Sometimes, you don’t need to change much to make something feel more premium. The 2027 Yamaha FX Cruiser HO proves that. It starts with the HO, keeps the same hull, engine, storage and 7-inch Connext touchscreen, then adds the Cruiser two-piece seat and makes factory audio standard. That’s essentially the recipe.
The result starts at $19,499, compared with $17,899 for the FX HO. But the more useful comparison is with an FX HO equipped with Yamaha’s $700 factory audio option. That puts the difference at $900, with the Cruiser seat becoming the primary reason to spend more. And that may be exactly the point. The FX Cruiser HO isn’t a different machine so much as a nicer way to spend time on the same one.
The Differences
The Cruiser HO remains the naturally aspirated High Output model in the FX lineup. The FX Cruiser SVHO starts at $22,399 for buyers who want the supercharged version, making the Cruiser HO more of a comfort upgrade than a performance upgrade. The dimensions are substantial: 11 feet 7 inches long, 4 feet 1 inch wide and 4 feet tall, with a dry weight of 911 pounds. It carries 18.5 gallons of fuel and has 44.5 gallons of storage. The FX HO has the same fuel and storage capacity and weighs just three pounds less (excludes audio system).
That leaves the seat doing much of the work. On a machine this large, the Cruiser’s two-piece seat makes sense for riders who plan to spend long days aboard rather than treating every ride as a sprint. Speeding along, carrying passengers, stopping for lunch and exploring the shoreline are exactly the situations where comfort becomes more important than another line on the spec sheet.
What You Get
The equipment list is already substantial. Factory-installed Yamaha audio speakers are standard, along with Bluetooth, text and call notifications, phone calls and GPS-ready mapping through the 7-inch Connext touchscreen. Security mode and Enhanced GPS Drive Control are included as well.
There’s also electric trim with Performance Auto Trim and Comfort Auto Trim, Cruise Assist, No Wake Mode, RiDE throttle control and tilt steering. A watertight glove box provides USB and 12-volt outlets, while under-seat storage, accent lighting, an upgraded reboarding step, upgraded tow hook and custom-cut two-tone deck mats round out the practical equipment.
The color choices are Blue Steel or Pearl and Lagoon Blue.
And What You Don’t
What you don’t get is a different hull, larger fuel tank, additional storage or a more powerful engine. The FX Cruiser HO shares the fundamental package with the FX HO, which makes the buying decision unusually simple.
So, Should You Buy It?
The FX HO starts at $17,899. Add Yamaha’s $700 factory audio option and you’re at $18,599. The Cruiser HO is $19,499, leaving a $900 difference. If you were already planning to add the factory audio, that’s effectively what you’re paying for the Cruiser seat. If you weren’t, the full difference is $1,600.
That makes the Cruiser HO a fairly easy model to understand. Long story short: you’re paying $900 for the seat and a second color choice.If you’ll spend long days aboard and value the upgraded seating, the premium is straightforward. If the seat isn’t a priority, the FX HO with factory audio gives you essentially the same machine for $900 less. And if more power is what you’re after, Yamaha has the SVHO models above it.
Editor’s note: Feature image is of a 2027 Yamaha FX SVHO, not FX Cruiser HO.