You've decided to get off the resort and into the desert. Smart move. But now comes the question everyone eventually asks: Can-Am or ATV?
Both will get your heart pumping. Both will cover ground no rental car ever could. But they are not the same experience — and choosing wrong can make the difference between a trip highlight and a missed opportunity. Here's the real breakdown.
What Is a Can-Am Side-by-Side?
A Can-Am (technically a "side-by-side" or SxS) is a two- to four-seat off-road vehicle where you sit next to each other — like a car — rather than straddling the machine. The Can-Am Maverick X3, which we use at Baja Curated, is powered by a 200+ horsepower turbocharged engine with a fully enclosed roll cage, racing harnesses, and a suspension built to absorb serious terrain.
You drive it like a car: steering wheel, pedals, automatic transmission. If you can drive to the grocery store, you can drive a Can-Am.
What Is an ATV?
An ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) is a four-wheeled vehicle you straddle, similar to a motorcycle. You grip handlebars, lean into turns, and use thumb throttle and hand brakes. Most ATVs in Los Cabos are smaller-displacement machines — capable, but a different physical experience entirely.
The Key Differences
Skill level required
The Can-Am wins here for most visitors. The driving position is intuitive, the power delivery is smooth, and you have a safety cage around you. ATVs demand more active body control — leaning, balancing, gripping — which can feel unnatural if you're not used to motorcycles or dirt bikes. Most first-timers are more comfortable in a Can-Am within five minutes than on an ATV after thirty.
Passenger experience
This is where it's not even close. On an ATV, your passenger rides behind you, hanging on for their life, with limited visibility and no comfort. In a Can-Am, your passenger has their own seat, their own harness, their own unobstructed view ahead. They're in the experience, not just along for the ride. If you're going with a partner, family member, or friend who isn't driving, get the Can-Am.
Power and terrain capability
The Can-Am Maverick X3 we operate at Baja Curated has more horsepower than most sport sedans. It handles sand, rock, river crossings, and steep canyon descents without hesitation. Most tour ATVs in the region are in the 400–700cc range — capable for flat trails, but they strain on the technical terrain that makes Baja genuinely exciting. If you want to go to Cabo Pulmo, cross the Sierra de la Laguna foothills, or tackle the East Cape, you want the Can-Am.
Safety
The Can-Am has a full steel roll cage, four-point racing harnesses, a roof, and doors. In the unlikely event of a rollover, you stay inside the vehicle. ATVs offer none of this — if something goes wrong, you separate from the machine. For families with children, the Can-Am is the only sensible choice.
The "wow" factor
Both will get you out of your comfort zone. But there's something about sitting in a Can-Am — strapped in, engine growling, desert opening up in front of you — that feels more like an expedition and less like a rental. It's the difference between a Jeep Rubicon and a moped. Both get you there. One is a story you tell for years.
So Who Should Get an ATV?
ATVs have their place. If you're an experienced rider who wants that physical, motorcycle-like connection to the terrain, and you're doing a shorter, flatter route — an ATV can be a blast. They're also typically more affordable for budget-conscious travelers.
But if you're traveling with someone else, if you want serious terrain, if safety is a priority, or if you simply want the best possible Baja experience — the Can-Am is the answer.
Why We Only Operate Can-Ams
At Baja Curated, we made a deliberate choice to operate exclusively Can-Am Maverick X3 vehicles. Not because ATVs are bad, but because we believe the private, guided Can-Am experience is simply superior in every dimension that matters for Los Cabos: safety, comfort, power, passenger experience, and terrain access.
We're also the only Authorized Can-Am BRP dealer in Los Cabos — which means our vehicles are maintained to factory standards, not worn-down rental fleet machines. Every vehicle in our fleet is current-year, fully inspected, and backed by BRP's manufacturer support.
When you book with us, you're not just choosing a vehicle. You're choosing the right vehicle, with the right guide, in the right places.
Ready to see what a Can-Am can do? Start with our Desert Intro 3H — the perfect first experience, zero prior off-road knowledge required.