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Picking the right tractor is vital if work is to be done in a timely and efficient fashion, whether it’s used for feeding livestock, cultivating or hauling grain. We provide an annual spec and price update of the entire UK tractor market, as well as regular tests, farmer reviews and tips and guidance on how to get the best from your machine, including buying the best new or used tractor for your farm.

Latest tractor articles

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…

TRACTORS

4,000 lots under the hammer at Walford Cross sale

With more than 4,000 lots, Greenslade Taylor Hunt’s Walford Cross collective machinery sale inevitably throws up a few gems amongst the agri-jumble. There was every conceivable bit of equipment on…

TRACTORS

Ultimate guide to buying a tractor 2019

Manufacturers appear to be preparing to unveil their next round of major updates at the same time as introducing engines to the European Stage 5 emissions regulations that came into…

Tractor reviews and tests

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TRACTORS

On test: Claas Arion 440 CIS

The Claas is all geared up for loader work, with brilliant views through the roof window, a clever speed steering system and clutch-pedal-free braking. However, it was short of power…

MACHINERY

Mid-range tractor test: Valtra T203 Direct

Power Farming Verdict: 3/5 The Valtra was the least powerful of the test group. It performed averagely in the DLG tests, although the usability of its gearbox was its biggest…

MACHINERY

McCormick's first CVT tractor on test

McCormick has launched its first ever CVT (continuously variable transmission) tractor, which it hopes will mark the beginning of a new era for the brand. The company has forged its…

MACHINERY

Video: Fendt 828 v Deutz-Fahr Agrotron TTV

  [fwi_vidyard code="ERTd4JlyKIZRqdrGXQVCqA"] Power Farming Verdict There’s nothing new in Fendt’s approach – it’s still a driver’s tractor. Buy the tractor, send the driver on a course and you stand…

MACHINERY

Video: Valtra T234 tractor on test with a Sumo Trio cultivator

Valtra has always been the quirky alternative in the Agco tractor line-up. While Challenger takes care of the tracklayer market, Fendt does the premium end of things and Massey appeals…

MACHINERY

110hp tractor test: Zetor Forterra HSX 110

Power Farming Verdict: 3.1/5 In many ways the Czech’s spec is generous – there’s four pto speeds and automatic powershifts – and it’s also pretty manoeuvrable. But the cab remains…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Valtra's 170hp T163e tractor

If you’re on the hunt for a reasonably priced second-hand tractor with about 170hp under the bonnet, Valtra’s T163e could well make your shortlist. James Andrews speaks to a current…

ARABLE

16 top 170-200hp tractors for arable farms

Tractors around the 200hp mark have become the workhorse machines of most sizeable arable farms and with even more choice, here is what you should consider when looking for a…

TRACTORS

Round-up of designer tractor ballast boxes with tool storage

A ballast block that doubles as a spacious storage container is rapidly becoming fashionable for tractors operated on arable or mixed enterprise units. Some have been conceived by enterprising operators themselves…

MACHINERY

On test: McConnel's Robopower remote control tractor

Farm machinery boffs are adamant that tractors are going to change, but exactly what they might morph into is still a bit of a mystery. Several manufacturers have already had…

TRACTORS

Video: On test – Fendt’s monster 500hp 1050

Farmers buying a tractor with more than 500hp on tap have traditionally had to settle for a hulking great machine that will have its cylinders firing for only four months of…

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…

Tractor buying advice

Tractor guides

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TRACTORS

Machinery milestones: driverless tractors

The UK played the leading role in the early stages of driverless or autonomous tractor development and the first experimental tractor designed to carry out a range of tasks without…

MACHINERY

Compare tractors and combines with our buyers guides

Farmers and contractors looking to take several options into consideration when choosing a new tractor will find the new specification and price guide published on FWi this week a useful…

Big power outputs lift 4wd performance

A neat hydraulic suspension installation for the front axle is designed to help avoid “power hop” with the most powerful three tractors in John Deere’s latest big four-wheel drive range.…

TRACTORS

Ultimate guide to buying a tractor 2019

Manufacturers appear to be preparing to unveil their next round of major updates at the same time as introducing engines to the European Stage 5 emissions regulations that came into…

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

Ultimate guide to buying a tractor 2018

Our ultimate guide to 50hp-plus tractors available in Britain has been published online for 2018 with a host of changes from last year’s edition. With the removal of discontinued models…

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

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…

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…

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…

TRACTORS

Tractor buyers guide 2017

Times might be tough in the current farming climate, but that hasn’t stopped the major manufacturers making big changes to their tractor line-ups. High-horsepower models have been beefed up, the…

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…

Tractor technology

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TRACTORS

Is a future of methane-powered tractors viable?

If you remember New Holland’s first attempt at a methane tractor back in 2013, you’ll probably recall being hugely sceptical and quite underwhelmed by what was a T6 tractor with…

MACHINERY

Video: Case IH pulls wraps off wacky-looking robotic Magnum

Case IH has unveiled an autonomous concept tractor at the Farm Progress Show in Iowa, USA. The vehicle is a cab-less 370hp Magnum, which is capable of operating autonomously with…

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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Older tractors have more accidents, says Cema

Most serious tractor accidents on public roads across Europe involve older tractors, says European ag-machinery organisation Cema. See also: Do's and don'ts of driving a tractor on the road The…

Tractor insights and practical advice

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MACHINERY

Tractors on the road: Rights, wrongs, rules and regulations

Harvest is in full swing which means tractors are taking to the roads up and down the country. It may seem unfair to farmers and contractors, who argue that they…

TRACTORS

Is a future of methane-powered tractors viable?

If you remember New Holland’s first attempt at a methane tractor back in 2013, you’ll probably recall being hugely sceptical and quite underwhelmed by what was a T6 tractor with…

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…

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…

TRACTORS

Machinery milestones: driverless tractors

The UK played the leading role in the early stages of driverless or autonomous tractor development and the first experimental tractor designed to carry out a range of tasks without…

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…

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

Machinery Milestones: Wood-fuelled tractors

It might sound a bit wacky, but tractors have the potential to be powered by wood – as proven by several farming inventions over the years. The tractor fuel produced…

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…

MACHINERY

Should you invest in a headland turning system?

They save time, increase productivity and reduce driver fatigue, so should you invest in a headland turning system? Why invest? John Deere Claas Case study: William Strawson Headland turning systems…

MACHINERY

Tractor tuning perks and pitfalls: Is it worth the risk?

Fork out a few hundred quid on a little black tuning box and you could unleash a healthy dollop of extra power and torque from your tractor. Sounds tempting, doesn’t…

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…

Video

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MACHINERY

Valtra N163: The four-pot powerhouse

Intro Engine Transmission Cabs/controls Specs Gallery PF verdict Capable of pumping out 171hp, the flagship in Valtra’s new N-series range is claimed to be the most powerful four-cylinder on the…

MACHINERY

Video: John Deere e23 tractor v Autopowr

John Deere’s high-horsepower tractors have been hankering after a new powershift transmission for years and at last it’s here. Nick Fone and Oliver Mark find out if it is any…

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

Case Farmall – a blast from the past

Intro Farmall A Farmall C Farmall U Ninty years on, Case has resurrected the Farmall name for its new range of sub 115hp tractors. A total of 15 different tractors…

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