CAT 323 vs. Hyundai HX220A L: Mid-Size Excavator Comparison

The 22-to-25-ton excavator class carries a lot of the day-to-day civil and commercial work in Florida: mass excavation, pond digging, commercial pad sites, and anything that needs real production without stepping up into true large-excavator territory. The CAT 323 and Hyundai HX220A L are two of the more credible options in that bracket, and while CAT's name carries obvious weight, the Hyundai is a genuinely close competitor on the numbers that matter.

Meet the CAT 323

CAT's 323 is a medium excavator weighing 55,100 lbs and producing 172 net horsepower, with a maximum digging depth of 22.1 feet. As part of CAT's broader 300-series medium excavator range, the 323 sits between the compact-radius 320 and the larger 330, offering a balance of production capability and maneuverability that fits most general civil and commercial site work in Florida.

CAT backs the 323 with the same dealer and parts infrastructure covered in our piece on CAT and Bobcat's Florida dealer network, and contractors who already run CAT Grade with 3D on other machines can typically extend that same factory grade control technology to the 323 as well, keeping a consistent operator experience across the fleet.

Meet the Hyundai HX220A L

Hyundai's HX220A L runs a Cummins B6.7 diesel producing 170 horsepower, an operating weight between 50,265 and 54,516 lbs depending on configuration, and a maximum digging depth of 21 feet 3.9 inches. Bucket breakout force reaches 34,238 lbf and arm crowd force hits 24,030 lbf. Hyundai's A-Series excavators achieve faster cycle speeds than the brand's previous generation through hydraulic system enhancements, positioning the HX220A L as a genuine production machine rather than just a budget alternative to the established brands.

We compared this same Hyundai model against a different CAT competitor in Hyundai HX220A L vs. John Deere 210 P-Tier, which is worth cross-referencing if you want a third data point beyond just CAT and Hyundai in this weight class.

Head-to-Head: The Numbers

Weight favors CAT slightly, 55,100 lbs against a top configuration of 54,516 lbs for the Hyundai, close enough to call a wash. Horsepower is nearly identical: 172 hp for the CAT versus 170 hp for the Hyundai, a 2-horsepower gap that will not be noticeable in the field. CAT holds a real dig-depth edge, 22.1 feet against 21.3 feet for the Hyundai, roughly 10 inches deeper, which matters for basement and deep foundation work.

Where the Hyundai earns real consideration is acquisition cost and cycle speed claims; Hyundai's engineering investment in hydraulic response on the A-Series line has closed a real gap against established Tier 1 brands, and the Cummins engine gives buyers a well-known, widely serviceable powertrain even where Hyundai's own dealer network is thinner than CAT's.

Who Runs a Machine at This Size

This class handles commercial site-development mass excavation, pond and lake construction, road and infrastructure grading, large-scale utility trenching, and any project where a crew needs genuine hourly production rather than just capability. It is the size class where a contractor typically dedicates an operator full time and tracks cost per cubic yard moved as a real business metric, not just a rough estimate.

Rent vs. Own in the 22-to-25-Ton Class

Equipment at this scale commonly rents for $700 to $1,000 a day in Florida markets, and a contractor running one steadily on a multi-month civil or commercial contract will burn through the equivalent of a full loan payment in rental fees within a matter of weeks, not months. Ownership at this size is rarely a close call for a contractor with consistent utilization; the only real question is financing structure, not whether to buy.

Beyond the raw dollar math, owning at this scale also protects your schedule. Rental-yard availability tightens fast during Florida's peak construction season, and a contractor who owns their 22-to-25-ton excavator is never the one scrambling to find a substitute machine two days before a pour.

Financing a Production-Class Excavator

A machine at this scale represents a serious capital decision, and BFC structures excavator financing around your actual project pipeline rather than a generic underwriting template. Our guide to excavator financing in Florida for a CAT 336 buyer covers similar underwriting considerations one size class up, and our piece on Section 179 depreciation timing is worth a read before you close on either machine, always in consultation with your own tax professional.

Grade Control and Production Technology

CAT Grade with 3D is available across the 323's product line, letting operators work to design surface with real-time on-screen guidance rather than relying entirely on a grade stake and a chase truck. Hyundai's HX220A L does not currently offer a directly comparable factory-integrated 3D grade system in North America, though aftermarket and dealer-installed machine control solutions remain an option for contractors who want that capability on the Hyundai platform. For a contractor whose work regularly involves finish grading to tight tolerances, CAT's factory integration is a genuine operational advantage worth pricing into the comparison.

Both machines include standard rearview cameras and cab monitoring systems, and CAT's broader technology ecosystem, including remote machine monitoring through CAT App and VisionLink, gives fleet managers running several CAT machines a unified dashboard that a mixed-brand fleet cannot easily replicate.

Undercarriage and Durability at This Weight Class

Machines in the 22-to-25-ton range see heavy duty cycles, and undercarriage wear is typically the single largest maintenance cost over the life of either machine. CAT's 323 benefits from the brand's long production history in this exact weight class, giving buyers access to well-documented wear rates and maintenance intervals from decades of real-world data. Hyundai's A-Series undercarriage improvements, part of the brand's broader engineering investment in this generation, have closed much of the historical durability gap against established Tier 1 competitors, though the newer platform naturally has less long-term field data behind it.

A contractor evaluating either machine for purchase, new or used, should request undercarriage wear documentation directly and factor remaining undercarriage life into the total cost comparison, since a worn undercarriage on an otherwise capable used machine can add tens of thousands of dollars in near-term replacement cost.

Sizing This Machine for Florida Commercial Work

The 22-to-25-ton class handles the bulk of Florida's commercial pad site, pond, and mass-excavation work, and both the 323 and HX220A L are well suited to the state's typical soil conditions. Contractors bidding public-sector or larger commercial contracts should confirm bonding and insurance requirements tied to equipment value before finalizing either purchase, since financing structure can directly affect how quickly a contractor qualifies for larger bonded work.

Long-Term Ownership Costs at This Scale

A machine in the 22-to-25-ton class represents enough capital that total cost of ownership deserves real analysis beyond the purchase price alone. CAT's extensive published fleet data for the 323 platform lets a buyer model realistic fuel burn, maintenance intervals, and wear-part costs with genuine confidence before signing. Hyundai's HX220A L, running a well-known Cummins B6.7 engine rather than a Hyundai-branded powertrain, benefits from that engine's widespread service familiarity across Florida's diesel repair infrastructure, a real practical advantage even where Hyundai's own dedicated excavator dealer network is still growing.

Insurance and bonding considerations also scale with equipment value at this size, and a contractor pursuing larger commercial or public-sector contracts should confirm how either purchase affects their bonding capacity with their surety provider before finalizing financing.

Both machines hold solid resale value in this weight class given consistent demand from Florida's commercial site-development sector, though CAT's brand recognition generally translates to slightly faster resale liquidity in the used-equipment marketplace nationally.

Weighing CAT's Established Reputation Against Hyundai's Value

CAT's 323 carries real brand weight in bid conversations with general contractors and owners who specifically look for Tier 1 equipment on a jobsite, an intangible but genuinely valuable factor for a contractor building a reputation in competitive commercial markets. Hyundai's HX220A L delivers nearly identical core performance at what is typically a more accessible price point, letting a growing contractor acquire more capability sooner without stretching financing as thin.

Neither choice is a compromise at this size; both machines will move real volume on a commercial site, and the decision ultimately comes down to how much weight your specific market and client base puts on brand recognition versus value.

Timing Your Purchase Around Seasonal Demand

Florida's construction calendar has real seasonal rhythm, with dry-season site work accelerating from fall through spring and hurricane-season rain slowing outdoor grading and excavation in summer months. A contractor timing a purchase of either the 323 or HX220A L to arrive ahead of the dry-season ramp-up can start generating revenue from the machine immediately rather than financing idle equipment during a slow stretch. Both CAT and Hyundai dealers in Florida typically see increased order volume in late summer and early fall as contractors position equipment for the coming season, so ordering early enough to avoid peak-season delivery delays is worth factoring into your timeline.

Whichever brand you choose, aligning your financing closing date with your actual project start date, rather than simply buying as soon as financing is approved, keeps your first payment from coming due before the machine is generating revenue.

Ready to Put This Machine to Work?

Whichever badge earns your trust, a production-class excavator working full time makes the ownership case for itself. Every rental payment at this scale is real money gone for good; every financed payment builds equity you can leverage into your next contract, without making you wait for this one to be paid off.

Visit our home page to see how we work with contractors across Florida and the Southeast, browse our equipment for sale and financing marketplace if you would rather buy outright or list a machine of your own, apply for equipment financing to get real numbers on your next machine, or subscribe to our blog for more head-to-head comparisons and new-model coverage every week.