2015 Yamaha VX Cruiser Review

A bump in price comes with a bump in performance

Like it did with the rest of the VX models, Yamaha took a chance and retooled the best-selling VX Cruiser for 2015. In effect, they let the boat grow up, maturing its looks and enhancing its ride. The brand also brought in RiDE, the dual-throttle control system that greatly improves the driver’s control over the craft.

Can a really good craft get better? Yes.

New Look

Years ago, Yamaha recognized that the VX Cruiser appealed to beyond the entry-level, introductory crowd and made the VX more upscale in paint and graphics. For 2015 that makeover goes further, with the craft’s deck taking on some of the masculine, angular looks of the FX line, particularly in its bow hood and mirrors. The saddle now sports cut-and-sew construction for a more refined look and better feel. The VX has also grown both longer and wider, now stretching the tape to 131.9” in length and 48” in width, and gained storage space.

A longer Yamaha VX Cruiser in 2015 means more room for people and storage.

COMPARISON: Read our review of the 2015 Yamaha VX and V1 Lineup

There are additional changes you can’t immediately see. The keel is now rounder, the chines softer, and the strakes tweaked. The intake area and ride plate are also new. These changes lessen the boat’s initial time to plane, provide a better ride in rough water, and sharpen up the hull’s handling. The chines in particular allow the boat to roll more easily into a turn.

New Features

One of the biggest changes to the craft’s ride, however, is RiDE, Yamaha’s “dual throttle” handlebar-mounted controls. The traditional righthand throttle hasn’t really changed; it’s the new lefthand throttle that opens up new possibilities. Squeeze it at low speed and you’ll drop the reverse bucket. Squeeze it harder and you’ll quicken the rate of reverse, with the engine revving up to a powerful 4500 rpm. Squeeze it at speed in forward and that same bucket will drop and redirect water forward and to the sides to provide rapid slowing power. (Unlike Sea-Doo’s iBR, Yamaha is not labeling RiDE as a brake.)

Yamaha’s RiDE system brings the VX Cruiser to new heights.

RiDE offers not so much a “shifting gears” feel, as a quick, seamless transition between actions. You can be flying along one second, slowing rapidly the next, and be right back on the throttle a split-second later with no hesitation. Release both levers and the craft goes into neutral mode, as it also does at startup, redirecting pump flow to essentially stay in place. That means no more surging into a dock at the launch ramp or worrying about dinging a neighboring boat when leaving that dockside restaurant.

COMPARISON: Read our review of the 2015 Sea-Doo GTI 130

Think you’ll pitch forward should you pull the RiDE lever at high speed? You won’t. By directing the water to the sides, Yamaha keeps the boat exceptionally level. Drivers will, however, have to get used to the potent response RiDE can deliver in reverse. Practice a little with feathering the RiDE lever before you put yourself into any tight situations.

Yamaha also brings cruise control and no-wake mode to the VX Cruiser for 2015. Cruise control allows the driver to set the speed, and then fully squeeze the throttle to prevent finger fatigue as well as hold a steadier speed (a boon for watersports towing). No-wake keeps the boat moving along in those slow-speed zones without any input at the throttle.

Familiar Power, Snappier Handling

Yamaha gave the VX its lightweight NanoXcel hull technology in 2014, which likely quickens the acceleration of its 1,052cc MR-1 engine. Expect a 0-30 mph time just a few tenths over two seconds, a crisper midrange, and a top speed of about 55 mph in the best conditions. Yes, those are similar numbers as before, but the hull feels responsive and playful and can handle most any water condition thrown its way. It’s also a good mix for the craft’s intended audience – cruisers, and others who value a smooth, stable ride.

NanoXcell technology in the hull reduces weight, which quickens the craft’s acceleration.

That tamer engine also proves tamer at the gas station. Last year I noted a low 3.7 gallon-per-hour fuel burn at cruising-appropriate 33 mph.

COMPARISON: Read our review of the 2015 Kawasaki Ultra 310LX

Speaking of cruising, the aforementioned saddle features two nicely tiered levels, each with a bolster, to provide comfort and the necessary back support for extended rides. The tiered styling also positions the passenger (or passengers) a little higher than the driver, making for a more pleasant riding experience. Other welcome features include Hydro-Turf traction mats, a spring-loaded boarding step, and Yamaha’s familiar auto-style remote to activate a theft-prevention mode, as well as govern the speed if desired.  You also get cupholders in the glovebox. Hey, who wants to cruise without some refreshment on hand?

Still a Best-Seller?

With the new features, the VX Cruiser gets a bump in price, a $500 increase from ’14. It’s part of Yamaha’s decision to now position the VX line a little higher up the ladder, leaving the truly introductory category to the new V1. The addition of RiDE alone, however, will justify that cost for most buyers.

Expect to pay an additional $500 for the VX Cruiser in 2015, but we think it’s worth it.

Still the best-selling watercraft that it has been? I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, any buyers that Yamaha may have lost will certainly be offset by those more mature, upscale consumers it gains.

In other words, the VX Cruiser should continue to cruise.