Best Small And Compact Tractors in Canada
Best Small Tractors/Compact Tractors
If you’re looking for a new compact tractor or you’re a first time buyer, our article below will help you navigate the best tractors available in Canada to better take off the stress from trying to understand and research between brands, features, and what does what you may need it to do.
Whether you’re looking for a smaller sub-compact tractor to get yard work done around your home or you intend on tilling fields in rockier terrain, our list below covers the gamut to find a tractor that suits your need best.
What to look for in a small/compact tractor
Size/Weight
Compact and sub-compact tractors come in several sizes and weights. Which you decide on purchasing will depend on what you’re intending on using your tractor for the most that determines what to look for. If you’re looking to use your tractor for more heavy duty work such as pulling/towing heavier equipment or dirt/rocks/garden work – a compact may be your best choice.
Sub-compact may be the way to go if you need a smaller tractor that is more akin to a lawn tractor (except more robust) that will help with garden work, snow, and yardwork without any issues.
Horsepower
Horsepower should be looked at and based directly on the tasks and chores you’re intending to use your tractor for. John Deere for example has a large range in horsepower for their compact tractors, starting at 22.40 with the smallest ones, up to 65.90 on the largest compact tractors. Average horsepower for a compact is around 40 – more or less is up to you for what you’re intending.
Heavy equipment such as plowing fields and needing to tow that, over 50 horsepower should be enough. More power means you can do more, but don’t overspend or overshoot if you’re not needing to utilize that much.
Towing, lifting, or carrying heavy loads
A more powerful compact tractor will suit you best compared to a sub-compact if you need to tow or carry heavier equipment for farming or landscaping. Backhoes, pallet forks, mowers, front-end loaders, box blades and more are things to consider. If you’re wanting to plow fields or haul trailers you’ll need a more powerful tractor.
A smaller one may be better suited to your needs if you’re looking to do less.
Terrain/Landscape
An important factor to take into consideration is the terrain and what your land entails. If it’s mostly flat with a few trees and minimal hills, a smaller horsepower tractor may be entirely fine. If you have steeper hills, tough terrain, and rocks/tree roots and more are in the way – you’ll need a more powerful tractor that can handle it.
Soil type can make a difference as well if your land is gravelly, soft sand, or etc. You may need to look into what size suits your land the best.
Best small and compact tractors
Kubota BX80 Series
The Kubota BX80 series is a great starting point for sub-compact tractors. They’re built to take on gardening, landscaping, snow removal, and any other property maintenance jobs you can throw at them. The horsepower range for the BX80 Series ranges from 16.6 to 24.8, while the PTO horsepower ranges from 13.7 to 19.5HP.
They’re all-season/all-year sub-compact tractors and all of them are diesel engines. The overall length of these are similar to a standard garden tractor and are easy to drive, they of course increase in length when you equip any number of attachments such as mowers, box scrapers, and more. They maneuver well in tight spaces and the new Switch-Tach loader can remove the loader without you needing to get down from the tractor at any point, including the disconnection of the hydraulic connection, no tools required.
The new BX80 Series has an instrument panel that offers easy to read indicators and the deluxe seat helps keep you working comfortably with a high-back reclining seat. K-connect 4-point hitch allows you to connect a front implement/equipment in record time, including the PTO connection at the touch of a lever. Ground clearance is not an issue, as the BX1880 has 7.6 inches of clearance and the others have 8.4 inches of space. The BX series has a durable and strong one piece metal hood that resists dents and dings, and the cab has a new heated option for when you’re needing to clear out snow in the wintertime.
Features – 7.6 or 8.4-inch ground clearance
- Optional heated cab
- K-Connect for front implement saves times
- High-back reclining seat
- Backlit instrument panel
- Wide range of optional attachments including mowers, box scrapers, grapples, snow blowers, landscape rakes, quick hitches, (and more)
- Sub-compact sizes are great in tight spaces and are easy to drive
- Switch-Tach loader makes it easy to remove and switch without needing to get down off of the tractor at any point, and no tools required
- Kubota diesel engines
- 4 models available in the BX80 Series from 16 to 25 horsepower
Kubota L02 Compact Series
The new Kubota L02 Series is a great step-up from their sub-compact tractors if you need more power to get through your work. It’s built to outperform the 01 Series and works with a comprehensive offering of loader attachments and performance-matched implements to handle all kinds of applications you can throw at it, all while having the usual Kubota durability, comfort, and reliability.
It has four horsepower options, starting at 24.8 upwards to 48.4 at the highest – ideal for a wide variety of needs and applications from yard work and small field work to small farming plots and towing equipment with ease. It brings in plenty of quality and performance to work above its afford starting price range. The bonnet and grille have been updated to keep the engine and tractor safe from the elements even better than before, with ergonomically designed lever grips and steering wheel, providing a more comfortable time while in use.
Performance matched implements take on the toughest gardening you can throw at them and in the winter, can be easily utilized to plow through snow with ease. The heavy-duty 3pt hitch pairs with a large capacity hydraulic cylinder and pump for heavy-duty lifting and performance that also enables the tractor to work well with different attachments. The front loader employs a series type loader valve design with simultaneous boom and bucket operation. It helps speed-up and dump times to cut down on time and help with efficiency. The curved wall and flat bottom on the new bucket design also help to get more in the bucket while moving materials. The LA526 and LA766 loaders can be removed without tools and parking kits.
The diesel engine is designed for minimal vibration and reduced noise for a more comfortable ride while working, along with the improved suspension seat with optional arm rests and the standard rubber flooring. The transmission delivers smooth operation and tight turns. Quick and easy on/off buckets and other attachments require no tools – only mounting pins and hose couplers, allowing you to easily move between what you need to carry on your work without any hassles. There is a narrow model available that is perfect for orchards, vineyards, and nurseries that require a tighter squeeze.
Features –
- Easy quick coupler
- HST or gear drive transmission
- All-day comfort
- Hassle-free maintenance and operation
- Narrow model is available
- Quiet operation and minimal vibrations
- Independent PTO switch on the HST model
- New front loader design
- Hard-working hydraulic capacity
- 4 different models
- Affordable starting price
John Deere Series 2 Compact
John Deere needs no introduction when it comes to their equipment. The Series 2 Compact tractors are their mid-range compacts that start at 24.2 horsepower and go to 36.7HP. Perfect for landscaping and snow blowing, these can help get the job done. Fine-tuned engineering makes every job that needs to be finished at a quick pace.
There are three compact tractors in the 2 Series, all with the Quik-Park Loader Mounting System that are designed for easy mounting and removal in minutes, without the need for tools. Their parking stand is an integral part of the design. The operator station is ergonomically designed and the layout is spacious. iMatch Quick-Hitch Attachability makes it fast and easy to take implements on and off in record time. The 2025R model has an optional factory-installed heated cab and is compatible with the 120R Loader, featuring a lift capacity at full height of 840lbs.
Both the 2032R and the 2038R have large heavy frames for increased stability and are compatible with 220R Loader and feature a lift capacity of 1,120lbs.
Features – 24.2 to 36.7 horsepower ranges
- Large, heavy frames for increased stability
- Three horsepower levels, from 24.2 to 36.7 HP
- Optional heated cab
- Drive-over mower decks up to 72-inches
- Multiple attachments available and easy to attach and switch when needed
- No tools needed with the Quik-Park loader mounting system
Bobcat Sub-Compact Tractors
Bobcat sub-compact tractors are all powerful machines that work perfectly for big jobs, yet are small enough to work in tight areas such as nurseries and vineyards. They offer more power and versatility than you’d get from a small lawn or garden tractor, but their small size still allows for the same graces when it comes to fitting into certain areas around barns, sheds and around trees.
Additional attachments help to tackle a wide variety of light-duty tasks and the PTO-powered implements and attachments help you get there. Two 1000 platform sub-compact tractor models are available, each of them featuring a convenient 46-inch width that allows you to fit in most spaces. The easy to learn and easy to use hydrostatic transmission makes it easy to operate, and the limited category three-point hitch makes for easy attachments.
Features – Lift capacity 700lbs
- 45.7 inch width and 99.3 inch length
- Four-wheel drive
- Three-point hitch
- Up to 11.1 mph travel speed
- Standard mid-PTO for using a belly mower
Bobcat Compact Tractors
Bobcats compact tractors all come with the same features as their sub-compact companions, except with even more power and features. The 200, 4000, and 5000 series are all compact tractors that pack a punch and can help with everything from simple yard work and trimming to small farm and acreage work with ease.
The 2000 series has a 63.4-inch width and a 120.9 inch length with enclosed cab models available and a 1,631lbs capacity. Four wheel drive, and up to 14.4 mph travel speed. All the way up the 5000 series is capable of 3,177lbs capacity and runs up at 139.6 inch length and 74.2 inch width, up to a 17.5mph travel speed. The 4000 platform series sits right in the middle of those at 2,716lbs carrying capacity, 69-inch width and 125 inch length.
2000 Series has a manual-shift or hydrostatic option, while the 4000 and 5000 both have a turbocharge engine and a manual synchro shuttle or hydrostatic transmission. The 5000 has an electronic hydrostatic transmission. 4000 has open workstation models only and the 5000 has a standard factory installed deluxe cab. Four wheel drive and anti-stall functions, three-point hitches on all of them and the ability to utilize and easily attach implements to get every job done is unprecedented.
Features – Hydrostatic transmissions
- Four wheel drive
- Three-point hitches
- Large lift capacities from 1,631lbs to 3,177lbs.
Our Methodology
For this article, we chose the best small and compact tractors based on the top-rated Canadian tractor brands and user reviews from gardeners, farmers, and other such users that work with them daily. We also consulted other trusted review websites to ensure that we included the best compact tractors for users.
Questions about small tractors
Compact or sub-compact tractor?
Choosing between a compact or sub-compact tractor will depend entirely on what kind of work you need from your new tractor. Compact is great for gardening, snow clearing, animal management, wooded areas, rugged terrain, and pulling/hauling large loads.
Sub-compact is a smaller, low to the ground tractor that is ideal for owners that have only a few acres of land and need it for hauling smaller loads, doing gardening and yardwork. They also take up less storage space when not in use.
How much does a sub-compact tractor cost?
The average price for a sub-compact tractor can start at anywhere from $15,000 upwards to $30,000+. It depends on the brand and what features you want in your new tractor.
How much does a compact tractor weigh?
Compact and sub-compact tractors weigh anywhere from 1,400 to 4,000+ pounds.
How to transport a compact tractor?
An 18-foot or longer trailer meant for transporting landscape and garden tractors are a good way to transport a compact tractor wherever you need it to go, whether you’re bringing it home or picking it up from purchase. You can fit smaller sub-compact into a 16-foot trailer, but it’s a much better idea to have a longer one just in case it doesn’t.
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Updated date
August 25th, 2023
About the author
Nikki Lyka
Nikki Lyka is a reviewer and writer at Rank-It.ca that’s written about a variety of subjects from the best fantasy novels to travel guides and blogs. When she isn’t researching and typing up a storm, she’s generally found winding down with tea, video games, practicing aerial hoop, photography, and reading good horror novels.
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