Yesterday afternoon I delivered my 2018 MX4800 HST and 2019 L2501 HST tractors to the dealer in trade for a new L4060HSTC. I was sad to see both my "old" tractors go, as they were excellent machines, but excited for the new tractor.
Here are my initial impressions:
Appearance and quality is excellent. Everything on the exterior, besides the grille, is metal. I noticed on my MX4800, the hood and fenders were steel, but the cowl behind the fuel tank and up to the instrument panel was actually made of plastic.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...865f84f400f2d2186e8e1853aef5daaa86b66786.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...38d265c95874a5a8c93993c1d7325d2ea9d1caba.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...558596fbdc5cb29a624a94ef84e852724ddf4119.jpeg
Cab:
Quieter inside, but not a Rolls-Royce. It is quiet enough to not need hearing protection and to listen to the radio. I'm not sure if the cab is completely sealed, either. I already noticed the 4x4 level goes through the floor with just a thin bristle-style grommet with the ground visible below. The doors need to be shut pretty forcefully to fully close. This could be a testament of how tight the cab is, however. Visibility, in my opinion, is excellent. You can't lean over and see things quite as well as an open station, but I can actually see the inside of the front wheels and front axle better than with my open station due to position of loader hoses / valve. The rear quarter windows open and close very easily with latches, and open meaningfully well enough to provide good ventilation or talk to someone outside. The rear window also opens and closes similarly, and has a hydraulic strut assist. Both front doors lock and have a key access to the lock on either side. Both front doors can be easily shut when seated, even if they are fully open. They have hydraulic strut assist.
HVAC:
Very good. There are a total of 8 round vents in the roof which you can angle and rotate or close completely. Very similar to Ford pickup vents of a few years ago. There are four vents positioned a little lower than the other four, and are more forward. Two can easily be directed to the front windshield for defrost, and the other two can be angled towards the front doors. Or all can be directed at the windshield, or even back at the driver if desired. The other four are just a little ahead of the operator and off to the sides. The blower fan is pretty strong. It was only 60F here yesterday, but the A/C seemed very cold. Last night I was driving it around late and the temp had dropped to 40F...the heat is very hot once the engine warms up, which can be quite a while if you are only idling.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...26b4f6ae0cb50dadff58c4f6b8e797ac5dcc2431.jpeg
Radio:
This is going to vary based upon what your dealer (or you) install, but my dealer installed a fairly typical Jensen Heavy Duty JHD36A radio. It's actually a pretty nice unit that retails for $250 on Crutchfield, has AM/FM, single CD, front-panel USB port, streaming Bluetooth, and NOAA Weatherband with alert. Audio quality is fair through the tractors two roof mounted Clarion speakers. I suspect upgraded speakers with some Dynomat behind them would improve sound quality, but it still isn't bad the way it is. You can definitely hear the radio when it's turned up a bit even at wide open throttle. I got it to connect to my iPhone pretty easily.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...7dc72d820820042aa4d66880b7b352861ca12e5a.jpeg
Wipers:
These tractors come standard with a front wiper/washer, but I got the optional rear wiper/washer as well. I was pleasantly surprised to learn the rear wiper also has a washer. The switches are located in the roof next to the HVAC. The front wiper is large and covers most of the glass area. The rear wiper is a bit smaller. They work fine, but you only have a choice of continuous wiping or OFF. When you do activate the washer, the wiper is automatically triggered, but you have to manually shut the wiper off. Oddly, you can also activate *just* the washer without wiping, but I'm not sure why anyone would want to do this.
Seat:
The Grand L series comes standard with a high-back vinyl seat, with fold-down armrests . The armrests do not adjust for height...they are either up or down. The seat can be adjusted fore and aft, and can swivel a little bit left and right. The backrest recline angle can also be adjusted. The seat is mounted on a nice spring with a weight adjustment for a stiffer or lighter ride based upon your weight. However, this is the biggest disappointment for me. I'm 6'6" and 270lbs. Even adjusted to max weight / stiffness, the seat bottoms out. My 230lb co-worker tried it as well, and it also bottomed out. I had a 170 lb employee try it, and it worked great...he thought it was the perfect spring rate...and this was still adjusted to max weight. I guess the Japanese are lightweight. There is an optional air-ride cloth seat that supports more weight, but it is expensive. I might try to see if there is any solution for the standard seat for heavier operators. Otherwise, the seat looks very nice and is reasonably comfortable.
Exterior Lights:
The Grand L comes with high and low beam headlights, front "side lights," and front work lights. I also optioned for the rear work lights, which are a clone of the front work lights. The results are a mixed bag. The headlights themselves are the best I've had in a tractor. They are 55w low beam and 60w high beam. This is the same as an automobile, and the beam pattern is pretty good. The switch is on the column control stalk. My MX4800 for comparison had 35w low and 35w high beams. The L2501 only had 25w lows and highs. However, as many of you guys know, the loader blocks the headlights unless it is very low or fairly high. For working in a field at night, neither of those carry options are my preference. Furthermore, they only light up in front of you, which is nice but you need more for tractor work. Next up are the "front sidelights." These are only 21w bulbs, which is the same rating as the brake lights in an automobile. The switch is a push-button on the dash area, right side. They are fairly useless. They do direct out to the side a bit, but only push a small amount of light. The non-cab L60 series tractors without work lights might benefit more because that's all they have. Next are the front work lights located at the top of the cab. These are 35w bulbs in a flood-style reflector lens. They light up the area immediately to either side of the hood but are relatively dim and do not extend out very much. They do glare off the top of the hood, but not badly. They are controlled by a rocker switch on the main pillar of the cab, right side. The rear work lights are located at roof level on the back of the cab facing backwards. As clones of the front lights, with a similar switch right next to the front switch, these seems to work surprisingly better. It could be because there are no other bright lights on the back of the tractor, or because there are no obstacles to block the light such as a hood. I think these lights are perfectly adequate for backing up even while operating a mower or other rear implement. Other lights include the tail lights (standard Kubota fare 21W (same as automobile) integrated in the rear fenders. They work fine. There are amber lights also integrated into the fender next to the tail lights same as most other Kubotas, they are 21W and work great as flashers or turn signals. Mounted high on the rear cab roof are two flasher / signal repeaters, also 21W amber lights. On the front, mounted mid-level at the outside of the cab corners are amber 21W flasher / signal repeaters, but these also have a "parking light" function just like a car. They are lit when your headlights are on - cool feature.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...570b66044fd3937b95f3b779c46cf5da4e600bd9.jpeg
Interior lighting:
There is one courtesy lamp in the roof, biased to the right side. Although it has an on-auto-off switch position, there are no door switches in the 60 series so you choice is on or off. It is a 5W bulb, and I actually find it adequate to light the interior. Others find it weak, but I am content.
Instrument / Switch Backlighting
The instrument cluster is fully backlit, including the analog gauges and the message center. The backlighting is LED and is on "full bright" all the time, and dims slightly when you turn on the headlamps. The following switches and controls are illuminated: Hazard switch push button (red), Climate Control panel (blue/green/red temp dial, A/C on (backlit and indicator on), recirculating active (backlit and indicator on), blower fan speed (green backlight). The radio is fully backlit but only when turned on. It does have a clock which stays active when the radio is off. The front and rear wiper controls are backlit in green. The front-sidelights green pushbutton is illuminated but only when your turn on the switch. Finally, the front and rear work lights switches are backlit in green, and have an amber "on" indicator when active. The cruise control switch is NOT illuminated, nor are the DPF regeneration buttons, although they light up in orange when you push them. I'm pretty happy with the interior lighting overall.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...026257745e48844f053a9d5ea69354b1f6b45807.jpeg
Steering wheel / column:
The tilt function works great and has a nice range of adjustment. The steering wheel has a good feel too it, not to thin or thick. There is a horn...and it is fairly loud, and operated normally by pressing the center of the steering wheel. The turn signals are activated just like in a car, by a control stalk. This stalk also has a rotating switch on the end of it which activates headlamps and high beams. Very car like. The H-DS control is super convenient on the left side of the column and works intuitively.
Storage:
Not that great. The cup holder is a decent size, finally, and even has a mug handle cutout. However, otherwise there is only a shallow tray towards the rear, and a deeper but thin bin towards the front. There is a 12V outlet, not terribly convenient, but out of the way. Finally, there is a "glove box" which locks in the back of the front seat, but you'd have to flip the seat to access it.
Interior Fit and Finish:
Pretty good by my book, and I think this is where Kubota really beats the others except maybe Deere. The left side fender "plastic" trim looks solid but is fully and deeply padded. The headliner is cloth, nice, and automotive quality. The plastic pillar trim and side trim are all good fitting, a nice color, and consistent. The floor mat is rubber and much cushier than other rubber floor mats in various tractors I've had.
Instrument Cluster:
Basically excellent. My biggest complaint is that there is no indicator letting the operator know if the 4x4 system is engaged. Otherwise, the analog gauges are very clean and nicely lit. The fuel gauge always reads, even with the key off. If you leave the key on while refueling, there is a buzzer that will sound when the tank is full, so you don't overfill and spill fuel. There are warning indicators for high beams, turn signals, flashers, parking brake, cruise control active, PTO active, stall guard active, auto H-DS active, which H-DS mode you are in, auto-throttle advance active, DPF regen active, RPM up warning, Check Engine, Engine Warning, Master Caution, low oil pressure, and battery not charging. The message center (Intelli-Panel) has a clock, a digital speedometer, a selected range indicator, and various displays for fuel consumption (average by hour and total gallons used), total hours and trip hours, DPF percentage full, PTO speed, cruise control speed, all the HST transmission settings, and a complete and automatically-tripping maintenance schedule log. Other warnings on screen include a fasten seatbelt warning, glow plug active, low fuel warning, engine overheat, and more.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...445faa2a69e06827f1f68c1bf6b0246ba98a6774.jpeg
HST-Plus Transmission:
This is perhaps the most impressive part of the Grand L 60 series. Basically, you get a three-range HST that is fully electronically controlled. The electronic overlay is impressive. Stall guard is of dubious value, but if you get bogged down and not notice it in your climate-controlled cab with the radio blaring, I guess it will help you not stall the tractor. My favorite feature is the auto throttle. The HST pedal works just like a car...press the HST pedal like a gas pedal, and the tractor accelerates accordingly. You can adjust the HST pedal sensitivity and I find this makes a big difference. I'm +2 on the scale. The next best feature for me is the H-DS (hydro dual speed) function. It gives you a range within a range, so you really have 6 ranges. You can flick the lever on the column up or down to give you more torque and less speed, or less torque and more speed. It works extremely well, is nearly imperceptible, and works great in conjunction with auto throttle. There is also "auto H-DS" which will shift up and down for you based upon load, but I found this to be jerky and not needed given how easily you can shift yourself. Finally, the range-change lever down on the left side is a nicer quality than what you get in most HST tractors, and the indicator on the dash of which range you are in is a nice touch. There is no HST whine either.
4x4:
The lever is in the usual spot, but the engaged / disengaged positions are opposite what most Kubota models are. The lever actually feels a little sloppy and did not engage or disengage easily. There is a longer travel range. My biggest complaint is the lack of an indicator on the dash.
Turning circle:
Very impressive. Seems to turn tighter than my other tractors I've had. Power steering feel is good.
Engine:
Very responsive. More responsive than my MX4800, which is odd, because I think they are the same engine with a different rating. Combined with the HST+ trans, the tractor is very smooth and responsive. The engine is quiet and smooth, and powerful sounding when revved. One annoyance is that you must remove a side panel, held by bolts, to access the oil fill cap. The air filter is moved rearward over the top of the engine, just ahead of the DPF. This is a little less convenient to access compared to the typical "over the battery" location. I'm also concerned that the new location is a lot hotter right next to the DPF and above the engine. Warmer air means less performance. This tractor has four heat exchangers out front - the engine radiator at the rear, then the A/C condenser ahead of that, and two smaller coolers - the HST / hydraulic cooler, and the fuel cooler. There are two screens you can remove and clean - one ahead of the A/C condenser and one ahead of the radiator. To remove and clean the one ahead of the radiator, the loader arms must be raised. That's no big deal because I usually do that anyway during a stop and clean in the field. I'm very pleased there are two screens. The battery is still a 582CCA unit, same as an open station tractor in this class; however the alternator is a little more robust at 60A (compared to 45A for the open station MX). Of course, the cab has more electrical draw between the HVAC, front and rear work lights, brighter headlights, side lights, radio, 12V outlet, etc. If you want the rear and side defrosters, and alternator upgrade to the "high output" 95W alternator is required. I did not opt for this. The A/C compressor is pretty small and mounted up high on the engine.
Loader:
The loader is considerably more responsive than the MX loader, but not jerky. It lifts to a good height and has reasonable weight lift ability. I never had a problem with the open-station loader-stanchion mount, but this stick is probably even nicer. The throttle up button is a very nice touch. Ground speed does not change when you throttle up, which is great. You can set how many RPMs you want the button to increase engine speed to; I set mine down to around 1900RPM. The rest of the loader itself is like all other Kubota loaders...well made, easily removable, and with good quality SSQA couplers.
Overall, I love this tractor. I'll use it for plowing this winter and mowing in the summer. I'll continue to give reports as I put more hours on it, same as I did with my L2501. It's amazing how much effort and "luxury" there is here. Then again, the price tag with KTAC came to $45,000. It should be nice.
Here are my initial impressions:
Appearance and quality is excellent. Everything on the exterior, besides the grille, is metal. I noticed on my MX4800, the hood and fenders were steel, but the cowl behind the fuel tank and up to the instrument panel was actually made of plastic.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...865f84f400f2d2186e8e1853aef5daaa86b66786.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...38d265c95874a5a8c93993c1d7325d2ea9d1caba.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...558596fbdc5cb29a624a94ef84e852724ddf4119.jpeg
Cab:
Quieter inside, but not a Rolls-Royce. It is quiet enough to not need hearing protection and to listen to the radio. I'm not sure if the cab is completely sealed, either. I already noticed the 4x4 level goes through the floor with just a thin bristle-style grommet with the ground visible below. The doors need to be shut pretty forcefully to fully close. This could be a testament of how tight the cab is, however. Visibility, in my opinion, is excellent. You can't lean over and see things quite as well as an open station, but I can actually see the inside of the front wheels and front axle better than with my open station due to position of loader hoses / valve. The rear quarter windows open and close very easily with latches, and open meaningfully well enough to provide good ventilation or talk to someone outside. The rear window also opens and closes similarly, and has a hydraulic strut assist. Both front doors lock and have a key access to the lock on either side. Both front doors can be easily shut when seated, even if they are fully open. They have hydraulic strut assist.
HVAC:
Very good. There are a total of 8 round vents in the roof which you can angle and rotate or close completely. Very similar to Ford pickup vents of a few years ago. There are four vents positioned a little lower than the other four, and are more forward. Two can easily be directed to the front windshield for defrost, and the other two can be angled towards the front doors. Or all can be directed at the windshield, or even back at the driver if desired. The other four are just a little ahead of the operator and off to the sides. The blower fan is pretty strong. It was only 60F here yesterday, but the A/C seemed very cold. Last night I was driving it around late and the temp had dropped to 40F...the heat is very hot once the engine warms up, which can be quite a while if you are only idling.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...26b4f6ae0cb50dadff58c4f6b8e797ac5dcc2431.jpeg
Radio:
This is going to vary based upon what your dealer (or you) install, but my dealer installed a fairly typical Jensen Heavy Duty JHD36A radio. It's actually a pretty nice unit that retails for $250 on Crutchfield, has AM/FM, single CD, front-panel USB port, streaming Bluetooth, and NOAA Weatherband with alert. Audio quality is fair through the tractors two roof mounted Clarion speakers. I suspect upgraded speakers with some Dynomat behind them would improve sound quality, but it still isn't bad the way it is. You can definitely hear the radio when it's turned up a bit even at wide open throttle. I got it to connect to my iPhone pretty easily.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...7dc72d820820042aa4d66880b7b352861ca12e5a.jpeg
Wipers:
These tractors come standard with a front wiper/washer, but I got the optional rear wiper/washer as well. I was pleasantly surprised to learn the rear wiper also has a washer. The switches are located in the roof next to the HVAC. The front wiper is large and covers most of the glass area. The rear wiper is a bit smaller. They work fine, but you only have a choice of continuous wiping or OFF. When you do activate the washer, the wiper is automatically triggered, but you have to manually shut the wiper off. Oddly, you can also activate *just* the washer without wiping, but I'm not sure why anyone would want to do this.
Seat:
The Grand L series comes standard with a high-back vinyl seat, with fold-down armrests . The armrests do not adjust for height...they are either up or down. The seat can be adjusted fore and aft, and can swivel a little bit left and right. The backrest recline angle can also be adjusted. The seat is mounted on a nice spring with a weight adjustment for a stiffer or lighter ride based upon your weight. However, this is the biggest disappointment for me. I'm 6'6" and 270lbs. Even adjusted to max weight / stiffness, the seat bottoms out. My 230lb co-worker tried it as well, and it also bottomed out. I had a 170 lb employee try it, and it worked great...he thought it was the perfect spring rate...and this was still adjusted to max weight. I guess the Japanese are lightweight. There is an optional air-ride cloth seat that supports more weight, but it is expensive. I might try to see if there is any solution for the standard seat for heavier operators. Otherwise, the seat looks very nice and is reasonably comfortable.
Exterior Lights:
The Grand L comes with high and low beam headlights, front "side lights," and front work lights. I also optioned for the rear work lights, which are a clone of the front work lights. The results are a mixed bag. The headlights themselves are the best I've had in a tractor. They are 55w low beam and 60w high beam. This is the same as an automobile, and the beam pattern is pretty good. The switch is on the column control stalk. My MX4800 for comparison had 35w low and 35w high beams. The L2501 only had 25w lows and highs. However, as many of you guys know, the loader blocks the headlights unless it is very low or fairly high. For working in a field at night, neither of those carry options are my preference. Furthermore, they only light up in front of you, which is nice but you need more for tractor work. Next up are the "front sidelights." These are only 21w bulbs, which is the same rating as the brake lights in an automobile. The switch is a push-button on the dash area, right side. They are fairly useless. They do direct out to the side a bit, but only push a small amount of light. The non-cab L60 series tractors without work lights might benefit more because that's all they have. Next are the front work lights located at the top of the cab. These are 35w bulbs in a flood-style reflector lens. They light up the area immediately to either side of the hood but are relatively dim and do not extend out very much. They do glare off the top of the hood, but not badly. They are controlled by a rocker switch on the main pillar of the cab, right side. The rear work lights are located at roof level on the back of the cab facing backwards. As clones of the front lights, with a similar switch right next to the front switch, these seems to work surprisingly better. It could be because there are no other bright lights on the back of the tractor, or because there are no obstacles to block the light such as a hood. I think these lights are perfectly adequate for backing up even while operating a mower or other rear implement. Other lights include the tail lights (standard Kubota fare 21W (same as automobile) integrated in the rear fenders. They work fine. There are amber lights also integrated into the fender next to the tail lights same as most other Kubotas, they are 21W and work great as flashers or turn signals. Mounted high on the rear cab roof are two flasher / signal repeaters, also 21W amber lights. On the front, mounted mid-level at the outside of the cab corners are amber 21W flasher / signal repeaters, but these also have a "parking light" function just like a car. They are lit when your headlights are on - cool feature.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...570b66044fd3937b95f3b779c46cf5da4e600bd9.jpeg
Interior lighting:
There is one courtesy lamp in the roof, biased to the right side. Although it has an on-auto-off switch position, there are no door switches in the 60 series so you choice is on or off. It is a 5W bulb, and I actually find it adequate to light the interior. Others find it weak, but I am content.
Instrument / Switch Backlighting
The instrument cluster is fully backlit, including the analog gauges and the message center. The backlighting is LED and is on "full bright" all the time, and dims slightly when you turn on the headlamps. The following switches and controls are illuminated: Hazard switch push button (red), Climate Control panel (blue/green/red temp dial, A/C on (backlit and indicator on), recirculating active (backlit and indicator on), blower fan speed (green backlight). The radio is fully backlit but only when turned on. It does have a clock which stays active when the radio is off. The front and rear wiper controls are backlit in green. The front-sidelights green pushbutton is illuminated but only when your turn on the switch. Finally, the front and rear work lights switches are backlit in green, and have an amber "on" indicator when active. The cruise control switch is NOT illuminated, nor are the DPF regeneration buttons, although they light up in orange when you push them. I'm pretty happy with the interior lighting overall.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...026257745e48844f053a9d5ea69354b1f6b45807.jpeg
Steering wheel / column:
The tilt function works great and has a nice range of adjustment. The steering wheel has a good feel too it, not to thin or thick. There is a horn...and it is fairly loud, and operated normally by pressing the center of the steering wheel. The turn signals are activated just like in a car, by a control stalk. This stalk also has a rotating switch on the end of it which activates headlamps and high beams. Very car like. The H-DS control is super convenient on the left side of the column and works intuitively.
Storage:
Not that great. The cup holder is a decent size, finally, and even has a mug handle cutout. However, otherwise there is only a shallow tray towards the rear, and a deeper but thin bin towards the front. There is a 12V outlet, not terribly convenient, but out of the way. Finally, there is a "glove box" which locks in the back of the front seat, but you'd have to flip the seat to access it.
Interior Fit and Finish:
Pretty good by my book, and I think this is where Kubota really beats the others except maybe Deere. The left side fender "plastic" trim looks solid but is fully and deeply padded. The headliner is cloth, nice, and automotive quality. The plastic pillar trim and side trim are all good fitting, a nice color, and consistent. The floor mat is rubber and much cushier than other rubber floor mats in various tractors I've had.
Instrument Cluster:
Basically excellent. My biggest complaint is that there is no indicator letting the operator know if the 4x4 system is engaged. Otherwise, the analog gauges are very clean and nicely lit. The fuel gauge always reads, even with the key off. If you leave the key on while refueling, there is a buzzer that will sound when the tank is full, so you don't overfill and spill fuel. There are warning indicators for high beams, turn signals, flashers, parking brake, cruise control active, PTO active, stall guard active, auto H-DS active, which H-DS mode you are in, auto-throttle advance active, DPF regen active, RPM up warning, Check Engine, Engine Warning, Master Caution, low oil pressure, and battery not charging. The message center (Intelli-Panel) has a clock, a digital speedometer, a selected range indicator, and various displays for fuel consumption (average by hour and total gallons used), total hours and trip hours, DPF percentage full, PTO speed, cruise control speed, all the HST transmission settings, and a complete and automatically-tripping maintenance schedule log. Other warnings on screen include a fasten seatbelt warning, glow plug active, low fuel warning, engine overheat, and more.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fo...445faa2a69e06827f1f68c1bf6b0246ba98a6774.jpeg
HST-Plus Transmission:
This is perhaps the most impressive part of the Grand L 60 series. Basically, you get a three-range HST that is fully electronically controlled. The electronic overlay is impressive. Stall guard is of dubious value, but if you get bogged down and not notice it in your climate-controlled cab with the radio blaring, I guess it will help you not stall the tractor. My favorite feature is the auto throttle. The HST pedal works just like a car...press the HST pedal like a gas pedal, and the tractor accelerates accordingly. You can adjust the HST pedal sensitivity and I find this makes a big difference. I'm +2 on the scale. The next best feature for me is the H-DS (hydro dual speed) function. It gives you a range within a range, so you really have 6 ranges. You can flick the lever on the column up or down to give you more torque and less speed, or less torque and more speed. It works extremely well, is nearly imperceptible, and works great in conjunction with auto throttle. There is also "auto H-DS" which will shift up and down for you based upon load, but I found this to be jerky and not needed given how easily you can shift yourself. Finally, the range-change lever down on the left side is a nicer quality than what you get in most HST tractors, and the indicator on the dash of which range you are in is a nice touch. There is no HST whine either.
4x4:
The lever is in the usual spot, but the engaged / disengaged positions are opposite what most Kubota models are. The lever actually feels a little sloppy and did not engage or disengage easily. There is a longer travel range. My biggest complaint is the lack of an indicator on the dash.
Turning circle:
Very impressive. Seems to turn tighter than my other tractors I've had. Power steering feel is good.
Engine:
Very responsive. More responsive than my MX4800, which is odd, because I think they are the same engine with a different rating. Combined with the HST+ trans, the tractor is very smooth and responsive. The engine is quiet and smooth, and powerful sounding when revved. One annoyance is that you must remove a side panel, held by bolts, to access the oil fill cap. The air filter is moved rearward over the top of the engine, just ahead of the DPF. This is a little less convenient to access compared to the typical "over the battery" location. I'm also concerned that the new location is a lot hotter right next to the DPF and above the engine. Warmer air means less performance. This tractor has four heat exchangers out front - the engine radiator at the rear, then the A/C condenser ahead of that, and two smaller coolers - the HST / hydraulic cooler, and the fuel cooler. There are two screens you can remove and clean - one ahead of the A/C condenser and one ahead of the radiator. To remove and clean the one ahead of the radiator, the loader arms must be raised. That's no big deal because I usually do that anyway during a stop and clean in the field. I'm very pleased there are two screens. The battery is still a 582CCA unit, same as an open station tractor in this class; however the alternator is a little more robust at 60A (compared to 45A for the open station MX). Of course, the cab has more electrical draw between the HVAC, front and rear work lights, brighter headlights, side lights, radio, 12V outlet, etc. If you want the rear and side defrosters, and alternator upgrade to the "high output" 95W alternator is required. I did not opt for this. The A/C compressor is pretty small and mounted up high on the engine.
Loader:
The loader is considerably more responsive than the MX loader, but not jerky. It lifts to a good height and has reasonable weight lift ability. I never had a problem with the open-station loader-stanchion mount, but this stick is probably even nicer. The throttle up button is a very nice touch. Ground speed does not change when you throttle up, which is great. You can set how many RPMs you want the button to increase engine speed to; I set mine down to around 1900RPM. The rest of the loader itself is like all other Kubota loaders...well made, easily removable, and with good quality SSQA couplers.
Overall, I love this tractor. I'll use it for plowing this winter and mowing in the summer. I'll continue to give reports as I put more hours on it, same as I did with my L2501. It's amazing how much effort and "luxury" there is here. Then again, the price tag with KTAC came to $45,000. It should be nice.
