Kubota BX2380 vs Kubota BX1880

Kubota

Kubota BX2380

$17,500

4.6★ (950)

Kubota

$15,500

4.5★ (540)

Quick take: The Kubota BX1880 costs $2,000 less; the Kubota BX2380 has more engine power (21.6 vs 16.6 hp).

✓Priced several thousand less than a comparably equipped John Deere 1025R, it's the value pick that started the BX-vs-Deere debate on every forum
✓Kubota's in-house D902 diesel is renowned for reliability and easy starting, with owners reporting thousands of trouble-free hours
✓The RCK60 drive-over mower deck lets you position and connect the deck without crawling under the tractor - close to the Deere AutoConnect experience
✓The LA344 loader quick-attaches without tools and pairs well for a machine of this size and price
✓Kubota's dealer and parts network is deep, so service and support are rarely a problem
✓Cross-drilled independent rear brakes give a tight turning circle that owners love in tight yards
✓Excellent resale value - used BX2380s hold their price nearly as well as Deeres
✓Simple, no-nonsense controls make it one of the friendliest tractors for a first-time owner

✗21.6 HP is on the low end, so heavy loader loads or thick grass will slow it down noticeably
✗No cruise control on the HST, which the competing Deere 1025R includes standard and owners miss on long mows
✗The 680 lb loader lift and 680 lb 3-point capacity are modest, limiting heavier implements
✗Fitting and removing the mid-mount mower deck is still more involved than Deere's fully automatic AutoConnect system
✗Small 6.6-gallon tank means you're refueling often on big jobs
✗The tie-rod ends and steering components sit low and exposed, and some owners report bending them on stumps or rocks
✗Ground clearance is limited, so it's not happy on rough, rocky, or steeply sloped ground
✗Options and packages add up fast, and a fully loaded BX2380 narrows the price gap with a base 1025R

✓It's the cheapest way into a genuine Kubota diesel 4WD tractor, often thousands under a BX2380 while sharing the same frame
✓The D722 engine is the same bulletproof family used across Kubota's equipment line, with owners reporting thousands of trouble-free hours
✓It takes the same LA344 loader and RCK mower decks as the rest of the BX80 series, so you give up no attachment compatibility
✓The full-frame BX chassis with cast axles feels like a shrunken real tractor, not a beefed-up lawn mower
✓Kubota's dealer network and resale value are elite - used BX1880s barely depreciate
✓The drive-over RCK60 mower deck makes it a legitimate lawn tractor replacement that also does loader work
✓Cross-drilled rear axles allow independent brake steering for tight maneuvering
✓For mowing, light gravel work, and snow duty on a small property, the missing horsepower versus a BX2380 rarely matters

✗At 16.6 HP it's the least powerful tractor in the class, and hills, thick grass, or a full bucket will find its limits fast
✗The 13.7 PTO HP restricts it to a 54-60 inch deck and the lightest PTO implements
✗Most shoppers conclude the extra ~$2,000 for the BX2380's 22 HP is money well spent, making the 1880 a narrow value case
✗The 680 lb loader and 3-point capacities are modest even by sub-compact standards
✗No cruise control, which stings on long mowing sessions
✗The low-slung BX chassis has limited ground clearance for rough or rutted ground
✗Exposed steering tie rods sit low and are known to bend on stumps and rocks
✗Loaded with a deck and loader it crosses $17K, close enough to bigger machines to trigger buyer's remorse