Grizzly vs. Kodiak – What's The Difference? CAST's Caleb Guindon Compares Yamaha ATVs
What's the difference between the Yamaha Grizzly and the Yamaha Kodiak?
They're both powered by the a 686cc engine. They're both equipped with an Ultramatic V-belt with all-wheel engine braking featuring high, low, neutral, reverse, and park. Both the Kodiak and Grizzly feature the On-Command three-way locking differential with two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, and locked four-wheel drive. In fact, the Kodiak and Grizzly both include independent rear suspension with five-way preload adjustment and 9.1 inches of travel. They're the same length (81.5 inches) with the same wheelbase (49.2 inches) and feature front and rear racks that are rated for the same load: 110 and 198 pounds, respectively. Both Yamaha 700 four-wheelers are rated to tow 1,322 pounds, as well.
But as Centennial Auto-Sport & Tire's Caleb Guindon points out, there are key differences that result in different missions for the two Yamaha quads. The easy summary? Think of the Yamaha Grizzly 700 as the fun, trail-oriented ATV that's completely capable of hard work. Think of the Yamaha Kodiak 700 as the hard-working ATV that's completely capable of having fun on the trails.
As for the specifics, the Grizzly's front suspension is more compliant with about half an inch of extra travel. The Grizzly is also wider, at 49.2 inches (compared to 46.5 for the Kodiak) and provides up to an extra inch of ground clearance (11.8.) The two ATVs sit at different heights, too, which has the result of a Kodiak with a 33.9-inch seat height – it's the easier four-wheeler to get off and on over and over if you're working around the yard. The Grizzly's also 68 pounds heavier, while the Kodiak is available as a 450 with Yamaha's smaller powerplant.
For 2023, the Yamaha Grizzly 700 is sold as the Grizzly EPS (meaning power steering) and the Grizzly EPS SE. While the Grizzly EPS wears Maxxis MU05Y 26x10-12 tires, the Grizzly EPS SE adds 27x10-14 Maxxis Zillas on alloy wheels. The SE also includes special edition paint and graphics plus a Warn winch. Meanwhile, Canada's 2023 Yamaha Kodiak lineup includes three trim levels for both the Kodiak 450 and Kodiak 700: non-power steering, power-steering, and the Kodiak EPS SE.
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