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Know How / Tractors

At the heart of every livestock farm and arable farming enterprise, our extensive coverage of agricultural tractors includes new models, ranges and technologies from leading manufacturers, user reports and group test comparisons to help you choose the best power unit for your farming business.

Latest tractor articles

101-200HP

Kubota launches range-topping M8 tractors

Following a tie-up with Canadian firm Buhler Versatile, Kubota has launched its first tractor to feature a six-cylinder engine and a power output of more than 200hp. The M8 uses…

101-200HP

Case-IH forced to change name of new Versum tractor

After proudly launching its new Versum models at Sima earlier this year, Case-IH has had to make a rather sharp about-turn and change the name to Vestrum. The original name…

TRACTORS

Fendt unveils high-tech cab for 300- and 700-series tractors

Fendt has launched a futuristic new cab called Fendt One that will initially be available on its 300- and 700-series tractors before being added to the rest of its ranges.…

201-300HP

Front end loader options for 200hp-plus tractors

It wasn’t that long ago that the idea of fitting a loader to a tractor with more than 100hp under the hood seemed a little silly. But as tractors got…

TRACTORS

Massey Ferguson launches compact 3700 AL tractor range

Massey Ferguson has announced it will build three new tractors for the sub-100hp market, adding to the 3700-series it launched in 2017. The 3700 AL models will be 75hp, 85hp…

401+HP

Video: Fendt's 943 MT twin-track crawler on test

Agco has breathed new life into its flailing twin-track fleet with a major rebranding and upgrading exercise for the long-in-the-tooth Challenger tractors. And the firm’s prairie monster range needed some…

TRACTORS

Early Fastrac prototype sells for £15,000 at auction

An early version of JCB's Fastrac tractor has been snapped up at auction for £15,000 by a Northern Irish enthusiast. The fifth prototype of the iconic Fastrac was sold to…

Tractor reviews and tests

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MACHINERY

Video: Furse four tractor test: John Deere 6930

Watch the video and read the full report below. We’ve been very impressed with the 6930 and it hasn’t had any of the problems we experienced with previous Deeres. It’s…

MACHINERY

Deutz-Fahr 5100C on test

Deutz-Fahr 5100C Price £59,015 RANKING: 4th   Cab The Deutz’s four-pillar cab wasn’t the biggest on test, but it was a comfortable place to sit. The controls were well laid…

MACHINERY

Smaller tractor brands and horsepower- what's available

Recent months have seen several new tractor manufacturers at the lower-horsepower end of the market looking to establish a foothold in the UK. The newcomers Armatrac Farmtrac Branson Iseki While…

MACHINERY

110hp tractor test: Valtra N113

Power Farming Verdict: 3.4/5 Valtra’s combination of good gearbox, torquey engine and comfortable ride set it apart from its test rivals. Downsides included our usual Valtra gripe of bad switchgear…

MACHINERY

110hp tractor test: Belarus 1025.4

Power Farming Verdict: 2.4/5 It might not have scored highly but the Belarus had a solid engine and a price-tag that’ll catch the eye of plenty of buyers. Noise and…

TRACTORS

Video: 400hp reverse-drive Valtra S-series on test

Valtra has finally let its heavyweight S-series loose on the 400hp tractor scene and, armed with lorry loads of torque, a proven driveline and a redesigned cab, promises to unsettle…

MACHINERY

Top-end tractor test: New Holland T8.390

Power Farming Verdict: 3.5/5 Fiat engine very frugal on fuel – but AdBlue is also required. Good performer in the field for heavy draft work, helped by effective engine-transmission management…

MACHINERY

On test: Case IH Puma 175 CVX

The other tractors on test Fendt Vario 720 New Holland T 7.230 Valtra T 214 Direct Massey Ferguson 7720 Dyna The Puma paid the price for being the smallest tractor…

MACHINERY

Mid-range tractor test: MF 7624 Dyna-VT

Power Farming Verdict: 3.5/5 The French-built Massey has plenty of features and a new joystick. It performed averagely at the test station and its unreliable terminal can be hard to…

MACHINERY

Top-end tractor test: Fendt 939 Vario

Power Farming Verdict: 4.1/5 A joy to work with. Great driving comfort right up to 60kph. Clear controls, lots of adjustments possible. Deutz engine and Vario transmission seem to work…

MACHINERY

JCB Fastrac 4000 tractor gets first test

JCB’s all-new Fastrac is finally here. It’s good, but is it good enough to grab sales from other marques? Nick Fone finds out. With its deeply furrowed brow and waspish…

MACHINERY

McCormick X5.30 on test

McCormick X5.30 Price: £55,305 RANKING: 6th   Cab The X5.30 was so new at the time we carried out the tractor test that McCormick had to field a pre-production model,…

Tractor buying advice

Tractor guides

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MACHINERY

Video: Furse four tractor test: John Deere 6930

Watch the video and read the full report below. We’ve been very impressed with the 6930 and it hasn’t had any of the problems we experienced with previous Deeres. It’s…

MACHINERY

Tips for buying a 350hp Cat Challenger C-series on a budget

Shopping for a 350hp tractor with less than £30,000 in your back pocket brings up precious few options in the UK. But if you keep your eyes peeled you might…

A buyer's guide to choosing a nearly-new tractor

Two years ago, the euro was trading against the pound at €1.15:£1, making for a healthy UK export trade. In just 24 months the picture has shifted drastically and today…

TRACTORS

Buying a 150hp tractor? We look at 12 options

For sheer choice and variety, the 150hp bracket marks the tractor sector’s sweet spot, with most makers offering four- and six-cylinder alternatives and a multitude of transmission types and spec…

MACHINERY

First drive: Kubota’s biggest ever tractor – the M7171

Kubota’s top brass harbour dizzying ambitions to outsell John Deere as the world’s number one tractor manufacturer. James Andrews and Oliver Mark run the rule over the biggest machine ever…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: How safety and comfort reformed tractors

Driver safety and comfort are among the top essentials for today’s tractors, but they remained near the bottom of the priority list during the first 100 years or so of…

TECHNOLOGY

Video: Auto-tractor to revolutionise Canadian field work

The lead in the race for a driver-free, super-efficient arable farming utopia has been taken up by SeedMaster – a little known name in the world of autonomous agriculture but…

MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

Ultimate guide to tractor tyre management

It is essential to ensure your tractor tyres are in good working order, both for your safety and for your pocket. We look at the causes of premature tyre wear,…

MACHINERY

Second-hand loader tractor buyer's guide

Finding a good second-hand loader tractor can be a tricky task. But with some expert advice, Nick Fone sniffs out some sound performers. Finding a good 'un Case IH John…

Tractor tyres v tracks: which is best?

Low ground pressure, unbeatable traction and greater productivity potential. That sums up the attraction of high horsepower tracked tractors to arable farmers who run them for cultivation and drilling in…

TRACTORS

Video: On test - Case IH 300hp Optum CVX

There is a growing demand from shoppers in the 300hp market for machines more versatile than the traditional tillage-grade tractor.  In response, the major manufacturers have been scrambling to fill…

MACHINERY

On test: Claas Arion 650 Cmatic

When Claas pulled the wraps off its Arion back in 2012, it was the culmination of a Grand Designs-style rebuild of the brand’s mid-rangers. The five-pillar cab came from the…

Tractor technology

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TRACTORS

John Deere develops 400hp electric cable-powered tractor

John Deere has developed an electric tractor that drags a power cable up and down the field, developing up to 400hp. The GridCON project is the next stage of Deere’s…

TRACTORS

John Deere responds to increasing Greenstar thefts

A PIN code locking system has been installed on John Deere’s Greenstar cab displays and StarFire satellite receivers to curb the appeal of these products to thieves. See also: GPS…

TECHNOLOGY

Diesel-electric drives offer give cheaper tractor power

The Autonomous Tractor Corporation (ATC) has found a way to recycle old tractors to get another 25,000 hours of labour from a wornout workhorse. The US company, tucked away in…

Road legal

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MACHINERY

Rules reminder: Stay road legal this harvest

Whether it's harvesting grass, cereals or vegetables, extra numbers of wide machines will be heading up and down Britain’s roads. But in all the rush to get ready, don’t forget…

Tractor insights and practical advice

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MACHINERY

Tips for buying a 350hp Cat Challenger C-series on a budget

Shopping for a 350hp tractor with less than £30,000 in your back pocket brings up precious few options in the UK. But if you keep your eyes peeled you might…

MACHINERY

Machinery Milestones: Four-wheel drive tractors

In the latest instalment of our series looking back over the history of machinery developments, Mike Williams charts the rise of four-wheel drive tractors and how they have become the…

Machinery giants: How Case IH became a big name in farm kit

You have to go right back to the 1820s to witness the beginnings of Case IH. The McCormick family was developing a new reaping machine that was demonstrated successfully in…

TECHNOLOGY

Diesel-electric drives offer give cheaper tractor power

The Autonomous Tractor Corporation (ATC) has found a way to recycle old tractors to get another 25,000 hours of labour from a wornout workhorse. The US company, tucked away in…

A buyer's guide to choosing a nearly-new tractor

Two years ago, the euro was trading against the pound at €1.15:£1, making for a healthy UK export trade. In just 24 months the picture has shifted drastically and today…

TRACTORS

Buying a 150hp tractor? We look at 12 options

For sheer choice and variety, the 150hp bracket marks the tractor sector’s sweet spot, with most makers offering four- and six-cylinder alternatives and a multitude of transmission types and spec…

MACHINERY

What to look for in a used high-hp four-cylinder tractor

Demand has been steadily growing for high-horsepowered four-pot tractors. We run through the good, bad and ugly of three second-hand options from Claas, Valtra and John Deere. Ten years ago…

ARABLE

Analysis: Could technology kill off diesel tractors?

Car manufacturers are making great strides in electric drive technology and the death of diesel and petrol engines will be seen as early as 2019 for one major manufacturer. Volvo…

MACHINERY

Solving your starter motor woes

Introduction Step-by-step Voltage drop testing Voltage drop – what’s it about? The opening part of this series laid out how the starter motor works, set the thing in the context of…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: How safety and comfort reformed tractors

Driver safety and comfort are among the top essentials for today’s tractors, but they remained near the bottom of the priority list during the first 100 years or so of…

TECHNOLOGY

Video: Auto-tractor to revolutionise Canadian field work

The lead in the race for a driver-free, super-efficient arable farming utopia has been taken up by SeedMaster – a little known name in the world of autonomous agriculture but…

How to avoid buying a dodgy used crawler tractor

Tracked tractors are widely recognised as being the best means of putting serious horsepower to the ground. They’re expensive to buy new, yet here in the UK we still lap…

Video

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MACHINERY

Video: Furse four tractor test: John Deere 6930

Watch the video and read the full report below. We’ve been very impressed with the 6930 and it hasn’t had any of the problems we experienced with previous Deeres. It’s…

TRACTORS

Video: 400hp reverse-drive Valtra S-series on test

Valtra has finally let its heavyweight S-series loose on the 400hp tractor scene and, armed with lorry loads of torque, a proven driveline and a redesigned cab, promises to unsettle…

MACHINERY

Driven: Fendt 828 reverse-drive

[fwi_vidyard code="-ywPYYNkJb0OmXEsKYqmGw"] Power Farming Verdict Star Star Star Star Star Big cab, lots of computer wizardry, clever suspension and gutsy engine, but it's £30,000 more than the nearest competition. Summary…

MACHINERY

Valtra launches N93 and N103 tractors

Valtra's roots lie deep in the Finnish pine forests. That's probably why it has developed some of the hardiest tractors on the market. Its tractor range extends from 88hp to…

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