'When it needs to pivot, it turns the wheels and does a crab walk' – Segway Navimow exec reveals the invention that means its new flagship lawnbot won't churn up your grass

There were plenty of impressive lawnbots on show at CES 2026, but Segway Navimow's new flagship has a trick I didn't see anywhere else. It's all to do with how it handles tight turns, and I had a chance to grill a brand exec on exactly how it all works.

I spoke with Tony Ho, Vice President of Business Development for Segway Navimow, and he told me that some other lawnbots had a tendency to churn up the lawn when making a pivot (a common requirement, as most lawnbots these days will mow in straight, parallel lines, turning at the top of each row).

"When they turn, the wheels are rubbing against the grass. It kind of just kills the grass at the turning point," he explained.

For the new X4 series, Segway Navimow came up with a different strategy. "The X4 has this feature where it almost turns the wheels and does a crab walk. It's one of our inventions. Our engineers are so proud of that," he tells me. "We like to say, 'It's tough on the terrain, but it's very gentle on the grass.'"

The 'tough on terrain' part of that is important, too. The X4 was designed specifically with large and challenging yards – the kind that are common in North America – in mind.

Tony says the X4 is one of his favorites of the five new models the brand is launching in 2026. "It's a showcase of the best technology we have," he says. "I definitely have huge hopes for the X4 – we think it's going to make our year this year."

I tested this model's predecessor, and as you'll discover in my five-star Segway Navimow X3 review, I was seriously impressed. However, one thing that really stood out to me is that the design could not be more different. The X3 is one of the friendliest looking lawnbots around, whereas the X4 feels a whole lot meaner.

Tony admits that at first, he thought the look was "a little bit stupid". He explains that it's geared towards the section of the market that prefer a macho-looking gadgets. "It's partially, kind of targeting... people who love cars, as opposed to the cute type of robot," he explains.

Personal styling preferences aside, I'll be very interested to see how this model performs in the real world. The version I saw was US-only, and is available in two versions: the X430, which is designed for up to an acre and costs $2,499, and the X450 for up to 1.5 acres and costs $2,999. There will be a similar UK version joining the lineup at some point – watch this space.

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