Tractor Reliability
A Deep Dive into the Reader Insights Survey
Tractors are the backbone of modern farming, essential to the daily operations of farms across the UK. With so many brands and models available, it can be challenging to determine which tractors deliver the best performance and reliability. Using data form Operational Inteliigence exerts DTN, the Progressive Farmer Reader Insights Tractor Study offers valuable guidance, ranking major brands based on feedback from over 2000 farmers who rely on 7000 of the machines surveyed every day. Last year, Kubota, John Deere, and New Holland emerged as the top performers across several categories, offering insight into which tractors provide the best ownership experience, durability, and customer loyalty.
Kubota Shines in Durability and Customer Experience
Kubota has proven to be a standout in this year's survey, particularly in the compact tractor category. It earned the highest ratings for both Overall Durability and Overall Customer Experience. Farmers who use Kubota tractors consistently report fewer issues, which translates into lower maintenance costs and a longer operational lifespan. This is a crucial advantage for those working in environments where equipment reliability is vital to daily operations.
Kubota's compact tractors received top marks in both Best Ownership Experience and Most Durable categories, highlighting their reputation for reliability, especially in smaller models often used for more delicate or specialised tasks.
John Deere Dominates in Owner Loyalty
John Deere continues to be a firm favourite among farmers, and this year’s survey results show why. The brand scored the highest in Overall Loyalty across all tractor sizes—compact, mid-size, and full-size. This loyalty is a testament to John Deere’s consistent performance and reliability, particularly in the larger models often used in demanding agricultural settings.
John Deere also ranked highly in Best Ownership Experience for midsize and full-size tractors, as well as Most Durable for full-size models. Farmers frequently praised John Deere tractors for their ease of operation, durability, and ease of repair—important factors when tractors need to work long hours in tough conditions.
New Holland: The Most Durable Midsize Tractor
While New Holland didn’t top every category, it earned the highest ratings for durability in the midsize tractor segment (100-235 horsepower). This is particularly important for farmers needing a reliable workhorse for medium-scale operations. New Holland owners reported fewer mechanical issues, particularly with engine performance, drivetrain wear, and electrical systems—key indicators of long-term reliability.
What Makes a Reliable Tractor? Key Factors to Consider
The Progressive Farmer Reader Insights survey identifies several key components of tractor reliability, helping farmers understand what makes a durable and dependable machine. The three main categories—Best Ownership Experience, Most Durable, and Highest Owner Loyalty—are evaluated across three tractor sizes: compact (under 100 hp), midsize (100-235 hp), and full-size (236 hp and above).
Best Ownership Experience: This considers brand reputation, reliability, ease of use, and ease of repair. Kubota and John Deere lead here, with farmers highlighting ease of operation as a critical feature.
Most Durable: Durability is measured by the number of reported issues per unit, with Kubota, New Holland, and John Deere leading the pack. Common problem areas include HVAC systems, battery life, lighting, and drivetrain wear. In larger models, hydraulics and hitch systems were also mentioned.
Highest Owner Loyalty: Farmers are more likely to recommend or repurchase tractors from brands that perform consistently. John Deere is the top brand in this category, with many customers willing to buy from the brand again.
Insights from the Field: Real-World Experiences Matter
What makes the Progressive Farmer Reader Insights program unique is its reliance on real-world feedback from actual tractor owners. This year's survey gathered input from 2,262 farmers, resulting in a data set of over 7,700 individual tractor reviews. Most respondents manage crop operations, with maize and wheat being the most common, and over 60% of farmers surveyed operate more than 500 acres of land.
Key takeaways from the survey include:
72% of tractors were purchased from a dealer, with dealer proximity becoming more important as tractor size increases.
60% of tractors were bought outright, indicating that financing is less of a factor for many farmers.
66% of respondents said the ability to maintain the tractor independently was a key consideration.
This extensive feedback not only helps manufacturers improve their products but also provides valuable insights for farmers making future purchasing decisions.
Top Brands According to the Survey
Based on the overall evaluations, the top five tractor brands with the least reported problems per unit are:
Kubota
Case IH
John Deere
New Holland
Massey Ferguson
Kubota leads the rankings with fewer problems per tractor than any other brand, followed closely by Case IH and John Deere. While each of these brands has its strengths, Kubota excels in compact models, and John Deere stands out in terms of customer loyalty and performance across all sizes.
SOCAL Approach uses data-driven insights and user experiences with well-known brands to provide the outcomes of this survey, which gathered 7,755 tractor evaluations from 2,262 mostly crop farmers -- about 3.5 evaluations per person.
Sixty-one percent of owners work more than 500 acres of land, 4% operate 5,000 acres or more. Almost 60% of respondents lease land. Corn and soybeans are the two most common crops managed by survey respondents. Two-thirds of respondents report operating a full-time agribusiness.
Here are results and details from this Reader Insights survey:
-- 72% of all tractors were acquired from a dealer, 19% through a private party, 9% at auction.
-- 60% of all tractors were purchased with cash, with most of the remainder being financed.
-- The importance of both the dealer and its proximity to a farmer's operation becomes increasingly important the larger the tractor.
-- Maintaining a tractor by oneself was a primary consideration in 66% of all tractor acquisitions.
-- Ownership experience is comprised of six factors: brand reputation, reliability/durability, repairability, ease of operation, cost to own and resale value. Of the six attributes, ease of operation scores highest among respondents, with reliability/durability and repairability all scoring above average.
-- Durability is comprised of 13 problem areas. Among them are engine performance, lighting/electrical, fuel system, seat comfort/adjustability, advanced technology and drivetrain. Of all tractors evaluated, the top problems identified by readers include HVAC, battery and lighting/electrical. Hydraulics/hitch, seat comfort/adjustability and drivetrain wear/tear are also often reported.
Among small tractors top problem areas include battery, lighting/electrical and seat comfort/adjustability. Among medium tractors, readers pointed to HVAC, battery and lighting/electrical as top problems. Among large tractor owners, the top problems reported in this survey included HVAC, hydraulics/hitch, battery and drivetrain wear/tear.
-- Owner reliability is based on three different factors: likelihood of recommending a tractor brand to others; likelihood of purchasing another tractor of the same brand; likelihood of purchasing any product from the same brand. Respondents would recommend their tractor brand for almost two-thirds (65%) of the tractors reviewed. But, this is true more so for larger tractors than smaller tractors.
-- The Readership Insights survey asked tractor owners about their most durable tractor brands as measured by problems per unit. The top five brands (in order) with the least amount of problems reported by respondents are Kubota, Case IH, John Deere, New Holland and Massey Ferguson. The average number of problems per unit across all brands was 1.21.
-- Best overall brands according to respondents are (in order) Kubota, John Deere, New Holland, Case IH and Versatile.
-- Interesting to note is that fewer than half of all tractors received top ratings across the board for all three metrics of loyalty (recommend the brand, would purchase another tractor from same brand, would purchase any product from same brand).
Summary
Choosing the right tractor is a critical decision for farmers, directly impacting operations and productivity. The Progressive Farmer Reader Insights survey offers an invaluable resource, providing independent, real-world feedback from those who use these machines daily. Whether it's Kubota’s unmatched durability in compact tractors, John Deere’s loyal customer base, or New Holland’s reliable midsize models, this survey helps farmers make more informed choices based on the experiences of their peers.
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