2017 Can-Am Defender HD5 launch review

In 2016, at Can-Am’s world launch of its new utility-recreation side-by-side (SxS) range, the firm committed to releasing at least one new SxS every six months between then and 2020 – and the new Defender HD5 models are two of the fruits of that promise.

They join the firm’s HD10 and HD8 machines making for a seven-tiered range for the 2017 model year. The HD5 and HD5 DPS (with power steering and alloy wheels) slot into the lineup as the new entry-level options, but from a distance you’d be hard-pressed to notice. Because unlike most of the Canadian brand’s competitors, the new mid-sized machine uses the same chassis platform as its larger stablemates, meaning it’s only the power plant, and a handful of other things, that sets it apart from its more powerful (and more expensive) siblings.

Related reading: Can-Am Defender HD8 and HD10 launch

Rotax single
The HD5 is powered by a liquid-cooled 427cc single-cylinder Rotax engine (compared to the HD8’s 799cc V-twin and the HD10’s 976cc V-twin) capable of 38hp (28kW) and which boasts generous 200-hour service intervals.

And when it was driven as a back-to-back comparison between Polaris’ 567cc Ranger and Honda’s 475cc Pioneer, its 100kg or so of extra heft is noticed in its power-to-weight deficit. Out on clear, open tracks, however, it gets up and gets moving with more than enough top-speed capability to cover decent ground in a short amount of time.

What that extra carriage also means, of course, is far greater carrying capacity, pay loads and towing capabilities – all important and ultimately time-saving features for the Aussie farmer to who the HD5 is aimed at.

Its rear cargo box (with its one-handed tail gate operation) is big enough to carry a full-sized pallet and can carry up to 272kg, it’ll tow up to 680kg behind it and the total payload, meaning driver, passenger(s) and whatever you’ve got strapped in or on it, can be as high as 544kg. Compare that to the firm’s 570cc Outlander ATV and you’ve got nearly double the carrying capability.

Rear mount
The engine is mounted at the rear under the rear tray and a bit of thought has gone into its configuration. It is split into 'cool' and 'hot' sections, which means checking and filling the oil as well as air filter inspection or replacement can all happen easily and without the risk of getting burnt. Speaking of burning, the exhaust system is mounted at the top of the engine, rather at the base, to reduce the risk of grass fires in extremely hot and dry environments, too.

It uses a CVT transmission with high- and low-range options and two- or four-wheel drive with an auto-locking front differential. Its gas-charged twin-tube shocks offer 254mm of travel at both ends, it’s got a whopping 40-litre fuel tank, runs three 220mm disc brakes (two at the front and one at the rear) and its snub nose makes for great visibility.

Melbourne’s 4x4 Training and Proving Ground offered steep climbs and descents, river crossings, open plains, muddy bog holes and really rocky and rough sections to put into practice what made sense to us on paper. The plush ride impressed me (certainly compared to the aforementioned competitors), the ground clearance (at 267mm – and with 12-inch wheels – it should not have clambered over what I pointed it at as easy as it did) and its oh-so effective Electronic Hill Descent Control.

Aussie features
In an area of just under five square metres you can find no less than eight cup holders. And, as the Australian Can-Am brand manager, Maria Rey-Molla, was so eager to point out, the excessive number of places to keep your drink out of harm’s way is just one of the many design features specifically at the request of Australian farmers.

“It’s a globally available model,” she clarified. “But it was designed with the feedback of Australian farmers.”

So, too, was the foldable three-seater bench which gets the dog off the seat and onto the floor, extra-wide access to make it as easy to get in and out of as an ATV would be (this includes rounded-edged seats), as well as the entirely flat floor which makes cleaning as easy as a quick hose out through to the other side.

Working key
The other key feature is the working key system, with the Australian and New Zealand markets the only ones in the world where it's included as standard fitment.

Perhaps a sign of the litigious times we live in, or for the simple fact that Aussies are so-called hoons at heart, the owner is issued with three different coloured keys which are programmed to deliver three different specifications depending on who’s at the wheel.

The HD5’s orange working key limits top speed to 40km/h, which is great for younger or less experienced users. Then there’s the green Eco option which will reduce the torque output by 10 per cent and the speed by 70 per cent, and the black Unlimited option which, as the name suggests, means no restrictions will be applied.

Inside the cabin is a height-adjustable steering wheel and a multi-functional digital gauge offering a speedo, tacho, odometer, trip and hour meters, fuel gauge, gear position and seat belt indicators, and a clock.

Of course, the major benefit of the HD5 sharing the same platform as its larger siblings is that the enormous range of accessories available for the Defender range will not only fit it, but also complement the base features.

CAN-AM ACCESSORIES

According to Rey-Molla, the most popular accessories in Australia are a roof, windscreen and rear bumper, but what the lower price point of the HD5 represents, is more scope to direct your dollars to create a workhorse specifically for your very needs.

And with a price of $16,499, the standard HD5 could very well be the perfect starting point.

2017 Can-Am Defender lineup