CLEAR WINNER? JOHN DEERE 1025R VS KUBOTA BX23S TRACTORS! 🚜

Compare a John Deere 1025r tractor vs Kubota BX23s tractor. The John Deere 1025r tractor in this video is a 2018 model equipped with a model 120r front end loader, 260b backhoe, and 54" AutoConnect mower deck. The Kubota BX23s tractor in this video is a 2017 model equipped with an LA340 front end loader, BT603 backhoe, and Easy Over 60" mower deck. Both the John Deere 1025r and Kubota BX23s tractors are the absolute cream of the crop in the subcompact tractor world. They are feature rich and stand out above all other competition. It's no wonder either considering they offer easy to use quick park loaders, quick attach buckets, drive over mower deck systems, and well designed backhoes.

In this video of the John Deere 1025r and Kubota BX23s, I will do my absolute best to provide an independent overview comparing the features shared by both tractors, highlighting the differences between the two models, and giving those manufacturers my complaints about what they should have as available options or standard equipment. So, if they are watching, then I hope they listen! Everyone watching would love to hear your thoughts on the subject whether you own a tractor or not! So, please leave a comment below, give me a thumbs up or down, and consider subscribing to my channel! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and I hope you enjoy!

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This video is for entertainment purposes only. Good Works Tractors (Good Works Lawn & Power, LLC) cannot be held responsible for content found in any video. Always reference your owners manuals, use extreme caution, and proceed at your own risk.

[GoodWorksTractors]

*Discount codes cannot be combined with any other promotions, offers, or deals!
**I choose to sell some products through 3rd parties instead of stocking items myself. Know that I will receive a commission if you choose to purchase through certain links. Thank you very much for your support!

[pa-chan]

Pretty solid comparison video. Thanks. 3 years ago I was in the market for a subcompact tractor to help with landscaping in my modest but complex (just under .5 acre) lot. Even though I never had owned a tractor myself, I'd always been a big lover of green...you know...several toy JD tractors as a kid, haha. The video does a great job in pointing out many of the little pros and cons one has over the other. Most of them are fairly minor and come down to personal preference, for example, in my case I preferred metal hood, panels, and fenders over plastic.

I started my search at a nearby dealer that sold both the New Holland and the Massey. I quite liked the looks of the blue NH. The salesman, however, discouraged me away from the NH saying they were newer to the subcompact market and that they had seen several problems with the NH tractors they had sold and that the Massey had much better reliability. I strongly considered the Massey then and there.

Before I settled, I figured I would look at the Kubota BX23S. I checked with one local dealer first and then a rural area dealer about 90 minutes away. I took it for a little test spin in the field nearby and I quite liked it. He offered me the BX23S AND a box blade for about $2300 less than the local dealer did for the BX23S alone. Game over. I didn't even make it to the John Deere dealer. That was Sept. 2019. Fast forward 3 years and 138 hours and I still love my tractor. It has been a great machine, with only 2 minor issues: 1) a loose throttle handle I was able to fix/tighten myself in less than 5 minutes, and 2) a detached FEL joystick that I was able to fix with a $15 part and about 45 minutes of labor.

If the FEL capacity of the JD really is about 500 lbs more, then that could be a big deal to some people. But then again we didn't really hear what the lift high and dump capacity was. I'm sure that weight is much less for both. But for most guys, I think the main function with the FEL is going to be scooping, lifting up, and dumping dirt. Regardless, I'm sure the extra capacity on the JD would come in handy sometimes. But my experience has been unless I have an extra full scoop of extra dense dirt, which may cause it to strain a bit getting it out of the pile, 95% of the time the capacity on my BX is just fine. It generally can handle what the scoop can hold volume wise. If you need to scoop more dirt at a time, you probably need a bigger tractor and a bigger bucket.


Quite a few JD guys have commented on their disfavor of treadle pedal. I can't really comment on the two pedal system on the JD, but the fact is I love the treadle pedal and it's ease of use and it's surety to not hit the wrong pedal/way when maneuvering (particularly backwards). I have found it to be very straight-forward, simple, and fantastic. I haven't had any ergonomic issues with it.

Simply put, I'm amazed at how much such a small tractor can do. I'm sure I would have been happy had I gotten the green one, but I know I wouldn't have gotten the screaming deal that I got with orange one. It's a great machine. It's a blast to drive and still every time I get on it I'm grinning ear to ear.

[doncook]

Amen to the air ride seat, draw bar, the premium three point hitch system and an upgrade on the grille guard.

[platt]

It brothers me that my 1025 didn't come with a draw bar as well. Im glad you mentioned that.

[russorpcom]

Both companies should pay you for giving an excellent demonstration of features and differences. Well done!

[TimsLJ]

My first mod for my 2025R was LED light upgrades. Incredible improvement! Thanks for the info

[Mike-Wisconsin]

I have to say I absolutely love my 1025r. An thanks to your channel it helped push me into getting it last fall. But I have to say as much as I love it. I have been out done by a BX before. When it come to living in the middle of a busy city the bx is the way to go. It just fits into all kinds of places that I couldn’t get my 1025r into. With my 2 acre yard an pond the 1025r is perfect for small country property’s. Keep up the great work. Love the channel

[kenmasker]

I had a BX2360 Kubota without the drive over deck and disconnecting/reconnecting the deck PTO is a real pain. You have to lie partially on the deck reach under the deck with one arm (can't get both in there) slide the locking collar back and push the shaft on. Since the locking collar goes toward the front of the machine and the shaft slides on toward the rear you're trying to push in two different directions with the same hand.
The JD 1025R I have now has a drive over deck and quick attach PTO and it's a piece of cake to remove and install
I also had a Kubota B3350- never buy one of these, they have an exhaust filter regeneration system that doesn't work, the tractor just quits in the middle of the regen. and you have to let it completely cool down then restart and do a parked regen, so 2 hours to regen while it is parked. It spent a ton of time in the shop, I traded it in with only 120 hours on it. From what I'm heard this affects all B3350s and wasn't just my tractors issue.

[avs]

You are sooo right! Air ride seat, heat And AC👍

[JeffMadre]

Amen on the need for a drawbar. I was surprised not to see one on my dad’s BX. I’ve grow around my family’s 4000-series JD’s and it seems weird not to have it.

[linksservicesllc]

I own both machines and they both have been wonderful love your channel

[deej]

Every time he says "It drives me nuts" take a drink

[HappyMemoriesFoto]

The only “feature” of these nearly identical machines that has any practical significance is the price. Where I live Kubota happens to cost $5, 000 less. In other areas it may be the other way around. Everything else is just minor details not worth obsessing over.

[blankstaircase]

Thanks for the info..Allways helpful. If you get a Kubota B2301 in, I would like to see that "vs" vid to the 1025r. I have a BX2380. It's a great tractor. For my needs, the 3 point control did not matter. Get the relief pressure on the BX right, it will lift anything you need in the relation to the size of this tractor. The price point on the BX was $3k cheaper than the 1025r new. And I had the dealer add a 3rd function and a grapple. This was in our market area. I have been to your shop. You were very helpful, and I could tell buying a used tractor from you, would of been a great experience. It just made sense at the time to buy new with the finance offers. I really wish Kubota would offer a BX with position control. One of the main reasons I went with the BX over the 1025r was the physical size of the machine was better suited on our property..Thanks again for getting this info out to folks. I hope you and your family are healthy.

[bryangrim]

Always fun watching these comparisons between tractors. Reminds me of the old Chevy versus Ford trucks debate when I was a kid. LOL. I always end up learning a little bit more than I knew before. That being said, they all seem like great machines. I ended up going with neither of these two brands (getting a Massey) and I am very happy but both of these also seem great. Maybe I’m just easier to please, but I always ask myself “is it easier than a pick and shovel?“ and of course if you go with that simple logic, your gonna be pleased every time. LOL 😆 Like many before have said, it often comes down to your comfort level with dealer support. I know many of these little tractors don’t have a dedicated “drawbar“ but they often at least have a thick steel plate back there with a hole punched in it to at least pull a wagon. Maybe this is lazy, but I would love to see at least a light duty towing option on the back of the Backhoe to still pull a cart or wagon, without taking the Backhoe off. People make a big deal about ease of adding and removing the loader, but the truth is I’ve never taken mine off since I’ve gotten it. So many things I was comparing before my purchase, ended up not mattering at all, and the things I wish I had, I never even thought to look for. It’s a continuous learning experience. Fun video. Thank you! 👍😊

[platinumlawnservice]

The biggest thing I like about the kubota is the pedal. Heel and toe. Forward push backward heel push. Its just so natural. I have a JD garden tractor as well i use for snow removal and im constantly hitting the wrong pedal. I really like kubotas system for that. IT may be the deciding factor on whether or not i get a bx or 1025

[kenmasker]

Having owned a BX2360 (same as the BX23 w/o the backhoe) and currently having a 1025R I will say the pedal arrangement on the 1025R is better especially if you have long legs. The Kubota configuration having to bring you leg way back to use reverse gets very uncomfortable very quickly.

[Shantzonpoint]

You forgot to mention the gas gauge. The Kubota is large located on the instrument cluster and John Deere is a little gauge on the fender. Solid quick hitter video!

[zachtruesdail]

One comparison I’d love to see someday is a more detailed look at the backhoes with real world uses, the John Deere 260b from a 1025r/2025r vs Kubota bt603 from a box, and the bh70 found on a b2301/b2601.

[aforteens]

Thanks, always helpful to have the info.