Our Favorite Tractors of the Year

By Geof Fowler

Although the final numbers aren’t in, 2011 is shaping up as a good year for the tractor industry. Leading the increased demand is the large farm tractor segment which after a year of postponed purchases attributed to the added cost of Interim Tier 4 engines (as much as a 9% increase to sticker prices) has bounced back. High horsepower, high flow hydraulics, GPS, field mapping and telemetry options, automated steering and 4WD all are in demand. It won’t be long before we see the trickledown of these new improvements to the Utility (UT), Compact Utility (CUT), Subcompact Utility (SCUT) and even Lawn and Garden (LGT) and Garden Tractor (GT) industry segments. We can hardly wait to see what 2012 will bring.

In 2011 we were treated to a taste of new designs as well as machines from manufacturers who understood they had a good thing going and didn’t tinker with the recipe. In that vein, we introduce you to our pick for the Top Ten Tractors of 2011.

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Kubota, in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has recalled about 6,100 riding mowers due to a potential fire hazard.

According to the recall notice, the fuel hose clamp can detach from the fuel filter and allow gas to leak out, posing a fire hazard. No incidents or injuries have been reported.

The Kubota riding mowers are bright orange, have 48-inch, 54-inch, or 60-inch wide mower decks and have “KUBOTA” stamped on either the sides of the front engine cover, or on the right side behind the driver’s seat. The serial number is located on the left front frame for T series models and the right front frame for GR and ZG series models. This recall involves Kubota Riding Mowers with the following model numbers and serial number ranges.