Went thru the same process last few years and hate to part with cash.
After much help from guys on this site, went with Honda PGE 420 Canadian Trail Edition
You need to sort out if you want :
Power steering
Independent rear suspension
Fuel injection
CVT or not. All are CVT except Honda
Single, 2UP, or side by side
Over and over again I heard from experienced guys that the Japanese machines are more reliable.
Almost everybody says go with power steering and fuel injection.
For trail riding, independent rear suspension will give you more ground clearance and a smoother ride
For towing or other farm work, most guys prefer a solid rear axle
Side by sides and even 2UPs are not legal on any roads, even with no passengers
I saw in a recent outdoor magazine that Honda still has their $1000 off for some 2013 models
My other choice would have been Yammy. The 450 with power steering -but doesn't come with fuel injection
The Yammy 550 EPS has it all but is around $10K. My Honda was $8100 in camo plus HST including rebate
The last thing you want is a stupid breakdown in the middle of no-where. Then an expensive repair bill on top.
So far so good with the Honda but hardly broken in. Talk to me in 5 yrs