Kawasaki heads upmarket with new Ultra 310 Jet Ski range

Better late than never, Kawasaki is supercharging its efforts to make up for lost ground in the increasingly competitive jet ski market.

The former favourite – and the brand that coined the Jet Ski name in the personal watercraft category – has given its flagship Kawasaki Ultra 310 range its biggest overhaul in 14 years.

Highlights of changes to the 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 Jet Ski range:

The long list of changes brings price rises next year similar to Sea-Doo and Yamaha.

Although Australian pricing is yet to be confirmed, US figures released overnight indicate the 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 range will likely land between $25,000 and $30,000 not including trailer and registration.

The arrival of the new Kawasaki Ultra 310 series means all three personal watercraft brands will have flagship models that nudge the $30,000 mark in Australia, moving them closer to trailer boat prices.

The significant investment by Kawasaki in this new model is being viewed as a signal it is not about to vacate the segment it helped pioneer, even though its market share in Australia currently languishes around 6.5 per cent versus 26 per cent for Yamaha and 67.5 per cent for market-leader Sea-Doo.

The Kawasaki Ultra 310’s supercharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, 160mm jet pump nozzle, heavy-duty fibreglass hull, intake grate, ride plate, and sponsons appear to remain unchanged from the original design in 2007.

However, everything above the bond line is completely new – and the craft has numerous industry firsts.

Further, despite the lack of a power bump, the Kawasaki Ultra 310 remains the most powerful jet ski on the water ahead of a number of 300-horsepower models from Sea-Doo and estimated 260-plus horsepower models from Yamaha (which does not make performance claims for its supercharged WaveRunners).

Reflecting the changing market trends in Australia and the US, Kawasaki has shifted from its racing focus to deliver three models to compete more closely with full-size, sports-luxury, three-seater watercraft from Sea-Doo and Yamaha. 

In a move that has surprised industry observers, the 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 Jet Ski has a deck extension fitted to two of the three models, to challenge the likes of the Sea-Doo Fish Pro and its Linq attachments, and the Yamaha FX series and its “Rec Deck” accessories.

In a clever piece of industrial design, the front fairing opens up like gull wings to create 20 litres of storage space for each side, as well as a large cargo hold in the bow.

Overall storage space has been reduced by about 20 per cent compared with its predecessor (from 212 litres to 168.5 litres) however it remains one of the most accomodating skis on the water.

The similarly sized Yamaha FX has 167 litres of storage space and the equivalent Sea-Doo has less than 100 litres (not including an optional 51-litre cooler for the rear deck).

Not to be outdone in attracting attention, the top model in the 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 range has four powerful audio speakers backed by a 200-watt amplifier, versus a 100-watt two-speaker system offered by Sea-Doo and a 50-watt two-speaker system offered by Yamaha.

Kawasaki will also join Sea-Doo and Yamaha by offering a 7.0-inch digital instrument display with smartphone connectivity to take and make calls and messages, as well as input GPS waypoints.

The Kawasaki Ultra 310's speedometer is now measured using GPS technology (rather than a paddlewheel under the craft) for better accuracy, a move that matches the latest Sea-Doo and Yamaha flagships. And certain models are available with factory-fitted USB charge ports (also as per certain Sea-Doo and Yamaha models).

However, the 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 has a number of unique features including the option of daytime LED running lights, a rear-view camera, height-adjustable seats, dials for audio and infotainment (more convenient than touchscreens), and increased fuel capacity.

The previous Kawasaki Ultra 310 was the benchmark in the category with 78 litres of fuel capacity (versus 70 litres for the Sea-Doos and Yamahas with the biggest bladders); the new model has 79.89 litres of fuel capacity thanks to some extra capacity in the fuel filler neck.

It is unclear if the forward-facing LED lights will be fitted to Australian examples given such lights are prohibited in some states and territories. 

And it's expected the rear camera would not eliminate the need for an observer to sitting behind the operator of the jet ski, when towing someone on an inflatable device.

Meantime, launch control with automatic trim adjustment brings the 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 up to speed with rivals, but the big news is the long-overdue fitment of a reverse trigger for easier low-speed manoeuvring.

While Sea-Doo and Yamaha have reverse triggers on the left handlebar and an accelerator trigger on the right handlebar, the 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 models instead have two triggers on the right handlebar.

The accelerator trigger works the same as it does on other watercraft, but reverse is activated via a thumb trigger.

Other helpful touches: more points to tie the craft to a dock, and a small wet storage pocket on the stern (as per Yamaha).

As with Sea-Doo and Yamaha, the biggest challenge for the 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 will be availability.

Production in Nebraska, USA, is due to start in November 2021. 

Pending any delays, Kawasaki dealers say the first shipments should arrive in Australia in February 2022 at the earliest,

The first reviews of the 2022 Kawaski Ultra 310 range are not expected until late this year or early next year.

The 2022 Jet Ski Ultra 310X is available in Ebony/Turquoise, the Jet Ski Ultra 310LX-S in Ebony/Lime Green, and the Jet Ski 310LX in Ebony/Gold.

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