2022 Yamaha FX Limited SVHO

Flagship WaveRunner receives key upgrades for 2022

Yamaha’s RecDeck accessory platform, and all its related cooler rack, seating and fishing options, stole a lot of the FX model spotlight for 2022. And deservedly so. They’re pretty cool additions, and give the FX platform a lot of added versatility. The FX line itself, however, also received some pretty significant refinements worthy of mention. No, they’re not wholesale changes to the design or power within, but they do offer numerous welcome upgrades to the rider experience.

And no model has more to offer in this regard than the flagship 2022 Yamaha FX Limited SVHO.

A Whole Lotta Tech

Technology seems to be a driving force in ’22, and the 2022 Yamaha FX Limited SVHO offers plenty of it. Start with a new, 7-inch Connext touchscreen. A welcome upgrade to the previous 4.3” display, it’s not only easier in the eyes thanks to its increased size, but the glass surface offers better touch sensitivity and is easier to see in the bright sun.

The color display continues to incorporate the expected speed and engine info, but speed is now delivered via GPS. That switch makes possible GPS mapping, allowing drivers a chart of the waters they’re navigating (a specific regional map card is included as part of the Limited package) as well as the ability to input GPS waypoints to navigate to a particular location. The addition of GPS also allows Yamaha to offer “geofencing,” essentially a designated safe riding area that the craft can be operated within. No longer will owners have to tell kids or guests to stay within certain boundaries. With geofencing activated the craft will do it for them, sounding an alarm should the craft go outside the designated boundaries and only silencing that alert once the craft returns to the designated, “fenced” area.

The Limited’s sound system also gets an upgrade. Rather than the previous portable speaker solution that attached via RAM mounts at the cupholders, the Limited SVHO now comes standard with a fully-integrated, factory-installed Bluetooth sound system. Consisting of a pair of 4 1/2-inch, 50-watt waterproof speakers integrated nicely into the forward edge of the footwells, two-channel amplifier and low-voltage protection to avoid running down the battery, the system is controlled via a touchpad mounted just aft of the steering column. It does more than just music. As the system connects to a rider’s smartphone, incoming phone calls can also now be answered through the Connext system and text notifications viewed on its screen. A noise-reducing microphone also allows calls to be placed via a voice command button.

Subtle…And Not So Subtle Redesigns

Other changes can be found in the console area. Twin cupholders flank the Connext display and can be fitted with RAM mounts for various accessories. Included in the Limited package is a RAM-mount Garmin Striker GPS Fishfinder and additional mount for an item like a GoPro action camera. The handlebar assembly has also been slimmed and controls rearranged for simplicity. The formerly two-button Start and Stop setup is now combined into a single button and the Cruise/No Wake activation button relocated to the left side of the bars, with speed adjustment up/down toggle remaining on the right. Integrated tie-downs have also been added at the base of the handlebars.

Even the glovebox of the 2022 Yamaha FX Limited SVHO gets a refresh. The lid is now spring-loaded with a a sturdier latch replacing the former rubbery tab, and within LED lights illuminate the interior and USB port, 12-volt plug and a dedicated pocket for a phone awaits.

Below the bondline, the hull also gets changes. Fiberglass-based Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) returns, replacing NanoXcel 2 (which is still used on the deck above). The switch adds about 40 pounds to the craft’s weight, but the addition seems to settle the boat a little deeper into the water and give it a more solid feeling when conditions are rough. The rideplate is also redesigned to lift the bow a little higher in the water and hold more tenaciously through aggressive cornering, and sponsons moved forward nearly 2 inches. The result is a craft that feels as light and as spry as always, but less twitchy and more solid feeling beneath the rider.

Playing To Its Strengths

The 2022 Yamaha FX Limited SVHO’s power needed no such tweaks. Under the saddle remains the 1,812cc Super Vortex High Output engine that gives the boat the latter portion of its name. A supercharged beast that accelerates with arm-wrenching power, it peaks at 68 mph in decent conditions and boasts Yamaha’s well-earned reputation for reliability. Electric trim continues to allow the driver to put the bow down when accelerating hard out of the hole and raise it when running out at the top end. A new function in the Connext-accessed Drive Control lets drivers select specific trim settings for comfort or performance, choose the aggressiveness of the acceleration curve and set a top speed limit if desired.

Returning features include Yamaha’s intuitive RiDE two-throttle control system that dedicates one throttle to forward, one to reverse as well as rapid deceleration at speed, and puts the boat into neutral when both are released. Within minutes it becomes second nature, giving the driver near total control in tight, low-speed situations like a crowded marina or launch ramp.

As always, additional Limited Package extras include many items a customer would normally purchase after the fact, including a single-rider inflatable tube, 12-volt tube inflator, tube holder to lash the water toy to the stern platform, towrope, soft-sided carry-on cooler with dedicated storage within the bow compartment, 12-volt outlet in the glovebox, custom cover, and a pair of branded fenders.

Luxurious Performer

Clearly the 2022 Yamaha FX Limited SVHO plays in an exclusive club and targets a high-end consumer. Its competitors follow suit.

Kawasaki’s newly redesigned, technology-packed Jet Ski Ultra 310LX ($19,199) features the long-awaited Kawi debut of electronic reverse and deceleration, a 7-inch color info screen with dial control, backup camera, four-speaker Bluetooth sound system with 200-watt amp, gullwing storage and extended aft deck with rail system for accessories. Sea-Doo’s GTX Limited 300 ($18,299) similarly features factory-installed Bluetooth audio, 7.8-inch full-color display w/navigation and smartphone app integration, Intelligent Brake & Reverse, an electronic debris-free pump clearing system, easy-access front storage and LinQ accessory mounts on the aft platform for cooler, storage or gas caddy, as well as its own Limited package including USB port, cover, storage organizer and depth finder.

All three are clearly the most fully featured, most luxurious, and most powerful models currently on the market. Fortunately below all those trappings, all three also remain just one heck of a lot of fun to ride.