At Kearney Training & Consultancy’s 4x4 training site in Kildare, Alistair Chambers tested some of Ireland’s bestselling UTVs – two top-of-the-range Models from John Deere and Kubota

John Deere XUV 855M

This new John Deere (pictured above) was launched at Agritechnica and comes with an 854cc diesel engine producing 22.8 hp. The power is transferred to the wheels via a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). There is four-wheel drive available, activated by a rocker on the dash. If the going gets really tough there is positive locking differential which I engaged with a good solid lever beside the gear lever. The gear lever allows the operator to choose between high, low and reverse. The high range gives a top speed of 51km/h. Around the pre-planned course the Gator proved to be gutsy and capable of climbing the steepest of hills.

The gator proved nimble in off-road conditions. / Philip Doyle

As the John Deere was the first machine I drove, I couldn’t believe the capability to get across the roughest terrain with great ease. On the route there was an incline that without the reassuring expert advice from Tom Greene (KTC) I would have thought would be a challenge to walk up, let alone drive a machine up, but when the Gator was pointed at it and fed sufficient throttle it scrambled up with ease.

The Gator’s CVT gearbox is belt-driven, which means there is no engine braking to aid when going down steep inclines. This means that when going down a hill, an amount of throttle needs to be used in order to engage the gearbox and keep control. If throttle is not applied, it can feel as if the machine is running away from you. The course gave a serious test, with areas where the machine would tend to cock a wheel, with the diff lock engaged. The Gator kept going forward no matter how many of its wheels were dangling in the air.

Water

The John Deere proved to be able to wade through 18in plus of water with no issue except a small bit of water at the operator’s feet, which drained as quickly as it arrived.

The John Deere making its way out of the water. / Philip Doyle

The Gator has a massive area for cargo, with a maximum load of 454kg. During the test, I threw in four bags of sheep feed, totalling 100kg, to add to the workload for the machine and found that with this on board, as well as two men, it showed very little difference in performance.

The John Deere's tipping action. / Philip Doyle

The John Deere had the added bonus of a electro-hydraulic tipping mechanism, which was more than capable tipping the 100kg load.

The Gator looks like an upgraded golf buggy but is amazingly capable in the rough stuff, with the occasional drag of its belly while climbing over pointed peaks, especially when the load was on board.

The seats are really striking and once the seat belt is on it feels very safe.

The interior of the John Deere. / Philip Doyle

The Gator comes with material doors which do the job to make it feel secure but they can cause a little bit of an issue when climbing in and out as you can easily get your foot caught. A very minor flaw in what was a very capable off road companion.

On a smooth farm lane, the John Deere proved to be very stable when fully loaded and at close to its maximum design speed, not that this will ever be required in its working life on a farm.

Verdict

The Gator proved to be better than expected. It really impressed with its massive load-carrying area and its stability in all conditions – the smooth track at pace and the off-road test track. When driven correctly, the John Deere was very capable in conditions that would never be seen on any farm and always gave the feeling of safety. The only issue that could occur would be with the transmission setup, on declines the machine had a tendency to run away a little if throttle was not added correctly.

Some simple training in the correct use of this machine would completely negate this issue. The latest version of the Gator is a serious off road machine and if you are in the market for a machine in this price range it has to be considered.

John Deere XUV 855M

Engine: 854cc diesel.

Power: 22.8hp.

Price as tested: €20,441.00 + 23% VAT.

The Kubota comes with electric tipping and handled to 100kg with ease. Philip Doyle)

Kubota RTVx 900

This Kubota has been on the market for a number of years with some slight updates. The 900 comes with a 898cc Kubota diesel engine producing 21.6hp. Power transfer is via a hydrostatic constantly variable transmission which differs from the other machines on the day as there are no belts involved. This has its advantages and disadvantages, which I will discuss later. The power is delivered to the ground via either two-wheel or four-wheel drive, which is selected via a switch on the dash.

The differential lock is engaged using a pedal at the operator’s left heel which can be then locked-on with a small handle at your left hand. This took a little bit of getting used to but after the first couple of times when the extra traction was required it became second nature.

In the cab, the Kubota is very comfortable with its sealed doors and heater./ Philip Doyle

The gear options are very straightforward, with low, high and reverse being the only options. In the high range, top speed is limited to 40km/h. Changing between low and high took a little bit of getting used to due to the hydrostatic transmission. Coming to a complete stop for a second and allowing the oil pressure to drop is the only way to make changes smoothly with no nasty noises.

The ability of the Kubota to engine-brake and therefore not run away when on a steep incline is a very good safety feature. Philip Doyle)

Once out on the off-road course, this transmission really came into its own. When on a downhill, the lack of belts in the drive line meant that the engine braking capabilities of the three-cylinder engine could be utilised, making for a far more intuitive and safer descent for an untrained operator. On the upwards-facing parts of the course, the Kubota showed serious capability and never refused a challenge once all four wheels were driving and the differential lock was engaged.

The Kubota handled the course with ease. / Philip Doyle

In the water the Kubota had no leaks into the passenger’s footwell and had no issue climbing in and out of the water even when the ramp out of the water had become very slick after some traffic.

With the full load of two men and some sheep feed on board, the RTV showed no signs of being beaten by any of the terrain on offer. The course that was being used far exceeds anything experienced on any farm in Ireland.

The Kubota comes with electric tipping and handled to 100kg with ease. / Philip Doyle

The Kubota also comes with electric tipping and handled to 100kg with ease. The cargo area on the Kubota is smaller than the John Deere but still comfortably carried the four bags of nuts without requiring any straps.

In the cab, the Kubota is very comfortable with its sealed doors and heater. Sitting in the Kubota, you wouldn’t believe what is was capable of, driving through water and climbing serious inclines while sitting in your snuggly heated cab.

The Kubota suffered from the same occasional issue as the John Deere of dragging its belly over some of the more acute peaks on the course. This is not an issue as the test environment is far more challenging than the normal working days of this machine will be.

Verdict

The RTVx900 is a serious piece of off-road equipment and will do anything that any farmer will need it to do and more. The biggest advantage the Kubota has over some of the other machines on the market is the ability to use engine braking when going downhill. This is a major advantage for the novice or untrained operator. The lack of outright speed is not an issue as 40km/h is more than enough for 90% of on-farm use and may be an advantage with the aforementioned novice or untrained operator.

Kubota RTVx 900

Engine: 898cc diesel.

Power: 21.6hp.

Price as tested: €19,400.00 +vat@23%.

Comparison

Both the John Deere and the Kubota are firm favourites on Irish farms and it is very hard to separate them without splitting hairs. Both are very good off-road and can carry decent loads at speed if required. The only way that I can split them is by transmission, the ability of the Kubota to engine-brake and therefore not run away when on a steep hill is a very good safety feature for the everyday operator. It is by the slimmest of margins that I would buy the Kubota and either machine will be more than capable of undertaking anything that a farmer can throw at them with ease.

The venue

Kearney Training & Consultancy (KTC Safety) Ltd provides high-quality globally recognised certification from City & Guilds NPTC, LANTRA Awards, QQI, SOLAS & many more. KTC’s headquarters is based in Portlaoise, Co Laois, but also has a custom-developed 4x4 training site in Kilkea, Castledermot, Co Kildare. KTC offers a wide range of courses to different sectors including agriculture, construction, forestry, quarry, industrial and professional driving which some of their courses including UTV (which they trained and assessed over 300 Irish Coast Guard volunteers in 2017), ATV, 4x4 driving, winch, trailer handling and many more.