New Arctic Cat Releases Complete 2026 Snowmobile Lineup

On its second day as a stand-alone company, the new Arctic Cat company on April 25 unveiled a shockingly complete 2026 snowmobile lineup. It features the return of the vast majority of its 2025 lineup, a handful of new models, some new technologies and other notable updates.

   In a meeting with the snowmobile media kicked off by new company president Brad Darling, Arctic Cat officials shared a PowerPoint showcasing the deep lineup. There’s a new EXT Special two-stroke with electric-assist power steering and stock C&A Pro skis; a new turbocharged Pantera 9000 touring model; plus new twin-rail HCX and HCR special mountain sleds.

   Beyond that, there’s a deep lineup of two- and four-stroke 2026 ZR trail burners in the Catalyst and ProCross chassis, a variety of Riot crossovers, a complete line of mid-sized single-cylinder 400s, notably upgraded M 858 mountain sleds and more. Even the diminutive Z 120 gets some special attention. Plus the 858 engine gets updates and refinements.

   Director of Snowmobile Product Strategy Troy Halvorson said, “As you know, we’ve been kind of under a weird umbrella over the last six or seven months with the announcement by Textron about the company not doing production beyond the first half of the year…. But Textron was good in that they let us continue to develop because we all knew that this brand is so important to a lot of people, to the industry, to the diehard customer base, that we felt pretty confident that someone was going to pick us up.”

   So, even with an unsure future, he said, the team powered forward working on future products as well as finalizing the 2026 models that were already planned coming out of last spring.

   “We kept developing, the guys kept testing in the field,” Halvorson said. “We didn’t get the opportunity to build what we call the ‘production-verification’ builds [on the assembly line] that we normally do… so the engineering team actually made snowmobiles by either converting 2025 models or they made brand new models so that we could get out there and make sure that we validated all the new systems, the continuous improvement and new models, so we would be ready to go once this [ownership change] all went through.”    

   They didn’t have machines to photograph, though, which explains the odd, computer-generated images in this story. It’s all that Cat has available at this point.

      Dealers are being informed about the new lineup as this story is being posted. They’ll be taking orders soon, and production will likely begin in August, Darling said.

What New: The New EXT Special

Within the single passenger trail segment, an exciting new EXT Special in the Catalyst chassis will be the industry’s first two-stroke-powered sled with electric-assist power steering (EPS).

   This new EXT Special will feature the 858cc C-TEC2 engine, C&A Pro XPT skis, a 137-inch Ice Ripper XT track with studded lugs and dazzling purple graphics that harken back to the 1971 EXT Special.

   Ben Langaas, Cat’s high performance engineering manager, explained that the power steering system lightened the needed steering effort while also allowing designers to utilize more aggressive skis and a more aggressive track.

   Beyond that, Langaas said Cat designers also changed the steering geometry and related ratios, meaning turning the bars at a 37-degree angle will be akin to turned them at a 62-degree angle in the past.

   We actually tested a pre-production ZR model with EPS about 14 months ago and found it incredibly easy to ride. Langaas said the system has been further developed a lot since then.

   Plus, the EXT Special gives the rider control over all four shocks through the ATAC push-button system. All previous ATAC iterations only gave the rider handlebar–control to switch between soft, medium and firm setting on the ski shocks and the ski frame’s rear arm, but not the front arm.

   Elsewhere in the full-sized two-stroke trail segment, ZR Sno Pro, ATAC and R-XC models are all back with the buyer’s choice of a 600 twin or the second-year 858 big bore – all in the now third-year Catalyst chassis. However, the base-level ZR models with basic IFP shocks disappear.

   Notable on all 858-powered models, though, are a handful of refinements to reduce vibration, improve engine lubrication, sharpen up the overall calibrations and better seal the air box. ATAC models return with the vivid, high-tech G8 touchscreen display with on-screen mapping and much more. New, though, is the fact that Sno Pro buyers will be able to upgrade to the G8.  

More Four-Strokes

Some folks were worried that Yamaha’s departure from the snowmobile market and Arctic Cat’s unstable situation would result in the end of the ferocious, 200ish horsepower Yamaha turbocharged triple in snowmobiling. Well, with Cat back, that’s not happening. In fact, use of the engine actually expands by one model in Cat’s lineup.

   Back are the ZR 9000 Thundercat EPS ATAC model plus the Riot 9000 EPS. The Thundercat spins a 137-inch RipSaw II track around the coupled Slide-Action skid while the Riot whips a 146-inch Cobra track around an uncoupled Cross-Action rear suspension. Only colors and graphics change 2026.

   New, though, is a Pantera 9000. It’s a two-passenger tour bus with an attitude. In introducing the model – which features EPS, heated driver and passenger seats, an auxiliary rear fuel tank and much more – Halvorson acknowledged that Yamaha basically had this setup in model year 2025 with its Sidewinder S-TX GT EPS. With Yamaha’s departure from the market, Cat essentially picked up the model to offer it to the most discerning power-touring riders.   

   There are also two returning models in the 2026 Arctic Cat lineup featuring the naturally aspirated 1049cc Yamaha triple that started the Cat/Yamaha relationship way back in model year 2014. They are the unchanged ZR 7000 single-passenger rig and Pantera 7000 2-Upper. All four-strokes are back in the ProCross or related ProTour chassis layouts.   

Deep Snow Options Expand

Arctic Cat officials in recent years have tied their deep-snow wagon to the brand’s unique, single-beam Alpha rear suspension. It pleased many customers, but it wasn’t for everybody. Cat is essentially acknowledging that by bringing several new twin-rail options to the market for model year 2026.

   Brand new for 2026 are the HCX (for Hard Core Extreme) and HCR (for Hill Climb Racer) 858 models. They, like all full-sized two-stroke Cat sleds, come in the Catalyst chassis.

   Arctic Cat has had somewhat similar models in the past, but in the current context what the models do is give the most aggressive, hard-charging riders the option of a highly reinforced twin-beam suspension.

   The HCX has Fox FLOAT QS3 shocks on its braced Float-Action rear suspension, a 146-inch PowderClaw track and a full-length heat exchanger. It’s designed for riders who attack moguls and catch big air.

   The HCR is aimed at competitors on professional hillclimb circuits. It uses coil-over Fox QS3 shocks, a vertical steering post and a 15- by 154- by 2.6-inch PowderClaw.

   There are also big changes in Cat’s returning M sleds – available in Sno Pro (with ACS5 shocks) or ATAC models (with Fox iQSL shocks) with either the 600 or 858 twin.

   First, they lose weight – up to 7.5 pounds, depending on the model – thanks to utilization of an aluminum drive shaft, lightweight brake disk, Stealth 88 brake caliper and master cylinder, plus some changes to the ring gear.

   And, like on the trail burners, 858-powered models come with refinements to reduce vibration, improve engine lubrication, sharper overall calibrations and a better sealing system for the air box.

   Also, the high-tech G8 digital display has been repositioned so it mounts flatter on the dash. That makes it easier for the standing rider to see and makes for easier clean-off.

Have A Riot

Like the ZR and M Catalyst chassis lineups, the Riot two-strokes ditch the base model with cheap shocks, giving rider the choice between a Sno Pro version with five-position ACS5 shocks or push-button-control Fox iQS3 shocks.

   They return with 146-inch Hurricane tracks with 1.75-inch lugs that surround the uncoupled Cross-Action skid. Also included are G2 ProClimb mountain skis and a narrowed ski stance that’s adjustable between 38 and 40 inches.

   The Sno Pro models are available for order with either the round Sport gauge or can be upgraded for the first time to include the high-tech, G8 touchscreen. The ATAC model comes standard with the G8.

Renamed Blasts Return

A full lineup of mid-sized, single-cylinder sleds that we previously referred to as Blasts returns to Cat’s lineup for 2026. Cat took the “Blast” moniker off the smallish, pricepoint-oriented sleds a couple of years ago, but otherwise they are basically unchanged.

   They include the ZR 400 with a 121-inch track; Riot 400 crossover, Riot Touring with a 2-up seat and Norseman 400 utility machine, all with a 146-inch shoe; plus the M 400 deep snow sled with a narrowed stance and its own 146-inch track.

   All of these fun sleds return unchanged, with electric start, twin-tube shocks and the unique-sounding, 60-horsepower engine.

Youth Sleds: Another Throwback

Cat officials announced that this will be the last year of the ZR 120 youth sled. That aligns with what we’ve been hearing from dealers, who have told us that once the ZR 200 became an option, few parents were buying a new 120.

   But Arctic Cat is retiring the 120 in style with an absolute kick-butt retro graphics package. Utilizing black, grey and a color called pinnacle purple, this new 120 is an awesome throwback to the original 1972 Kitty Cat design.

   The popular ZR 200, meanwhile, returns unchanged.

Click through to see more on the Arctic Cat ownership change, the interesting business history of Arctic Cat , details on its new sister company Argo, and to watch a video about this week’s big news.