Sub-Compact against Compact · same LS Tractor lineup
LS XJ2025H vs LS MT226
| Spec | LS XJ2025H | LS MT226 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$21,308 | $23,970–$25,856 |
| What that price is | dealer list, not MSRP | dealer list, not MSRP, spread across dealers |
| Size class | Sub-Compact | Compact |
| Transmission | Hydrostatic | Gear |
| Engine hp | 24.4 hp | 24.6 hp |
| PTO hp | 18.5 hp | 19.2 hp |
| Loader lift | 1,091 lbsmeasuring point not recorded | 1,965 lbsmeasuring point not recorded |
| Three-point lift | 1,433 lbsat the ball ends | 1,808 lbsat the ball ends |
| Hydraulic flow | 8.5 GPM | 11.7 GPM |
| Drive | 4WD | 4WD |
| Engine | Mitsubishi | Mitsubishi |
| Weight | 1,609 lbs | 3,007 lbs |
| Fuel tank | 6.6 gal | 10.6 gal |
| 4WD | Yes | Yes |
| Front loader | Yes | Yes |
| Cab available | No | No |
| Hydrostatic | Yes | No |
| Power steering | Yes | Yes |
| Cruise control | No | No |
| Warranty | 6 yr powertrain | 6 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
LS XJ2025H
What they like
- 1,433 lb of 3-point lift is roughly 45 percent more than the MT1 sub-compacts manage, on a frame only 165 lb heavier
- 8.5 GPM total with 5.9 GPM to the implement circuit, against 6.7 and 4.6 on the MT1 - a meaningful difference on a backhoe or a grapple
- Stays under 25 gross hp, so it meets Tier 4 Final without a particulate filter or a regeneration cycle
- A cab is listed as an option on LS's own page, which is unusual at this size
What they complain about
- No published price from LS at any level - series, model or configuration - so the figure is read off dealer books and moved about $1,400 between the two consulted
- Only 18.5 hp reaches the PTO, so a 60 in finish mower is near the top of what it will turn comfortably
- 1,091 lb loader lift is barely above the MT1's 1,008 lb despite the larger frame and hydraulics
- LS states no measuring point for loader lift on this or any other model page
- The XJ is a one-model series, so there is no step up or down within it if the fit is wrong
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