Kawasaki has reignited the horsepower war in the Jet Ski segment by equipping its mid-size model with its most powerful 310hp supercharged engine – a move likened to installing a V8 in a small hatchback.
The Kawasaki STX 310 is aimed at thrill-seekers who can handle an insane amount of power in a small-to-medium sized craft.
“Supercharged power in a lighter, sharper, more aggressive package is a full circle moment for Jet Ski,” Bob O’Brien, Senior Director of Marketing for Kawasaki Motor Corp USA told a global dealer conference in Cancun, Mexico.
“The STX 310 is the closest experience possible on a sit-down Jet Ski to the thrills and performance of a stand-up (Jet Ski).”
Kawasaki says the STX 310 is the quickest accelerating sit-down Kawasaki Jet Ski to ever come from the factory, however the company did not release acceleration or top speed figures.
The idea for a 310hp version of the Kawasaki STX was first floated by Brisbane Kawasaki Jet Ski Centre in Australia six years ago, who built an experimental model based on the previous STX platform to see what was possible.
Now the Kawasaki STX 310 has become a reality, with the factory introducing such a model to its global line-up for next year.
The Kawasaki STX 310 will be available in two variants for the 2027 model year: the STX 310R two-seater and the STX 310RX three-seater with more luxury appointments.
Both Kawasaki STX 310 models are powered by the same 310hp version of Kawasaki’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that first appeared on the Kawasaki Ultra 310 in 2014.
The Kawasaki STX 310 is based on the updated Kawasaki STX which received a new top deck and other tech a year ago – but which has been rolled out slowly amid a shift in production from the US to Mexico.
Although the updated STX top deck continued with the previous hull, Kawasaki introduced numerous improvements such as a 7-inch TFT digital display screen, a reverse trigger, and better splash protection thanks to a more pronounced front bumper (which includes daytime running lights on certain models).
The rear-view camera that debuted on the Kawasaki Ultra a few years ago also made its way onto certain models in the updated Kawasaki STX line-up.
However, in addition to the giant leap in performance, Kawasaki STX 310 models step it up a notch with trim adjustment – a first for the STX platform – a one-touch ‘go-slow’ mode, and launch control for a smoother take-off.
The Kawasaki STX 310RX comes with two audio speakers (pictured below) and has a three-seat configuration rather than two seats.
Pricing for the 2027 Kawasaki Jet Ski line-up in the US has been announced, however other markets such as Australia are yet to release details.
The US prices below are for the ski only and exclude additional costs such as trailer and registration.
While care has been taken to avoid errors, please check final pricing with your local Kawasaki dealer.
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Supercharged series (310hp):
- 2027 Kawasaki Ultra 310LX: $US22,699 (up $900)
- 2027 Kawasaki Ultra 310LX-S: $21,699 (up $900)
- 2027 Kawasaki Ultra 310X: $20,699 (up $900)
- 2027 Kawasaki STX 310RX: $US20,199 (new)
- 2027 Kawasaki STX 310R: $US18,799 (new)
Non-supercharged (160hp)
- 2027 Kawasaki Ultra 160LX: $US19,599 (up $800)
- 2027 Kawasaki Ultra 160LX-S: $US18,599 (up $800)
- 2027 Kawasaki STX 160LX: $US16,799 (up $800)
- 2027 Kawasaki STX 160LX-S: $US15,799 (new model)
- 2027 Kawasaki STX 160X: $US14,599 (up $700)
Packaged skis (160hp)
- 2027 Kawasaki Ultra 160LX-S Adventure: $US21,199 (new)
- 2027 Kawasaki Ultra 160LX-S WakeSport: $US19,699 (new)
- 2027 Kawasaki Ultra 160LX-S Angler: $US18,899 (no change)
Stand-up series (160hp)
- 2027 Kawasaki SX-X 160: $US11,999 (new)
- 2027 Kawasaki SX-R 160: $US11,999 (no change)
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