The American manufacturer Polaris is trying to carve out a place for itself in the four-stroke engine category with the 2024 Polaris ProStar S4 INDY Adventure. To do so, it has introduced its ProStar S4 engine—already proven in Polaris ATVs and side-by-sides—into certain snowmobile models. After riding over 2,000 km of trails, I’m ready to share my thoughts on this snowmobile and its four-stroke engine. I’ll talk about its appearance, trail riding experience, comfort and safety, digital display, and finally, the engine itself.
Polaris for Appearance and Reliability
The 2024 ProStar S4 INDY Adventure looks great thanks to its aerodynamic design and two-tone blue colour, which stands out against the pristine white snow. If you want to give the snowmobile a sportier look, the passenger seat can be removed in seconds. Founded in 1954, Polaris has never stopped innovating since building its first snowmobile. From the start, Polaris has focused on quality and reliability, and that remains true to this day.
Ride with Total Control
Riding the 2024 ProStar S4 INDY Adventure on trails is a real pleasure. Thanks to the Matryx platform, steering precision is nearly surgical. The dual-carbide Pro-Steer skis stay glued to the ground in corners and provide effortless control. I didn’t feel much darting, but I should mention that I’m not particularly sensitive to it.
Good Comfort, But…
The 2024 ProStar S4 INDY Adventure is built for comfort. You’re well protected from the wind by the side panels and windshield. Its Matryx front suspension and easily adjustable front shocks provide precise, smooth riding. The rear PRO-CC suspension with 16.2 in (41.1 cm) of travel absorbs trail bumps. When riding with a passenger, a properly adjusted suspension can provide comfort for both riders.
However, I found the seat too narrow and very firm—my backside could definitely feel some fatigue after a long 300 km day. The heated grips for both the driver and passenger are very effective, but the passenger backrest is too upright and not wide enough. I would also have liked to see a heated seat for both the driver and passenger. For me, this is more of an occasional two-up snowmobile. I don’t think passenger comfort is fully optimized. On a long ride, the passenger may feel uncomfortable after a while. Also, there’s no cargo rack, just a small rear storage compartment to hold a few items.
Safety
The braking system on the 2024 ProStar S4 INDY Adventure is very effective. Just a light squeeze on the brake lever delivers an instant response. The Cobra track (15 × 137 × 1.3) gets the job done, but in my opinion, it should be studded. Trails are often icy in spots, and a studded track improves safety while riding. To start the snowmobile, you have to squeeze the brake lever. Personally, I found this to be a positive safety feature.
On the other hand, I didn’t like the placement of the mirrors. They are positioned on each side of the cockpit under the handlebars. In the end, I had to take my eyes off the trail to look below the grips. I found this manoeuvre very dangerous. What’s more, the passenger hand warmers almost completely block the view. In short, the mirrors are practically useless. Also, there’s no audible warning when reversing, so make sure no one is standing behind you.
Technology at Our Service
The 2024 ProStar S4 INDY Adventure is equipped with the optional 7S display featuring RIDE COMMAND technology. This 7-in. touchscreen is easy to understand and provides all the snowmobile’s data—speed, fuel, engine temperature, etc. The onboard computer also includes a GPS that works even without a network connection. I really liked this instrumentation during my test ride and experienced no bugs.
The placement of the control buttons is intuitive. I could easily adjust the hand and thumb warmers. I also had no trouble navigating the 7S display.
Polaris engineers claimed there was no throttle lag with the electronic throttle compared to the competition, but I did notice some. For instance, when crossing a road, there was sometimes a delay between squeezing the throttle and the snowmobile responding. That’s an area that needs further work.
The ProStar S4 Engine Doesn’t Deliver
I was eager to test the 2024 INDY Adventure, especially for its ProStar S4 four-stroke engine. Polaris took its time introducing this engine into its snowmobiles, so my expectations were high. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
I chose to go through the break-in period in STANDARD mode. At first, I took it easy to get familiar with the machine. But after 500 km, I wanted more. That’s when I realized the ProStar S4 engine was already nearly at its performance limit. Riding became monotonous due to the engine’s lack of power. So, after 1,000 km, I continued my test in SPORTS mode. This mode did wake up the snowmobile a bit, but not as much as I’d hoped.
The engineers said the 998 cc ProStar S4 engine develops between 80 hp and 100 hp. I didn’t experience the promised power—even after another 1,000 km. But the most disappointing part was its dreadful fuel consumption. Fortunately, the tank holds 43.5 L! Otherwise, I would’ve run out of gas before everyone else. I’ve tested gas-guzzling snowmobiles before, but at least they delivered power—it felt worth it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with the 2024 ProStar S4 INDY Adventure.
Ask Yourself the Right Questions
The 2024 INDY Adventure is a nice-looking, easy-to-ride, versatile snowmobile. It’s also available with a 650 cc two-stroke engine. That said, if it interests you, you’ll need to ask yourself this question: am I looking for a reliable, low-maintenance snowmobile, or a livelier one that gives me a thrill when I squeeze the throttle?
I’d like to thank Polaris for allowing me to conduct a long-term test of the 2024 ProStar S4 INDY Adventure.
