9 Predictions for 2026 Snowmobiles

Posted by Christopher Weiland on Feb 14, 2025

Last year was a tough one for the snowmobile industry. A bad snow season stacked on top of an already excessive inventory situation, leading to cautious product launches and slow demand. But things are looking up. New inventory levels are in a much better place, and this season has been a major success—every region has rideable areas, and February is shaping up to be even better. The trails are packed, miles are piling up, and with higher demand, manufacturers might be ready to unleash some of the big updates they’ve been sitting on.

Arctic Cat: The Waiting Game

Release Date: TBD?

Textron’s announcement confirmed what many suspected—production under their ownership is done. Contracts for the 2026 model year were canceled, and the rumor mill is in overdrive about a new owner closing in fast.

But let’s clear something up: there’s a lot of BS going around that a deal is already done—don’t believe it. Textron is a public company, and if an agreement had been finalized, they would have been required to disclose it. That hasn’t happened. The actual order of operations for a sale would be:

A deal is announced.
Both companies go through due diligence.
Once complete, the deal officially closes.

That process takes time, but there’s reason for optimism. We’ve heard that there are at least 10 interested parties looking at Arctic Cat, which increases the odds of something happening soon. Additionally, Textron is reportedly pursuing an asset sale rather than a more complex stock sale, which should speed things up significantly.

We also hope a private company steps in to buy Arctic Cat. If that happens, the timeline could move much faster, giving 2026 models a real chance at production. The snowmobile division wasn’t the problem for Textron—it was actually the strongest part of their powersports lineup. The Catalyst chassis was gaining momentum before Textron pulled the plug, and a strong snow season has only increased interest.

If the right buyer steps in quickly, they don’t need to reinvent anything—just get the supply chain rolling and put sleds on the snow for 2026. Hopefully, we’ll have good news soon, and Arctic Cat will be back where it belongs.

Lynx: Refinements and Trail-Ready Updates

Release Date: 2/19

New RAS RX Front Suspension: Ski-Doo debuted this upgrade, and Lynx’s 2-strokes are likely to follow suit.
Spring Check 2-Ply Track Option: A long-awaited option that would provide better durability for aggressive riders.
Trail-Friendly X-Terrain Model: The X-Terrain 2-stroke has only been offered with a 2” track. Will we finally see a more trail-friendly version?

Polaris: A Big Year Ahead?

Release Date: 3/6

New Chassis Incoming? Polaris typically refreshes its chassis every 5-6 years, and the Matryx has now hit its sixth model year.
4-Stroke Turbo – Time to Fill the Gap: Yamaha’s exit leaves a massive hole in the 4-stroke turbo market.
New Rear Suspension: Rumors suggest Polaris has been sitting on a new rear skid designed to compete directly with Ski-Doo’s rMotion system.
Dynamix Expanding to XCR and Assault? Polaris’ Dynamix active suspension made waves last year, and there’s a strong possibility it will expand to the XCR and Assault models.

Ski-Doo: Big Moves on the Horizon?

Release Date: 2/19

4-Stroke RAS RX Front Suspension: Expect to see this upgrade expand beyond the 2-strokes.
Spring Order 2-Ply Track Option: Rumors suggest this may finally be an option.
Weight Reduction: Ski-Doo might shift back to its lightweight roots.
Smart Shox Expansion: Likely to include the front track shock for complete suspension automation.
A 900-Class 2-Stroke? Polaris’ 9R shook things up, and Ski-Doo may have an answer coming.

Yamaha: The End of an Era

2025 was the last model year for Yamaha. The only way we see their name sticking around is if Polaris or Arctic Cat licenses their motors, but that seems unlikely. Arctic Cat had been working on their own in-house 4-stroke turbo before Textron shut things down, and Polaris has a massive in-house engine department that makes outsourcing unnecessary.

The 998cc turbo was legendary, but we don’t expect to see it sold outside of existing Sidewinders. It’s a sad day for the sport, but the industry moves on.

Final Thoughts

With a strong snow season in full swing and demand ramping up, 2026 could be a major year for snowmobile manufacturers to unleash long-awaited upgrades. Arctic Cat’s fate hinges on new ownership, Polaris is on new chassis watch, Ski-Doo might finally go back to its lightweight roots, and Yamaha’s exit leaves a huge opportunity in the 4-stroke turbo space.