Kawasaki's Teryx5 H2 Is Stupid-Fast, Wildly Expensive, And I Think I'm In Love

Kawasaki's lead driver had gone out of sight, where I could only see a bit of the dust in the distance. I assumed it was from her Teryx H2's tires scooting along the desert floor but the wind was a likely culprit too. From what I could tell, she was already used to the side by side and its impressive capabilities, which meant she was way out in front of me. Only a few hours into my experience behind the wheel, I was just getting used to things and way behind as a result. The all-new Kawasaki side by side has big power, provided by a beefy inline four-cylinder engine bolstered by a supercharger that spins at nearly 130,000 rpm. It's a lot to take in.

Tap into the power and the Teryx squats the rear end, rocketing towards the horizon. If you cross loose terrain, there's a bit of a shimmy from the rear end. It's fun, but I didn't want to overdo it and wind up in a ditch at full speed. But I also didn't want to get lost in the desert, so I opened the taps to keep up. With a wide open creek bed in front of me, I put my foot to the floor and gave myself a challenge: see if I could reach 90 mph in the sand. The Teryx H2 was happy to oblige.

The Teryx H2's supercharger whistled, whooshed, and made all sorts of glorious noises on the way to 9,500 rpm redline, then it switched to equally entertaining blow-off noises when I eventually lifted my right foot off the throttle. Big blasts of blow-off valve air seemed to come from directly behind my right shoulder, causing me to giggle and grin just about every time I slowed the Teryx down for a corner. After a few attempts, I was able to hit 90 mph on some of the most wide-open stretches of the desert with equally wide eyes and my heart rate peaking. Mission: accomplished.

The all-new 2026 Kawasaki Teryx H2 is a high-performance side by side from the green-themed manufacturer and I was invited out to the desert to play around with the riotously fun toy. The Teryx H2 was able to achieve these insane speeds over dirt thanks to a supercharged 999cc inline four-cylinder engine. It produces 250 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque; some of the strongest numbers in the class. Like other H2 products in Kawasaki's lineup, the Teryx has big power and personality, helping it compete in an increasingly popular side-by-side category against rivals from Polaris and Can-Am.

The Kawasaki Teryx5 has a supercharged 999cc inline four-cylinder engine but it's not the same engine from the other Kawasaki H2 products (which also use a 999cc inline four-cylinder engine). The Kawasaki folks were adamant about this. Instead, the name "H2", sort of like the wide-ranging offering of Ninja products, covers a level of performance that outclasses all of Kawasaki's other side-by-sides. It may expand to other vehicles in the future too, but for now it's just the big-power H2 bikes and this singular side-by-side.

The engine in the Teryx 5 H2 is different from the engines in their two-wheeled machines in a number of ways, starting with the supercharger. The Teryx's supercharger impeller is reversed compared to the H2 bikes and the Teryx H2 gets an intercooler added to the mix. It also has a unique bore and stroke compared to the H2 bikes (76.0 x 55.0mm with the Ninja H2 and 73.4 x 59.0 mm with the Teryx) which gives them unique power delivery. Sure, the two engines are related, but the Teryx seemed to offer more of its power low in the RPM range, building towards its electronically-limited top speed of 99 mph. 

The Teryx also uses a CVT (continuously variable transmission) which is a far cry from the six-speed manual used in Kawi's Ninja H2 products. The CVT isn't as engaging as something like the dual-clutch transmission in the Can-Am Maverick R, but the H2's power overcomes that deficit.

It wasn't just wide-open desert washes on my trip to put the Teryx through its paces. There were whoops, undulating hills, and plenty of uneven rocky terrain, and the Teryx handled it all with ease. The double-wishbone front suspension offers 23.2 inches of travel, while the rear offers 24 inches of travel — plenty to travel at speed across some of the largest changes in terrain you can find. At multiple points in my test, two of the four wheels were off the ground and I barely noticed when the Teryx would eventually re-establish four-wheel contact with earth. Had all four tires left terra-firma, I'm not sure I would've noticed. 

Fox performance shocks handle the suspension damping responsibilities and, on the Teryx Deluxe models (like the one I was testing), the Kawasaki Electronically Controlled Suspension (KECS) system takes care of adjustments on the go. Switching between the Soft, Normal, and Firm suspension modes is easily done via well-labeled buttons on the steering wheel, but the Kawasaki folks admit that Normal and Firm modes are best left for high-speed moments. 

I left the system in Soft for most of my drive and was rewarded with very little in the way of suspension discomfort. Inside, the Teryx was only slightly shaky over the roughest stuff the barren back roads could throw at it.

It's one of the most powerful off-road machines you can buy, but the Teryx 5 H2 is also one of the most expensive offerings, too. Base four-seater models begin at under $40k, while the starting price for the top-trim — like the five-seater Deluxe eS model I thrashed — was an eye-watering $46,094 (including $2,395 destination fee). Prices go even higher when you start adding accessories like lighting, unique roof options, rearview mirrors, front-and-rear cameras, and all sorts of available storage options. 

Those numbers don't put the Teryx H12 above every trim of the similarly powerful Can-Am Maverick R I tested at King of the Hammers this year, or above some of the topped-out RZR Pro R models you can get, but it's up there. Essentially, if you want a powerful desert toy to play with, there are three leaders in the space: Can-Am, Polaris, and Kawasaki. All three are happy to sell you basic versions of their side by sides, but the sky is the limit when it comes to options and extras, and all three companies have models that easily cross the $50k mark. Thankfully, the Teryx, like its rivals, feels like it justifies the big price tag.

Strapping into the Teryx H2 took a bit of futzing with the harness and the clip-in points, but once I was secured in the driver's seat, things were surprisingly comfortable for such a high-performance machine. The seats had thick padding and there was plenty of headroom and legroom in all the seating positions. The seats were properly bolstered for the high-speed cornering that's likely to be a big part of the ownership experience. Over the course of the day, I didn't have any seat-related discomfort.

A few small areas where the Teryx cramped my style (and my legs), however, were the ultra-high dead pedal for my left foot and the pointy bit of the center console that I hit my right knee on multiple times. Basically, I couldn't sit in a wide and comfortable stance during the relaxed bits of my drive time; not a deal breaker in such a high-performance machine, but worth noting for larger riders. The H2's steering wheel was properly small and the steering ratio was excellent. The Teryx has electronic power steering that provides varying levels of assistance depending on the vehicle's speed, and even in tight spaces I don't recall the steering wheel requiring more than just a turn or two to go lock-to-lock. Put another point in the "easy to drive fast for a full day" column.

On top of all its extraordinary performance numbers, the Teryx H2 has a list of impressive on-board tech worth mentioning. Two screens dominate the dashboard. One is a 7-inch display mounted in front of the driver that acts as a gauge pod, with the speedometer, tach, and various temperature gauges. The other is a 10-inch center touchscreen, a Garmin Tread unit that maps and some vehicle information, and audio information when you're streaming music. 

The center display was high resolution enough to be seen in the harsh desert sun and responsive to gloved screen inputs. The Teryx uses six speakers in total, with two tweeters on the dashboard and one speaker in each door (a subwoofer under the passenger seat is optional). I wouldn't call the sound system particularly dynamic (nothing in side-by-sides is going to wow audiophiles) but it was plenty loud enough for music to make its way to my ears even while I was wearing a full-face helmet.

Travis Langness/SlashGear

Getting my iPhone connected to the Garmin app and eventually to the Teryx itself took some guided clicks and downloads from the Kawasaki folks, but once I was connected it was easy to play music or follow along with my ride leader far away in the distance. Remember that fear of getting lost I mentioned earlier? It happened at least once out in the desert but I was able to pick up the proper trail with a quick glance at the dashboard.

Before the Teryx H2 entered the fray, there were limited choices for off-road enthusiasts looking to spend top dollar in the side-by-side world. Now, the segment has expanded significantly and there's much harder choice to make. Compared to the Can-Am and Polaris models I've recently tested, the Teryx initially felt a bit less playful in its performance mission. It felt planted, secure, and less likely to toss the rear end around on a whim. 

Breaking every on-road speed-limit law in America while on the dirt, however, is a real playful sort of activity. Once I settled into the driver's seat though and acclimated to the H2's power, it was all smiles and there were plenty of hoonigan-style moments to be had. It was impossible to ignore the whooshing supercharger, the brapping exhaust, or the isolation allowed by the massive suspension components. The power and speed of the Teryx H2 were incredible every time I flexed my big toe and the high-tech suspension left me wanting more at the end of the day. Almost immediately upon arrival, the Teryx H2 is one of the best choices in its class.