Ultimate guide to buying a combine 2027

A difficult harvest has left some growers with little appetite for a big machinery bill.

Where underwhelming yields have squeezed returns, replacing a combine becomes a harder decision: keep an ageing machine for another campaign, or invest in a bit more capacity and reliability.

See also: Driver’s View: Guy Walker rates Lexion-like Claas Trion 760

The picture is a little brighter in northern Britain, where yields have held up well, and a new harvester may be easier to justify.

Whatever the individual circumstances, this year’s Ultimate Guide to Combines will help would-be buyers weigh up the options.

It brings together the latest model line-ups, key specs and list prices, alongside any updates for machines ordered and set for their field debut in 2027.

Case IH

Cab technology and crop-handling upgrades are key Case IH changes, with the 400hp Axial-Flow 6160 and 460hp 7160 gaining a second Pro 1200 display.

Operators can view machine and agronomic information simultaneously, while upgraded electronics support faster data processing, remote display viewing and enhanced diagnostics.

The 160-series machines also gain further equipment choices, including a concave configuration for high-moisture crops, a two-speed feeder drive and a function to empty the unloading auger before folding, reducing the risk of grain spillage.

Elsewhere, Case IH has discontinued the 7260 X-Tra and 7260 X-Tra Accutrac, leaving the standard 7260 and tracked 7260 Accutrac alongside the larger 8260 and 9260 X-Tra machines.

The AF9 and AF10 flagships continue, backed by 16,000- and 20,000-litre grain tanks. Published prices for existing models are unchanged from the previous guide.

Claas

On-the-go grain analysis, a wider draper header and engine changes lead the Claas updates, while the Trion range loses the 530 Terra-Trac and 720 Montana.

Nutrimeter Grain brings near-infrared analysis to Lexion combines, measuring grain protein and rapeseed oil content as a continuous sample is sent through a bypass in the grain elevator.

Readings appear on the Cebis terminal and upload to Claas Connect, allowing growers to segregate loads by quality and use mapped results to inform subsequent fertiliser decisions.

The system was introduced on model-year 2026 Lexions and carries into the latest range.

The 15.3m Convio Flex draper is now available in the UK for the largest Lexions and becomes the recommended header for the 8900 Terra Trac in the guide, offering almost 11% more working width than the 13.8m version.

Seven Lexion variants switch from Mercedes-Benz to Cummins engines without changing their stated power outputs.

These comprise the 313hp 5300, 354hp 5400 and 6600, and 408hp 5500 Montana, 5500 Terra Trac, and 6700 and 6700 Terra Trac.

Cemos Auto Chopping uses straw-moisture sensing to adjust the chopper knives automatically.

Published base harvester prices for continuing models remain unchanged from the previous guide.

Fendt

Fendt’s twin-rotor Ideal 8 and Ideal 9 gain more separation area through the replacement of rotor-housing blanking plates with finger grates.

The claimed increases are 27% for the 549hp Ideal 8 and 12% for the 660hp Ideal 9.

This arrangement is already standard on the Ideal 10; the single-rotor Ideal 7 retains its existing separation arrangement. Other updates include Hardox feed-area wear plates and, for 2027, a standard transmission oil cooler.

No models are added or withdrawn. Corus, L and C-series base prices generally rise just over 3%. Ideal increases are a smidge under 2.5%, taking an Ideal 7 to £497,042 and the Ideal 10T TrakRide to £730,374.

John Deere

John Deere retains its T5, T6, S7 and X9 line-up for 2027. However, a substantial package of automation, crop-handling and operator-convenience updates is being introduced.

T5 and T6 straw-walker combines gain predictive ground speed automation, previously introduced on S7.

It combines satellite-derived crop information with live measurements from cab-mounted cameras to regulate forward speed.

The walker machines also gain in-cab adjustment of the booster bar and separator grates.

New unloading choices include a 6.1m rigid auger for T5/T6 and a 7.3m folding auger for T5. Active slope adjustment becomes available across the S7 range.

Using terrain information from the StarFire receiver, it varies the speed of an active belt to improve crop distribution across the cleaning shoe on side slopes, and Deere says it can double cleaning-shoe performance in these conditions.

It joins a choice of sidehill configurations incorporating the Sidehill Kit and HillMaster chassis levelling.

The flagship X9 gains a 15.2m HDX 50 header, extending the HDX range beyond the previously listed 13.7m maximum.

A 19,400-litre grain-tank option and 10.7m unloading auger are also introduced.

Deere’s published prices have risen, with the largest increases on the wheeled X9s: the X9 1000 is up £104,261 to £880,046, while the X9 1100 increases by £104,878 to £942,784.

Massey Ferguson

Massey Ferguson’s main development for the 2027 harvest is the introduction of Next Edition packages across its Activa S, Beta and Ideal ranges. These add equipment and revised styling, with no models withdrawn.

For Activa S and Beta, the Comfort pack brings external cameras, a DAB radio with Bluetooth and additional work lights, including LEDs on Beta models. Activa S also gains an in-cab fridge and wide-angle mirror.

The Performance pack adds a chaff spreader, electrically adjustable sieves, tailings monitoring and MF Connect telemetry, with Betas also receiving electrically adjustable straw deflectors.

Ideal Next Edition combines come with connectivity and performance packs. Equipment includes PTx Auto-Guide steering, AutoTurn headland turns, TaskDoc Pro wireless task-data exchange and MF Connect telemetry.

An integral air compressor, additional lighting and more in-cab adjustments are also included, covering header working angle, chop/drop selection, chaff spreading and straw deflectors.

Massey Ferguson quotes package savings of up to £5,000 on Activa S and Beta and £13,000 on Ideal against equivalent standard-model configurations until 31 October 2026.

New Holland

New Holland has discontinued the TC 5.70 SmartSieve, CH 7.70 Laterale and wheeled CR 9.90 for 2027. The CR 9.90 SmartTrax remains.

Both CR 8.90 versions gain a 14,500-litre grain tank, up from 12,500 litres, and the CR 10 and CR 11 SmartTrax flagships continue with their existing specifications.

Published prices for the remaining New Holland combines and recommended headers are unchanged.