Kawasaki Mule Pro-FXT: Mixing Play With Work

A couple of months ago we provided a brief update (www.dirttoysmag.com/2015/01/the-mule-profxt-in-its) after our latest ride in Kawasaki’s Mule Pro-FXT and promised a more detailed report in the coming weeks/months.

As we think about what to tell we could tell you more about the Mule Pro-FXT we keep coming back to one overriding feeling after getting to spend a full day in the vehicle in California: who knew a utility vehicle could be so much fun.

Yea, we get it. The Mule Pro-FXT, Kawi’s latest version of the Mule, which was first built and introduced in 1988, is not a pure recreational vehicle. It’s a work vehicle, designed for the farms and ranches where it will do more than pull its own weight when it comes to getting the work done. While it’s a work (utility) vehicle, we would hate to brand the Pro-FXT as a pure working side-by-side. You can use this vehicle to reach your favorite fishing hole or hunting spot and take a whole bunch of your buddies along for the ride (the Pro-FXT seats six).

That definitely echoes what we wrote about the Mule Pro-FXT (F=Force; X=Chassis; T=Trans) after we were first introduced to the vehicle last summer in Nebraska at Kawi’s manufacturing plant.

The Pro-FXT is Kawasaki’s fastest, most powerful and most comfortable Mule ever. We don’t always associate “fast” and/or “comfortable” with a work/utility side-by-side. But you can with the Mule. We do want something that is powerful and can carry a load—whether it be people or gear or both—and the Pro-FXT, with its new 812cc three-cylinder, fuel-injected (DFI) engine, can do that. A couple of engine features we failed to mention in our previous story on the Mule include the DFI, which reduces fuel consumption and cuts exhaust emissions along with a positive crankcase ventilation system that sends blow-by gases to the intake tract to be burned in the engine. The rear-mounted engine comes from Chinese auto maker Chery and has 48 ft. lbs. of torque, which we were able to experience on our second ride on the Mule.

That second ride was last November at the Santa Margarita Ranch in Paso Robles, CA. We were able to ride and experience the 14,000-acre ranch, which is a working cattle ranch and home to a vineyard. We spent the better part of the day riding the Mule Pro-FXT across the ranch, stopping to feed some cattle and then exploring the vineyards, trails and mountains on the ranch property, which on its farthest western edge is less than a dozen miles from the Pacific Ocean.

By far, we spent more time riding the Pro-FXT in a recreational way than we did for work (although we did feed some cows and carried the hay we didn’t use to feed the cowe in the back of our Mule the rest of the day) so we aren’t claiming to be experts on the day-to-day work habits of the Mule. But we are confident in the Mule’s abilities to get to the work site, having used the 4x4 (simply a press of the button to switch from 2WD to 4WD) features in a variety of terrain and surfaces. The most people we had in our vehicle at any one time in California was three, which was very manageable, especially in light of the bale of hay in the cargo area.

Looking back at our first ride in the new Mule in Nebraska, where we did carry five passengers with the driver just to see how the vehicle handles, we will say the Mule has enough suspension travel with six people but you definitely could tell it was fully loaded down. As you would expect, the vehicle is a bit more spritely with fewer passengers. There was one uphill section in California where the Mule had to work pretty hard to get up, but it did so with our three riders and bale of hay.

We are still impressed with the standout feature of the new Kawasaki Mule Pro-FXT’s Trans Cab seating arrangement. It is a 1:1:1 system that allows one person to convert the seating with one trip around the vehicle in less than one minute. In fact, one person can easily convert the three-passenger machine into a spacious six-passenger workhorse quickly and without tools.

To convert from 6-passenger to 3-passenger mode, you simply unlatch the rear seat and fold it away, slide the cargo wall forward, lower the cargo wall struts and re-attach the seat latches.

With this Trans Cab feature, the cargo bed length is easily increased from 22 inches in the six-passenger configuration, to an impressive 42.7 inches in the three-passenger layout.

You do have to use common sense when using the Mule Pro-FXT as a work vehicle, though, as overloading it can either damage the vehicle or cause other problems, the very least of might be a terrible ride. The Pro-FXT is rated to carry 350 lbs. of cargo/gear in the tilt-bed cargo box when there are six passengers in the vehicle or up to 1,000 lbs. of cargo/gear with three passengers. The Pro-FXT is also rated to tow up to 2,000 lbs. and has a two-inch receiver hitch.

We are also impressed with Kawi’s electric power steering (EPS), which came in handy on some tight turns and rough stretches of trail. EPS makes the job that much easier and we’re all for that.

It’s features like EPS that make the Mule feel less of a work vehicle and more like a recreational model, which it’s not, but with a fairly spacious cockpit in both the front and rear seating area (we spent plenty of time in both and know all about how much room there is), automotive-style doors, tilt-adjustable steering wheel (except in the non-EPS model), storage space (under the front seat, glovebox, dashboard bins or pockets, cupholders, LCD instrument cluster and a handful of 12-volt outlets (who doesn’t bring their electronics with them anymore wherever they go?).

The Mule Pro-FXT comes in four models. They are:

• The non-EPS model comes standard with steel wheels and two DC outlets in the cab. It is available in the Super Black finish.
• The second variation in the Pro-FXT lineup is the EPS model. This comes standard with the same amenities as the non-EPS but with the addition of Electric Power Steering (EPS) and a tilt steering wheel. This model is available in Timberline Green and Super Black with a contrasting graphic along the doors and cargo bed.
• Next in the range is the EPS LE. This variation comes standard with a host of additional upgrades over the EPS model, including LED headlights, aluminum wheels, a composite sun top and two additional DC outlets for rear-seat passengers. Color options are Timberline Green and Dark Royal Red with a contrasting graphic along the doors and cargo bed.
• Next is the Mule Pro-FXT with Realtree Xtra Green Camo, which gives the avid hunter the ultimate color scheme for any adventure. The Camo model includes EPS and tilt steering function. In addition, LED headlights and four DC outlets round out the Camo package.

We’re not sure why we’re saving this next feature for last as we think it is one of the best overall features on the Mule: the Kawasaki Strong 3-year warranty.

So while the new Mule Pro-FXT won’t necessarily reduce your workload, it can make getting to the job site or far reaches of the farm or ranch a little more enjoyable. And it’s definitely a keeper when it comes to getting to your favorite fishing hole or hunting spot.

2015 Kawasaki Mule Pro-FXT EPS Specifications*

*Specifications subject to change.