Both compact · LS Tractor against Kubota
LS MT226 vs Kubota L3302
| Spec | LS MT226 | Kubota L3302 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $23,970–$25,856 | ~$23,791 |
| What that price is | dealer list, not MSRP, spread across dealers | MSRP, base build |
| Size class | Compact | Compact |
| Transmission | Gear | Gear |
| Engine hp | 24.6 hp | 33 hp |
| PTO hp | 19.2 hp | 28 hp |
| Loader lift | 1,965 lbsmeasuring point not recorded | 1,506 lbsat the pivot pin |
| Three-point lift | 1,808 lbsat the ball ends | 1,998 lbsat the ball ends |
| Hydraulic flow | 11.7 GPM | 10.1 GPM |
| Drive | 4WD | 4WD |
| Engine | Mitsubishi | Kubota |
| Weight | 3,007 lbs | 2,734 lbs |
| Fuel tank | 10.6 gal | 11.1 gal |
| 4WD | Yes | Yes |
| Front loader | Yes | Yes |
| Cab available | No | No |
| Hydrostatic | No | No |
| Power steering | Yes | Yes |
| Cruise control | No | No |
| Warranty | 6 yr powertrain | 6 yr / 2000 hr 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
LS MT226
What they like
- 1,965 lb of loader lift at under 25 hp - roughly double what a sub-compact of similar power manages, because the frame is a full compact
- Staying below 25 gross hp keeps a diesel particulate filter and its regeneration cycles off a machine that will spend its life on short jobs
- The gear build returns 19.2 hp at the PTO against 17.1 for the hydrostatic, which is most of the reason to take the clutch pedal
- 11.7 GPM total flow with 7.1 GPM to the implement circuit is generous for the class
- 10.6-gallon tank is over 50 percent larger than the MT1 sub-compacts carry
- Cab versions exist on the same frame, so an enclosed machine at this hp point is a factory build
What they complain about
- LS publishes no price at all, and the two dealer figures for the open-station build differ by about $1,900 - hence the range rather than a single number
- The MT2 and MT2E lines share the 226 model number with different engines and feature levels, which makes like-for-like shopping harder than it should be
- A 12F/12R synchromesh shuttle still uses the clutch for every direction change, which tells on loader work
- 1,808 lb of 3-point lift quoted at the ball ends will be considerably less at the end of a long implement, and LS publishes no figure further back
- No measuring point is given for the 1,965 lb loader rating on any LS model page
- A 3,007 lb tractor with 24.6 hp is heavy for its power, so ground speed under load is modest
Kubota L3302
What they like
- Same 111.4 cu in engine block, LA526 loader, 11.1 gal tank and 1,998 lb hitch as the L3902, for roughly $2,400 less
- 28 PTO hp on the gear build handles a five- or six-foot rotary cutter without complaint
- 10.1 gpm of combined pump output, 6.3 gpm of it to the implement circuit
- The lightest of the three mid-range L02 models at 2,734 lb, which matters on soft ground
- All-metal hood and fenders and Kubota-built engine, loader and backhoe throughout
What they complain about
- It is 4.5 hp down on the L3902 with no other spec difference, so the choice between them is purely engine output
- 1,435 lb is what the hitch actually holds 24 in behind the lift points, well under the 1,998 lb headline figure
- Kubota lists no factory cab for any Standard L02 model
- At $23,791 it is only about $1,100 under a 48.4 hp L4802 starting price, though that figure is for the 2WD build