Bobcat T64 vs. Kubota SVL65-2: Two Vertical-Lift Compact Track Loaders, Different Priorities

The Bobcat T64 and the Kubota SVL65-2 are close enough on paper that a lot of buyers treat the choice as a coin flip -- both run vertical lift geometry, both sit right around 68 horsepower, and both target the same entry-level compact track loader buyer. But close specs don't mean identical machines, and the real differences here -- capacity, reach, and undercarriage weight distribution -- are worth understanding before you sign for either one.

The Numbers

The Bobcat T64 runs 68 hp at an operating weight of 8,727 lbs, rated for 2,300 lbs of operating capacity -- Bobcat's redesigned lift arms and cast-steel construction on this model are built around durability under repeated cycle loads.

The Kubota SVL65-2 runs a 68.4 gross-horsepower V2607-CR-TE4 turbo diesel (62.5 hp net) at a lighter operating weight -- 8,069 to 8,565 lbs depending on ROPS or cab configuration -- and rates for 2,100 lbs of capacity at 35% tipping load, rising to 3,000 lbs at 50%. Kubota specifically calls out the SVL65-2's reach: 34.9 inches at maximum lift and dump, with a dump height of 118.5 inches -- genuinely long reach for a machine in this weight class.

At the 50%-tip comparison point, the Kubota's 3,000-lb figure is actually higher than the Bobcat's 2,300-lb rating, while the Bobcat carries more operating weight to get there. That's a meaningful difference in how each machine achieves its capacity -- Kubota leans on geometry and reach, Bobcat leans on mass and structural reinforcement.

Why the Reach Number Matters More Than It Looks

A 34.9-inch reach at full lift height sounds like a dimension spec you'd skip past, but on a real jobsite it's the difference between clearing a truck's side rail comfortably and having to inch the machine closer than you'd like every single cycle. For landscaping and material-delivery work -- loading mulch, soil, or pallets over a tailgate repeatedly through the day -- that extra reach adds up to less repositioning and faster cycles, which is exactly the kind of real-world advantage that doesn't show up cleanly in a side-by-side capacity chart.

Undercarriage and Ground Behavior

Both machines run steel-embedded rubber tracks with two-speed hydrostatic drive. The Bobcat's heavier operating weight spreads across the same track footprint as the lighter Kubota, which generally means a bit more ground pressure for the Bobcat on soft or saturated ground -- worth weighing carefully on South Florida sites with sandy fill or standing water after a summer storm. The Kubota's lighter build, paired with its longer reach, tends to favor crews prioritizing maneuverability and flotation over sheer structural mass.

Attachments and Everyday Versatility

Both machines cover the standard compact track loader attachment range -- buckets, pallet forks, grapples, brooms -- on their base auxiliary hydraulic circuits. Bobcat's attachment ecosystem is among the deepest in the compact equipment industry, which matters if your attachment needs expand or change over time; nearly any compact attachment on the market is built to fit a Bobcat quick-attach plate. Kubota's attachment compatibility is broad as well, particularly for landscaping and material-handling attachments, though the selection is somewhat narrower than Bobcat's when you get into specialty or niche attachments.

Resale Value and Dealer Support

Bobcat's deep, established dealer network and its position as the compact equipment volume leader translate into strong resale value and a liquid used market for the T64 -- a real advantage if you plan to trade within a few years. Kubota's SVL65-2 benefits from the brand's diesel engineering reputation and a dealer network with meaningful overlap into agricultural equipment support, which matters for Florida operations with existing Kubota tractor relationships. Both are reasonable bets on long-term value; the deciding factor is often which dealer is closer to your shop and which network you already have a relationship with.

Financing an Entry-Level CTL

Machines in this class are often the first tracked loader a contractor owns after outgrowing rentals, which makes getting the financing structure right just as important as picking the right brand. Equipment financing through BFC is built specifically for that transition -- a well-qualified buyer doesn't need a large cash outlay to get started, down payments scale with credit profile, and BFC can help finance a second machine while a first loan is still being paid down, which matters for a business scaling past its first year with an owned fleet.

A Note on Cab Configuration

Both machines are available in open-station ROPS and fully enclosed, climate-controlled cab configurations, and the price and comfort gap between the two options matters more at this entry price point than it does on a larger machine. A Florida contractor running either machine through a full summer should weigh the enclosed cab's added cost against the real productivity and retention benefit of keeping an operator comfortable through a ten-hour shift in South Florida heat -- it's rarely a bad investment at this equipment class.

Fuel Efficiency Over a Full Season

Engine output between these two machines is close enough -- 68 hp on the Bobcat versus 68.4 hp gross on the Kubota -- that fuel burn per hour should be roughly comparable across a full season of daily use. The bigger operating-cost variable is duty cycle fit: a machine well-matched to its daily workload burns fuel more efficiently per unit of material moved than one working outside its comfortable range, which is another reason the reach-versus-mass trade-off discussed above matters more for total cost of ownership than the horsepower figures alone.

Where This Machine Fits in a Growing Fleet

An entry-level compact track loader is frequently the machine a contractor buys right before scaling into a genuine multi-machine fleet, which makes the brand decision here worth a bit more weight than it might otherwise carry. Staying within Bobcat's ecosystem sets up easier expansion into Bobcat's broader CTL and skid steer lineup later, with shared parts and one dealer relationship. The same logic applies to building around Kubota if the SVL65-2 is your first tracked machine and you anticipate adding a larger SVL-series loader down the road as the business grows.

Track Width and Ground Pressure

Both machines run steel-embedded rubber tracks, and neither publishes a wide-track option at this specific entry-level tier the way Kubota does on its larger SVL series. Ground pressure between the two is close enough, given the roughly 650-lb weight difference and comparable standard track widths, that neither has a decisive flotation advantage on soft Florida ground. If flotation on consistently wet or sandy sites is a major concern, it's worth checking whether either dealer offers an aftermarket wide-track option before assuming stock configuration is your only choice.

Dealer Reach Across Florida

Bobcat's dealer network is the deepest and most established in the compact equipment world, with strong coverage across every region of Florida, not just the South Florida corridor. Kubota's network is smaller in raw compact-equipment dealer count but benefits from meaningful overlap with the state's agricultural equipment dealers, particularly useful outside the immediate metro areas. Either way, confirm parts turnaround with your specific local dealer before assuming statewide network strength translates evenly to every region you work in.

The Bottom Line

Two vertical-lift entry-level compact track loaders, two different engineering answers to the same size-class question: Bobcat leans on structural mass and cast-steel durability, Kubota leans on reach and geometry. Neither is objectively better -- the honest deciding factor is whether your daily work fights resistance or fights repositioning, and buying toward that answer beats buying toward brand familiarity alone.

A Real Jobsite Scenario

Picture a mulch and landscape supply operation in Broward County running daily truck-loading routes. The Kubota SVL65-2's extra reach means the operator repositions less often loading over tailgates, and the lighter footprint keeps the machine mobile on the yard's looser ground after rain. Now picture a demolition cleanup sub whose daily work is dragging and loading debris that fights back -- the Bobcat T64's heavier, reinforced build holds up better under that kind of repeated structural load. Both are legitimate entry-level track loaders; the honest differentiator is which kind of resistance your machine fights every day -- reach and repositioning, or raw structural durability.

For more on choosing between a skid steer and a track loader for your ground conditions, see our skid steer vs. compact track loader decision framework, and once you've picked a machine, our guide to wheeled vs. tracked resale value is worth reading for the long-term ownership picture.

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