Kawasaki's 2024 Super Bowl Ad Proves Mullets And Side-By-Sides Are The Perfect Combo
Business in the front, party in the back; that's how some may describe the controversially glorious hairstyle that is the mullet. Or if you were a certain Japanese motorcycle brand named Kawasaki, that's an apt description for a new side-by-side ride that serves an aggressive blend of raw performance and automobile tech. Kawasaki has dropped its Super Bowl ad, the fittingly titled "Mullets," to introduce the Ridge side-by-side, and it has a few moments that nail the brawny appeal of its latest offering that claims to balance both work and play demands.
Now, we don't know exactly what Kawasaki wants to achieve by putting plenty of mullet havers in an ad with the Ridge stomping past a forest. But there could be some historical hat-tipping at play here. The Greek soldiers of yore sported the earliest form of the mullet, a fashionable yet tactical coiffure that allowed unhindered visibility at the front and warm protection for the neck.
Native American tribes have a history of similar hairstyles; Australians cherish it for its rogue appeal, red carpet superstars weaponize it to make a fashion statement, while sports stars often channel their aggressive side with the mullet. For Kawasaki, apparently, the 999cc in-line four-cylinder engine is sending home the message of uncompromising performance married to a feature-heavy interior, a potent combination of power and practicality.
Work meets play
In the ad, the most striking aspect is that the Ridge gives a mullet to every living soul that it passes. The sheer automobile charisma grows a mullet on seemingly impossible surfaces, such as a tortoise and the shiny bald head of wrestling legend Stone Cold Steve Austin. Kawasaki says the Ridge aims to take "off-roading comfort to new heights." Armed with a detachable tailgate and tilting cargo bed, the latest side-by-side from Kawasaki comes in multiple editions. There's the sporty, open-air Ranch Edition model, while the HVAC model targets all-season workflow comfort with a sealed cabin that delivers facilities such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, powered glass windows, dome lights, and more.
There's also a Ridge Limited trim, built in partnership with Garmin. This one stands out courtesy of an 8-inch Garmin Tread off-road navigation kit, a four-speaker audio system, a group ride radio hardware, a WARN VRX 45-S Powersport winch, and cameras on either side. The first side-by-side from Kawasaki to offer a four-cylinder engine, the new Ridge lets the driver pick between three power modes to best adapt to the surrounding conditions, accordingly adjusting metrics such as throttle response and acceleration. Capable of accommodating three passengers, Kawasaki says, "Sliding behind the wheel feels like getting into a car." Notably, electric power steering is standard across the board on the Ridge. The 2024 Ranch edition starts at $23,999, climbing up to $33,499 for the Limited configuration. At that asking price, Kawasaki's latest offering aims to one-up the likes of Polaris Xpedition, both in terms of size of size and the net dent on your wallet.