Both sub-compact · John Deere against Massey Ferguson
John Deere 1025R vs Massey Ferguson 1M.25
| Spec | John Deere 1025R | Massey Ferguson 1M.25 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$18,764 | ~$19,037 |
| What that price is | MSRP, base build | MSRP, base build |
| Size class | Sub-Compact | Sub-Compact |
| Transmission | Hydrostatic | Hydrostatic |
| Engine hp | 23.9 hp | 24.8 hp |
| PTO hp | 18 hp | 18.2 hp |
| Loader lift | 905 lbsat the pivot pin | 852 lbs500 mm ahead of the pin |
| Three-point lift | 681 lbs24 in behind the lift points | 1,058 lbs24 in behind the lift points |
| Hydraulic flow | 6.4 GPM | 5.5 GPM |
| Drive | 4WD | 4WD |
| Engine | Yanmar | Iseki |
| Weight | 1,543 lbs | 2,172 lbs |
| Fuel tank | 5.4 gal | not published |
| 4WD | Yes | Yes |
| Front loader | Yes | Yes |
| Cab available | No | Yes |
| Hydrostatic | Yes | Yes |
| Power steering | Yes | Yes |
| Cruise control | Yes | No |
| Warranty | 6 yr / 2000 hr powertrain | 5 yr powertrain |
A highlighted cell wins its row on the rule named above the table: more power, lift, capacity or flow, or a lower price. A lift row is left unwon whenever the two makers measured in different places, or where either of them did not say — a figure quoted at the pivot pin and one quoted 500 mm ahead of it describe the same loader and differ by roughly a third, so ranking them against each other would invent a result. Prices are typical list and move with dealer packages.
From owner discussion and long-term write-ups
What owners of each one say
John Deere 1025R
What they like
- The AutoConnect drive-over mower deck is genuinely a 5-minute on/off job you do without leaving the seat, unlike Kubota's BX where you crawl underneath to hook things up
- Dealer network is enormous - almost everyone has a Deere dealer within 30 minutes for parts and warranty, which is a huge deal when you break a hydraulic line
- Independent PTO with the flip of a lever means you can stop moving without killing the mower or tiller, something budget tractors fumble
- Resale value is legendary - people routinely sell used 1025Rs for 80-90% of what they paid after several years of use
- The hydrostatic transmission with Twin Touch pedals is smooth and forgiving, ideal for first-time tractor owners doing loader work
- Cruise control on the HST is a back-saver for long mowing sessions, and it's standard not an upcharge
What they complain about
- Premium pricing - you pay a real Deere tax versus a comparably specced Kubota BX2380 or Mahindra eMax that costs $2,000-4,000 less loaded
- Only 23.9 HP means it can bog down in heavy loader work or thick brush - it's a light-duty machine and owners who push it wish they'd bought a 2-series
- The 3-point lift of 681 lbs is modest, so heavier rear implements like a big box blade or post-hole digger max it out
- Deere locks you into their proprietary Quik-Park loader and AutoConnect deck, so third-party attachments are limited and pricey
- The small 5.4-gallon fuel tank means frequent refills during a full day of work
- Tier 4 emissions and the compact engine bay make some DIY maintenance more fiddly than older simpler tractors
- Ground clearance is low, so it struggles on rough or rutted terrain compared to a true compact like the 2025R or 3025E
Massey Ferguson 1M.25
What they like
- 1,058 lb of lift 24 inches behind the ball ends against the 1GC's 661 lb, which is the difference between a light box blade and a real one
- 852 lb at the loader measured 19.5 inches forward of the pivot pin - a conservative measuring point, so the working figure is honest rather than flattering
- An air-conditioned cab is on the option list at 24.8 hp, which is rare this small and impossible on the 1GC range
- Folding ROPS is standard rather than an upgrade, unlike the fixed hoop on the 1GC.23 and 1GC.25
- A 12-speed power shuttle is offered as an alternative to the hydrostatic, so the same model covers both loader work and steady field work
- Massey's 1.5 L Iseki three-cylinder is the same supplier as the rest of the compact range, so dealer familiarity carries across
What they complain about
- The cab build is $6,745 over this platform in AGCO's price book, and tires are a required extra group at $1,913 or $2,346 - the base figure buys a tractor with neither
- 5.5 gpm of implement flow with a further 3.3 for steering is modest, and is less than the 6.9 gpm the smaller 1GC.25 gets
- Neither Massey nor the specification databases publish a fuel tank capacity for this model
- 18.2 hp at the PTO out of 24.8 at the engine is a poor take-off fraction - the 22.5 hp 1GC.23 puts 18.3 hp down
- Only a hydrostatic PTO figure is published; Massey lists no mechanical-transmission PTO rating for this model the way it does for every other M
- Adding the cab takes it from 2,172 lb to 2,502 lb, which is a third of a ton of extra weight on a sub-compact chassis