Metra PowerSports History and Outdoor Installation Guide
Metra PowerSports brings Metra Electronics' installation experience to UTVs, ATVs and other outdoor vehicles. Its products address the practical side of an upgrade: where the speakers will fit, how accessories will receive power and how the lighting will be controlled. For an off-road audio build, those details deserve attention alongside the speakers and amplifier.
This 12 Volt Outlet guide looks at the brand's history, the product families documented in Metra's catalog and the checks that help turn a collection of parts into a compatible installation.
From Metra Electronics to Metra PowerSports
Metra PowerSports is part of Metra Electronics. Metra Electronics began in Michael M. Somma's Brooklyn shop in 1946. Early work included radios for automobiles, followed by the installation products that became central to the business. Metra later moved its headquarters to Holly Hill, Florida.
That 1946 date belongs to Metra Electronics. The PowerSports line arrived much later as Metra expanded into lighting, outdoor vehicles and other specialized applications. PowerSports was among the specialized brands that followed Metra's introduction of Heise LED Lighting in 2014. Its role builds on an established Metra idea: an aftermarket upgrade needs parts that connect and mount the equipment properly.
How the powersports range developed
By December 2019, Metra PowerSports was announcing a substantial group of Polaris UTV installation products for CES 2020. The announcement covered speaker enclosures, subwoofer enclosures and radio-mounting kits for selected RZR and General applications. These products brought Metra's vehicle-specific approach into open-air vehicles, where usable mounting space and the shape of the cabin can determine the entire system layout.
The range continued to expand beyond audio mounting. At SEMA 2023, Metra highlighted a revised six-zone switch panel, a high-current quick-disconnect power block, golf-cart canopy lighting and crossover cables for compatible Heise lighting controllers. Together, those releases show how the brand developed around the supporting equipment for an outdoor build as well as its visible accessories.
As of October 2026, Metra's PowerSports catalog still lists vehicle-specific speaker pods and subwoofer enclosures, lighting products and accessory controls. Confirm the current status of a part before choosing it, especially when planning around an older installation. Some earlier models, including the MPS-RZKIT audio-mounting package and MPS-CHASE-CPY canopy-lighting kit, are now marked discontinued by the manufacturer.
Understanding the product families
Speaker pods and subwoofer enclosures
A molded pod or enclosure provides a planned mounting location for an aftermarket speaker. The MPS-CAMX3SP, for example, is listed for the 2017–2020 Can-Am Maverick X3 and consists of unloaded 6.5-inch kick-panel speaker pods. Metra specifies UV-protected HDPE construction, a textured black finish and included mounting hardware.
The MPS-PRSB illustrates the subwoofer side of the range. It is an unloaded enclosure for a Polaris Ranger XP 1000 application, designed to sit under the passenger seat and accept a 10-inch subwoofer. Metra lists 0.99 cubic feet of internal volume. Check the complete vehicle application and the chosen subwoofer's enclosure and mounting requirements before combining them.
Unloaded products let you choose the speaker, but they also leave that choice to you. Budget for the driver, amplification, wiring and any other required parts. A pod's nominal speaker size alone doesn't establish clearance for every speaker sold in that size.
Accessory switching and power connections
The MPS-SW6 six-zone switch panel groups accessory control in one system. Its listed features include a six-button Carling-style switch, individually fused circuits, independent zone control and operation through the MPS Switch app on compatible devices. Metra specifies a 9.5–15-volt input range, 60-amp maximum current and 700-watt power-handling capability.
Those figures belong to the control system. They should be considered alongside the limits of each circuit and the vehicle's electrical supply when planning the connected accessories. Have the installer confirm the complete electrical load and follow the product instructions.
Connection hardware is another part of this history. Introduced in the 2023 PowerSports announcement, the MPS-3PB quick-disconnect power block accepts 4 AWG power and ground connections and includes a remote turn-on connection. Its current Metra page places it under Install Bay hardware. This overlap makes the exact part number more useful than relying only on a brand label when locating documentation.
Whip lights and compatible lighting controls
Lighting adds another set of installation choices. Metra's MPS-CHWP-1 is a three-foot chasing RGB whip light with a controller. Its listed features include a quick-connect base, a spring at the base, smart-device control and an IP67 rating. The manufacturer also lists water-tight connectors and an included flag.
Plan the mounting location and cable route before selecting a whip or accent-light kit. Check the actual kit contents, controller type and compatible extensions. RGB, RGBW and chasing-light products can have different control requirements; a shared app name doesn't establish that their physical connections are interchangeable.
Where Saddle Tramp and Heise fit
Metra's outdoor product families sometimes appear together in catalogs and announcements. Saddle Tramp is the company's motorcycle-focused line, with audio integration and lighting products for selected applications. Metra's 2023 Saddle Tramp announcement, for example, describes Harley-Davidson audio kits and motorcycle lighting accessories.
Heise supplies lighting products and controllers used in some Metra PowerSports packages. Follow the named compatibility list when joining products from those ranges. An older example is the MPS-RGB-M2H crossover cable, which Metra specified for MPS RGB connections and the HE-RGB-CB controller. That cable is now marked discontinued, so use current documentation to identify the appropriate solution for a new installation.
What to check before ordering
- Exact vehicle: Record the year, make, model, trim and relevant factory options. Similar-looking UTVs can use different mounting parts.
- Equipment dimensions: Compare speaker mounting depth, enclosure requirements and amplifier dimensions with the installation hardware.
- Package contents: Identify unloaded enclosures, complete lighting kits, controllers and separate accessories before totaling the project.
- Electrical requirements: Confirm input voltage, circuit limits and the installation requirements for every connected component.
- Exposure and placement: Follow the rating and mounting instructions for each component, including controllers and connectors.
- Current documentation: Check the exact part number for application updates, installation instructions and discontinued status.
Metra PowerSports frequently asked questions
Who makes Metra PowerSports products?
Metra PowerSports is a Metra Electronics product line. The parent's history reaches back to 1946, while its PowerSports range developed much later around outdoor-vehicle installation and accessory needs.
Do the speaker pods include speakers?
Check the specific package. The MPS-CAMX3SP pods and MPS-PRSB subwoofer enclosure discussed here are listed as unloaded. Their speakers or subwoofer must be selected separately.
Will a Metra PowerSports enclosure fit any UTV?
Vehicle-specific enclosures require a matching application. Confirm the complete year, model and trim against the manufacturer's current information, then check the intended speaker's dimensions. A familiar vehicle name or matching nominal speaker size is only a starting point.
Can the MPS-SW6 connect directly to any golf-cart battery system?
Metra lists a 9.5–15-volt input range for the MPS-SW6. Confirm the available accessory supply and any required voltage conversion with the installer. The reference to golf-cart applications doesn't establish compatibility with every battery system.
Does every lighting product use the same app?
No. The MPS-SW6 names the MPS Switch app, while compatible Heise lighting controllers use Heise Connect. Check the controller model, supported device and physical connections for the exact product.
Where should I check warranty coverage?
Read the warranty and instructions for the exact part before buying, and retain the purchase record. Several product pages list one-year coverage, but eligibility, exclusions and the claim process should be checked in the applicable terms rather than assumed from the brand name.
Planning a Metra PowerSports upgrade
Start with the vehicle and the outcome you want, then build a part-number checklist. For audio, work outward from the available mounting locations and speaker requirements. For lighting, identify the controller and electrical supply before adding extensions and accessories. This approach makes Metra PowerSports easier to evaluate and helps you account for the supporting parts before the installation begins.
