bedside alarm clock (you know the one: Red digits, fake wood stickers on the sides), the North Star brand trotted out their RideCommand and hasn’t looked back. Available as a 7-inch touchscreen display in the Slingshot – and certain side-by-side off-roaders – RideCommand displays key vehicle information while integrating an honest-to-real infotainment system on some models. The latter now offers mobile phone connectivity via Bluetooth or USB, Apple CarPlay, and even turn-by-turn GPS navigation on the Slingshot R. Heated and cooled seats are available, as they were last year, but optional Brembo branded brakes and funky interior lighting are new.


For those unfamiliar, Polaris ditched the old GM Ecotec engine a couple of years ago in favor of a four-banger of their own design. Available in tunes of up to 203 horsepower in the Slingshot, it feeds power to the rear wheel through a belt-type system which will be familiar to anyone who’s piloted a side-by-side off-roader, producing alien sounds to anyone not used to this setup It is gloriously extroverted and totally bonkers. A manual transmission is offered, as is a single-clutch auto. This author’s experience says to go for the manual, not just for a more entertaining drive experience but because the auto ‘box tends to shift gears with the subtlety of a hammer.


Prices start at $23,349 for an entry-level Slingshot S but smart buyers will splash out an extra $850 for the Tech Package which brings a banging Rockford Fosgate stereo and some aero tweaks to keep bugs outta yer teeth. Some states require a helmet in this thing, some don’t; some require a bike license, and some don’t. Check your local laws. The range tops out at $33,999 for a top-rung Slingshot R with the manual transmission (add a few shillings if you want the automatic for some reason.


The 2023 lineup ships to dealers early next year.


[Image: Polaris]


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Matthew Guy
Matthew Guy

Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.

More by Matthew Guy

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  • Syke Syke on Dec 07, 2022

    And it took a while to explain to the owners that they really belonged at Cars and Coffee, not Bike Night.

  • Lou_BC Lou_BC on Dec 07, 2022

    These vehicles make zero sense. A Mazda MX5 costs the same.

    • James James on Dec 07, 2022

      As a two time Miata owner who currently daily drives one year round in New England, I totally agree. I still want one though.


  • Varezhka Suzuki Jimny, Toyota Century, and I know it technically just ended production but Honda e.
  • CoastieLenn For those that care to read the details of the crash NOT included in this article but published elsewhere- this happened at nearly 10pm when the CRV was stopped in the center lane of travel, lights off, with the driver remaining in the car. Not only is it not known if Blue Cruise was being used, it would have been a nightmare for most alert human drivers to mitigate that driving the 70+mph speed limit on many sections of I-10 in Texas, much less an AV system.
  • Jeff This is what I would want: Toyota has now released an affordable truck called the Toyota IMV 0. The newly developed vehicle made in Thailand comes with a rear-wheel drive and a gasoline 2.0-liter inline-four matched to a 5-speed manual transmission. NEW $10,000 Toyota Pickup Has Ford & GM Crapping ... YouTube · Tech Machine 8 minutes, 46 seconds Dec 26, 2023
  • Jalop1991 At the same time, let's take these drivers off the road--at least the ones that haven't yet taken themselves off the road.I can guarantee, at no point was this guy or any of the dead Tesla-stans actually driving the car. They were staring at their phones, because, HEY, SELF DRIVING!!
  • 3-On-The-Tree To Maintenance Costs His best friend did the union meetings and he said that there wasn’t a lot of negotiating taking place between the union and state because they were happy with how the state was treating them. He said it seemed more like a formality having the union.
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