2027 Kawasaki RIDGE: What’s New and What Carries Over

The 2027 Kawasaki RIDGE does not bring more horsepower, a new chassis, or a complete redesign. Instead, Kawasaki is expanding the lineup around three more specialized machines: a two-door RIDGE Lifted Edition, a RIDGE Crew Lifted Edition, and a premium RIDGE Crew Platinum Sport HVAC.

That approach gives buyers more factory-built choices, particularly for mud riding and higher-speed trail or work-road use. It also brings higher prices to most returning models—and a few specification-sheet surprises buyers should understand before placing an order.

Kawasaki announced the 2027 lineup on August 4, 2026. The company says the new models should reach dealers in late summer or early fall 2026.

Three new models expand the RIDGE lineup.

The official pricing table lists 13 configurations for 2027, up from 10 in 2026.

The three additions are:

• RIDGE Lifted Edition: $25,999
• RIDGE Crew Lifted Edition: $28,799
• RIDGE Crew Platinum Sport HVAC: $39,999

The two Lifted Editions are aimed at mud, water, and low-speed technical terrain. The Platinum Sport goes in a different direction, combining the enclosed HVAC cab with upgraded suspension, five-passenger seating, and more trail-oriented equipment.

Despite the expanded lineup, the underlying powertrain remains familiar. Most RIDGE models retain Kawasaki’s 999cc naturally aspirated inline-four, with a manufacturer-claimed 116 horsepower and 73.8 pound-feet of torque. The ST HVAC models remain at a claimed 92 horsepower and use rear differential lock rather than the front-and-rear locking arrangement fitted to the main lineup.

The published 1,000-pound bed rating, 2,500-pound towing capacity, 64-inch width, 12.9-gallon fuel tank, and three-year factory warranty also carry over.

2027 Kawasaki RIDGE pricing versus 2026

Most returning models cost more for 2027. These are Kawasaki’s published U.S. MSRPs and do not include destination charges, dealer fees, taxes, or accessories.

The largest increases hit the regular HVAC machines. Current 2027 product listings also show a factory-installed 4,500-pound winch with synthetic rope on the standard HVAC and HVAC Camo trims, equipment that was previously concentrated in higher-level packages.

Kawasaki’s launch release is less clear on this point because its general winch section names the Platinum and Lifted models. Buyers considering a regular 2027 HVAC model should confirm the final equipment list with their dealer.

The returning Platinum Ranch models receive the Garmin Tread 2 system with wireless Apple CarPlay, replacing the earlier Garmin Tread setup.

Kawasaki targets additional CVT quietness.

Kawasaki revised the RIDGE CVT for 2026, adding calibration changes intended to improve low-speed engagement and reduce unwanted engine noise. The 2027 calibration builds on that work.

Kawasaki says the new settings reduce engine RPM in the medium- and higher-speed ranges commonly used when traveling between job sites. In practical terms, the goal is a quieter cabin during sustained driving rather than a major change to acceleration or low-speed behavior.

That is a manufacturer claim. Kawasaki has not released before-and-after RPM figures, sound-pressure measurements, acceleration times, or belt-temperature data. Until the machines can be driven back-to-back, it is impossible to say how noticeable the difference will be.

Owners should also avoid confusing the 2027 tuning with the larger package of updates introduced for 2026. The lower seat position, adjustable driver’s seat, additional cabin sound damping, and front stabilizer bar on applicable models are not new for 2027.

The Lifted Editions are serious mud packages.

Both Lifted Editions receive equipment that would normally require a lengthy aftermarket build:

• 30-inch ITP Cryptid six-ply mud tires
• High-mounted snorkels for the engine intake, CVT intake, and CVT exhaust
• Shorter CVT gearing in Low
• Adjustable KYB piggyback-reservoir shocks
• Arched A-arms
• No front sway bar, allowing greater wheel articulation
• HDPE underbody protection with drain holes
• Cab-floor drains and a larger door-to-floor drainage gap
• Front brush guard
• 4,500-pound winch with synthetic rope
• Covered storage compartments built into the cargo-bed sides

Those changes give the Lifted models a legitimate advantage in mud. The tires, snorkels, recovery equipment, low-range calibration, and improved articulation matter more in that environment than an extra fraction of an inch under the center skid plate.

That distinction becomes important when looking at Kawasaki’s published ground-clearance numbers.

The RIDGE Crew Lifted does not publish a higher clearance figure.

The two-door RIDGE Lifted delivers the clearance increase its name suggests. Kawasaki lists 14.2 inches at standard preload and 14.6 inches at maximum preload, compared with 13.4 and 14.4 inches for the standard RIDGE.

The Crew numbers tell a different story.

The RIDGE Crew Lifted is listed at 14.2 inches with standard preload and 14.6 inches at maximum preload. The standard RIDGE Crew is listed at 14.4 and 15.7 inches.

In other words, Kawasaki’s published center-ground-clearance specifications result in the Crew Lifted 0.2 inch lower at standard preload and 1.1 inches lower at maximum preload than the standard Crew.

That does not mean the Lifted package lacks value. Its arched A-arms improve clearance around vulnerable suspension components, while the swaybar-free front end allows more articulation. Its tires, gearing, snorkels, drainage provisions, and winch are all relevant in deep mud.

Still, buyers should understand that “Lifted” describes the package along with its intended capability better than the Crew model’s published center-clearance number. Kawasaki has not explained why the standard Crew carries the higher figure.

The Platinum Sport favors control over maximum clearance.

The $39,999 RIDGE Crew Platinum Sport HVAC is the new flagship. It gets adjustable KYB piggyback shocks, arched A-arms, front and rear stabilizer bars, and 30-inch Maxxis Carnivore eight-ply radial tires.

Kawasaki says the suspension is tuned for operation around 20–30 mph. Compression, rebound, and preload adjustments let owners tailor the shocks for loads and terrain, while the rear stabilizer should improve roll control with passengers aboard.

The cabin trades the regular Crew’s six-person bench arrangement for five seats: two high-backed front buckets and a contoured three-passenger rear bench. Both front seats provide six positions over a 2.5-inch range, and a center armrest adds covered storage and cupholders.

Standard equipment includes a full HVAC cab, flip-up glass windshield, front and rear cameras, brush guard, 4,500-pound winch, Garmin Tread 2 with wireless Apple CarPlay, four 6.5-inch speakers, and a 300-watt amplifier.

There is a tradeoff underneath. Kawasaki publishes 12.6 inches of clearance at standard preload and 13 inches at maximum preload for the Platinum Sport. That is lower than the 13.4- and 14.6-inch figures listed for the 2027 Crew Platinum Ranch.

The Platinum Sport also has a published curb weight of 2,646 pounds—about 93 pounds more than the 2026 Crew Platinum Ranch. Buyers tackling tight, deeply rutted trails should weigh its better damping and body control against its lower center clearance and additional mass.

The specialty models lose cargo-bed floor space.

All three new models retain a stated 1,000-pound bed rating, but their redesigned beds are narrower than the standard RIDGE bed.

Published bed dimensions are:

• Standard RIDGE and RIDGE Crew: 34.6 × 49 × 12.8 inches
• Platinum Sport: 35 × 41.5 × 12.2 inches
• Lifted Editions: 27.6 × 41.5 × 12.2 inches

A simple comparison of published length-and-width dimensions suggests approximately 14% less rectangular floor area in the Platinum Sport bed and 32% less in the Lifted bed. That calculation does not account for wall shape or the new covered side compartments, but it illustrates the practical tradeoff.

The new storage compartments should work well for gloves, tow straps, tools, and recovery gear. Owners hauling bulky feed bags, coolers, sprayers, or jobsite equipment should measure their cargo instead of relying only on the unchanged 1,000-pound rating.

Should a 2026 buyer wait for a 2027?

For most existing RIDGE owners, the 2027 lineup does not make the machine in the garage obsolete. Power, towing, bed rating, chassis architecture, and basic suspension travel remain substantially unchanged.

Waiting makes the most sense for buyers who specifically want one of the new packages:

• Choose the RIDGE Lifted for a factory mud setup without sourcing tires, snorkels, shocks, guards, and a winch separately.
• Choose the Crew Lifted for the same equipment with rear seating—but inspect its clearance and cargo dimensions carefully.
• Choose the Platinum Sport if an HVAC cab, front bucket seats, adjustable piggyback shocks, stronger roll control, cameras, navigation, and audio matter more than maximum clearance.
• Consider a 2026 carryover if the new specialty equipment is unnecessary and the dealer’s final price creates a meaningful savings.

The 2027 RIDGE lineup is broader and more useful, but it is not universally better in every measurement. Kawasaki has built more specialized machines, and specialization always brings tradeoffs. The right choice depends on whether your limiting factor is mud traction, passenger comfort, suspension control, cargo space, clearance—or price.