I went into the shop intending to buy the grizz, but left with the Kodiak.
Reasons I went with the Kodiak:
1) Feel - I just preferred the slightly narrower feel of the Kodiak. "feels smaller than it is" in a good way. The Grizz felt a bit wider, taller, and sporter. YMMV as I'd love to get a Grizz someday for trail fun.
2) Gearing - The Kodiak gearing is geared towards work/torque. I use it for hauling kids around, hauling wood, pulling a trailer, hauling dead critters out of the woods etc... I don't need sportier performance, it's been quite enough I can still hit mid 60s on a windy day.
3) Price - With EPS and front locking dif, the Kodiak was still ~$1500-$2000 cheaper.
There's a lot of carrier over between the two models. Motor and I think the tranny are same, just different weighted gears. Furniture is different and brakes are different.
I recommend go sitting on them and driving them around if you can. We love our Kodiak
The Kodiak is sized about like the pre-2015 Grizzly was. They are a bit lower, narrower and shorter length (if memory serves me right) than the larger 2015 and up Grizzly 700. And I really like my 2013 Grizzly 550 with power steering. Very comfortable ATV, same as the early Grizzly 700 except for engine displacement...550 has a smaller bore. Not real sure why Yamaha built them but they are fine for what I use an ATV including pulling a hunting trailer and plowing snow.
I’ve got 2 Yamaha 2013 Grizzly 550’s and two Honda’s, a 2015 Rancher and a 2019 Rubicon. The fuel pump in my Wife’s Grizzly went out and it takes 4 hours to remove and then replace the skirt to put the ten minute job of a fuel pump back in. I’m guessing the use of fuel with alcohol in it might have something to do with that especially since it sits more than my Grizzly does. I’ve switched to alcohol free fuel for all my machines now. Both of the Honda’s have ESP and auto shift, both of those modules have gone bad and were replaced. The Honda’s are quieter and the electric power steering is ‘twitchier’. They both have independent suspension front and back but the Grizzly’s have a much softer ride. The Grizzly has better ground clearance. I like the Grizzly better but both are solid choices. We inherited the Honda’s. The quiet of the Honda’s operation compared to the Grizzly is noticeable. We ride many miles every season here in Western Colorado.