Review - Segway Villain SX10
The Mainville team was recently invited to the Thunder City Power & Leisure Demo Days which was a Segway Powersports Canada event where you can have an up close look and test drive any of the three units currently available from Segway. Leading up to this event we had tested the Snarler and the Fugleman so we had set our eyes on the Villain this time around. I have to say up front that the sport segment was our main target but understanding the full Segway lineup made the experience significantly better by the time we got our hands on the Villain.
As we have mentioned in the past, we are truly excited to be covering new competition in the market. As a customer and avid fan of powersports I feel it is a “more the merrier” scenario. A competitive market is a healthy market and better for everyone involved in the sport. With Segway Powersports only entering Canada as recently as fall of 2021 they are certainly making waves. Ready to participate in the ATV, utility side by side and even the sport side by side segment, it is an impressive roster for such a recent manufacturer. With the support of one of the fastest growing dealer networks Segway will be a huge contender if they keep up this level of growth over the next few years.
2022 Estevan, Saskatchewan. Thunder City Segway Dealer - Photo by Kyle Mainville
Before we get into the full review, there are a few things to address. Segway Powersports Canada is brand new top to bottom. Backed by a long history of design and technology in other segments on the market. I fully expected lack luster details and growing pains but I can tell you now that they are very minor but more on that later. Next is my personal bias. I had personal access to these units but I am not directly paid. They do and did cover some expenses in order to pick them up but I like to be clear there is no monetary bonus to fluff this review. Even Segway has been clear to be truthful and encouraged pointing out any flaws to better their product. This is the reason I am very excited about Segway. Lastly if you want to know more “sheet data” like information use this page: Segway Villain.
The particular model we had access to had the 105hp/93.5nm Torque gasoline power plant and the 65” width suspension the SX10. This is one of two available options currently being sold. The other being the SX10 W or wide model which is the 72 inch of the same platform. The other more popular models to come are the hybrid models (SX10 H) yet to be announced as far as arrival to Canada is concerned. That being said the 65” model of the hybrid will boast a massive 195hp and 250nm of torque while the 72” model (SX10 H W) is reportedly seeing numbers as high as 220hp. This is due to the extra width being a more stable platform to handle the power.
2022 Estevan, Saskatchewan. Thunder City Segway Dealer - Photo by Kyle Mainville
At first glance Segway really didn’t follow the mold every other manufacturer seems to be following in the last few years. Instead of hard corners they chose smooth and rounded edges. Instead of a hidden frame, they chose to incorporate it into the visual design. From our discussions with the national sales manager Geoff, the whole lineup is loosely designed on a Leopard. “When is a leopard the fiercest and most aggressive? Ready to pounce. Pointed head, arched back, constantly in motion. Live & breath speed and power.” - Segway Technology and Design. Hats off for being different.
Inside you will see a lot of the same features as the rest of the lineup. The same display, the same bluetooth connectivity and all the same hardware like four wheel drive switch and rocker switch panel. This is not a bad thing. This creates a recognizable environment for any Segway owner to hop in and be at home and also keeps costs down as each platform is using some of the same parts. With the Villain interior like most sport side by sides I had rear visibility issues but this seems par for the course in this segment. I would also like to see a full door option as the current door design is lacking coverage.
2022 Estevan, Saskatchewan. Villain Test Ride. Geoff (National Sales Manager) left, customer right. - Photo by Kyle Mainville
Performance. This is really where the sport segment needs to shine. As mentioned previously, we had access to the 105hp gas 65” model which is currently the only model other than the 72” wide version available as of writing this article. We had a change to open it up on a small closed course at the demo days. It was certainly enough to know that the 105hp is very much so a competitor on a budget as I am sure it will be significantly cheaper than the hybrid options when they become available. Be sure to watch our YouTube video to get a feel for it yourself. We had a chance to take it out on the trails the next day to really stretch its legs but sadly the weather did not agree. We will have to revisit at a later date.
With that being said the platform is surprisingly stout as is. The same power train as the Fugleman we tested for 5 weeks prior so I am confident in saying it will impress considering its hybrid counter part will literally double all of the spec sheet numbers. Clutching was delightfully aggressive and snappy while the engagement was smooth. The 65” width boosted confidence on the course and was very playful. All while I was comfortable on top of it all. The simple and modern interior made me feel at home even though I had never been in one before.
2022 Estevan, Saskatchewan. Thunder City Segway Dealer - Photo by Kyle Mainville
We are going to wrap this up with some of its final features or lack of which is very similar to our reviews of the Fugleman and Snarler. Starting with the tire and wheel combo. The Wanda trail tires are fairly standard and a slight improvement over what is offered by other brands. They are light, and quite soft making them nice on the trail or rocky situations. They will do well for most people in this segment. The other side of that is they will likely puncture and wear quickly. The wheels are an in house Segway branded one-side bead lock which as a more “spirited” rider I am excited to see!
The bed is relatively large for the sport market and has a decent carrying capacity. I am glad to see that regardless of it being a sport model they kept to the theme of making use of space. They created storage where ever they could.
I would like to see better protection and bumper options in the future as a few common areas are left wide open. The a-arms could use guards to deflect sticks from puncturing CV boots and the front grill and lights could use a guard also. Rear end bumper options would be useful as well. Again, all this to say that the lineup is lacking options which is no surprise considering how new Segway Powersports is.
Final thoughts. I am truly impressed. There are many small improvements to be made and I expect Segway to be a huge contender that can rattle the market. How they handle these small issues in the coming years will tell me everything I need to know about how they handle customer feedback. I am especially excited on the technology they are implementing but I am concerned it can get out of hand when it comes to home repair or simply being needless. So far that is not the case. I have a feeling the future hybrid electric technology is what will really take this line up to a whole new place. My experience with the Villain SX10 was short but impactful. I would like to revisit this machine in a more practical setting but keep your eye on this one as it will be a huge contender in the coming years.
Huge thank you to Segway for giving us the opportunity to check these machines out and to Thunder City in Estevan Saskatchewan for providing the units themselves. For more, make check to check out our YouTube channel.
