Horizon Fitness Evolve 5 Elliptical Review

Quick Summary

The Horizon Evolve 5 is a home elliptical for novices and intermediate trainees.

High quality ergonomics, plenty of workout programs, and extra features for entertainment are its overall descriptors.

Its basics are a 20″ stride and a 23-pound flywheel.

Workouts can be completed in manual mode, with 36 preset programs or with interactive video workouts.

Some other features are iPod compatibility and a tablet computer rack.

Learn more from our Horizon Evolve 5 review below.

Specifications

Model	Horizon Evolve 5
Rating Our custom rating considers all of the elliptical's features, specs, warranties, and 100's of user & expert reviews, to save you time!	82.5%
List Price Suggested retail price, typically higher than the price you'll pay with our recommended retailers.	$1,799
Best Price Since prices change daily, this link goes to our preferred retailer for the best price we've found.	$1,399
Resistance Resistance is what determines calories burned per stride. The more levels, the more precisely you can control the difficulty.	20 Levels
Resistance Type The type of resistance affects the performance of your elliptical. Magnetic and Eddy-Current are the most common types.	Electronically Adjustable
Stride Length Stride Length is important for comfort and smooth strides. A stride length of 18-21 inches is ideal for most heights (5'3 - 6'7).	20"
Pedals Elliptical pedals can be cushioned and adjustable for maximum comfort and minimum impact on joints for injury prevention.	Oversized
Incline Some elliptical trainers can be set at an incline to increase difficulty and burn more calories.	n/a
Flywheel The flywheel controls the smoothness and resistance of your workout. In general, the higher the better.	23 lbs
Programs Elliptical Programs allow you to complete a workout with changing speeds and inclines, without changing anything manually.	37
User Profiles For each profile the elliptical allows, you can create a custom user account with saved programs and goal settings.	n/a
Heart Rate Heart Rate programs allow you to track how many times your heart is beating per minute (bpm), and some control the workout for you.	Contact Grips
Display Elliptical Display refers to the screen you'll look at to monitor workouts. LED and LCD displays are similar to TV screens.	6.25" Blue Backlit LCD
Max. Weight Max User Weight is the amount of weight, in pounds (lbs), that it can safely support, which can represent durability.	300 lbs
Dimensions Dimensions are included to help you figure out if this elliptical will fit properly (Length x Width x Height and Height x Depth).	69” x 28” x 69”
Upper Body Most ellipticals have handles to hold while you're working out that provide an upper body workout.
Accessory Tray Some ellipticals include an accessory tray for holding items such as water bottles, wallets, keys, or MP3 players like iPods.
Speakers Ellipticals that include a sound system allow you to listen to your MP3 player/iPod through built-in speakers (without headphones).
Cooling Fans Cooling Fans are designed to help keep you cool during an intense workout on your elliptical.
Folding? Some ellipticals are designed to conserve space by folding up. This is a convenient option, but some features might be reduced.
Quick Controls Quick Controls allow you to select speed, incline and even workout programs with the touch of a button (usually on the handles).
Warranty The warranty is an important part of your investment. The longer the warranty, the longer you can get free/discounted repairs.	Frame: Lifetime Parts: 3 Years Labor: 1 Year

Our Rating

Rating: 82.5/100. The Horizon Evolve 5 is among its brand’s better buys. This elliptical machine is the top option in the Evolve Series, which is Horizon’s more affordable line compared with the Elite Series. The Evolve 5 has a smooth-running 23-pound drive, and its elliptical path is a very natural-feeling 20″. To help you train effectively it arrives with 37 workout programs, plus it works with Passport Virtual Active workout videos. These virtual reality videos (sold separately) cover scenic real-life paths and adjust to the intensity of your workout. Other highlights of the Evolve 5 are iPod compatibility, a wireless connection for exporting fitness data, a rack for your tablet computer, and an integrated water bottle holder.

Here are pros and cons to consider.

Pros:

Easy assembly (Only three steps!)
Moving arm bars
Optimal handlebar spacing
Cushioned grips
Comfortable Q-factor (Narrow pedal spacing)
20″ stride
Cushioned pedal inserts
23-pound flywheel
In-reach resistance controls
32 built-in workouts
Passport Ready (Interactive video)
ViaFit wireless fitness tracking
iPod-compatible (Dock and speakers)
Tablet computer rack
Grip pulse readers
Water bottle holder
Foldable
Compact footprint

Cons:

No incline
No wireless heart rate monitoring
Passport player with Virtual Active videos costs extra

Introduction

The Horizon Evolve 5 is a mid-level elliptical trainer selling for $1,499 online (full price $1,799). It’s a nice step up from the Evolve 3, especially considering the small price difference. The Evolve 5 has a wider resistance range to move trainees into intermediate level workouts. It has good ergonomics, 37 preset workouts, and lots of features to enhance workout time. Here are details about this elliptical’s workout programs and other features.

Workout Programs

With the Horizon Evolve 5 you can choose from a long menu of standard workouts or invest in high-definition video workouts that adjust to your workout pace.

For standard elliptical workouts 37 programs are built into the console. Progress is shown on a 6.25″ LCD with blue backlighting. The data fields are Heart Rate, Time, Speed, Distance, Calories, Resistance, Watts and RPM. Also on screen is a Cardio Compass™ for quick reference.

For immersive video workouts the Evolve 5 is Passport Ready. A Passport player, sold separately, brings high definition footage of gorgeous destinations. The special workout files are shown on your own TV but interact with the elliptical trainer, adjusting audio and video to fit your pace. The Passport player sold for this machine has videos for virtual striding through Northern Italy and the American Southwest. Other destination videos are sold separately.

Horizon Fitness Evolve 5 Features

Evolve elliptical trainers are easy to assemble. After just three steps you’re ready to start training.

The Evolve E5 has a 20″ stride and a 23-pound drive.

ViaFit connectivity makes it easy to share your fitness data with exercise apps and social media.

The Horizon Evolve 5 is an iPod-compatible elliptical trainer. A dock and sound system are included for your iPod or other compatible MP3 player.

A tablet computer rack and a water bottle holder are also built into the machine.

The screen for built-in workouts is a 6.25″ LCD with blue backlighting. If Passport videos are used, these are shown on a home television.

For pulse monitoring the Evolve 5 has grip sensors on the handlebars. A “Cardio Compass” on the data display is a helpful quick reference.

The Evolve 5 is a foldable elliptical. A hydraulic system does the job; no heavy lifting required.

Warranty & Guarantee

The Horizon Evolve 5 warranty includes:

– Frame: Lifetime

– Parts: 3 Years

– Labor: 1 Year

Horizon also includes a 30-day money back guarantee on its ellipticals.

Conclusion

The Horizon Evolve 5 is the best elliptical in its series, yet it costs just $200 more than the entry-level Evolve 3. This well-built cardio trainer provides comfortable workouts and boasts an impressive list of features to enhance workout time. Keep in mind though that Passport interactive training costs extra.