Kubota SVL65-2 vs. John Deere 317 P-Tier: Entry-Class Compact Track Loader Comparison
We've already put Kubota's SVL65-2 up against Bobcat's T64 and New Holland's C327, but there's one entry-class compact track loader we haven't covered yet that belongs in this conversation just as much: John Deere's 317 P-Tier. Both machines sit at the affordable, high-volume end of the CTL class, both run vertical-lift geometry, and both are the machine a lot of landscaping, hardscape, and small site-prep contractors buy first before ever stepping up to a bigger loader. Here's how they actually compare, and why the deposit you put into the sandy soil underneath you matters as much as the spec sheet.
The Two Machines, Side by Side
Kubota SVL65-2: 62.5 gross hp (Kubota V2607-CR-TE4 turbo diesel), rated operating capacity 2,100 lb at 35% tipping / 3,000 lb at 50% tipping, 6,000 lb tipping load, 4,614 lbf bucket breakout force, operating weight roughly 8,100–8,500 lb depending on configuration
John Deere 317 P-Tier: 65 gross hp / 61 net hp, rated operating capacity 2,125 lb at 35% tipping (SAE), operating weight 8,423 lb
On paper these two are about as close as this class gets. Deere's gross horsepower edges Kubota's by a couple of points, and its rated operating capacity comes in just slightly ahead too — 2,125 lb against 2,100 lb at the same 35% tipping-load standard. Neither gap is the kind of thing that decides a job by itself. What's worth paying attention to instead is how each brand chose to get there, and what that means for the kind of ground you're actually running on.
Ground Pressure and Florida Soil
This is the angle we already covered in depth in our standalone SVL65-2 spotlight, and it applies just as directly here: horsepower gets the headline, but ground pressure is what actually determines whether a compact track loader can work a soft, sandy South Florida lot without rutting it, or whether it needs to sit on plywood or mats to move at all. Both the SVL65-2 and the 317 P-Tier are built for exactly this entry-class niche — jobs light enough that a skid steer's tire pressure would tear up turf or wet sand, but still needing real lift and push capability. Whichever brand you lean toward, ask your dealer for the specific ground pressure rating (in PSI) on the track width and shoe option you're configuring, not just the base spec sheet number, because shoe width changes that figure meaningfully and it's the number that actually predicts how the machine behaves on a rain-softened lot in August.
Rated Operating Capacity and Tipping Load
Kubota publishes both a 35% and a 50% tipping-load rated capacity for the SVL65-2 — 2,100 lb and 3,000 lb respectively — along with a full 6,000 lb tipping load. Deere's published figure for the 317 P-Tier is 2,125 lb at 35% tipping under the SAE standard. These numbers are close enough that the real-world difference shows up more in attachment choice and load placement than in brand superiority — a pallet fork job pushing right at rated capacity is where every extra pound matters, while general grading, material moving, and landscaping work rarely gets anywhere near the limit on either machine.
Power and Hydraulics
Kubota's V2607-CR-TE4 turbocharged diesel is a proven, widely serviced engine across Kubota's compact equipment lineup, which matters for parts and service availability as much as the horsepower number itself. Deere rates the 317 P-Tier at 65 gross and 61 net horsepower, part of the broader P-Tier generation that brought Deere's compact track loaders onto electrohydraulic controls and more configurable joystick response. Neither brand publishes a directly comparable hydraulic flow figure in the format we pulled for this piece — if auxiliary hydraulic flow for a specific high-demand attachment is a deciding factor for your work, confirm the exact current-model figure with your dealer rather than assuming either way.
The Cab and Controls
This is where the P-Tier generation made its biggest jump for Deere, and it's worth being specific about it rather than waving at "improved comfort" the way a lot of marketing copy does. The P-Tier lineup introduced electrohydraulic controls across Deere's compact track loaders, letting operators fine-tune joystick response and machine behavior to their own preference rather than working with a fixed hydraulic linkage — a real, tangible change for anyone running the machine eight hours a day. Kubota's SVL65-2 sticks with a more conventional control layout, which has its own advantage: it's simpler, familiar to anyone who's run Kubota equipment before, and has fewer electronic systems to diagnose if something goes wrong in the field. Neither approach is objectively better — it's a genuine preference question, and the only way to actually know which one you'd rather run all day is to sit in both at a dealer lot before you sign anything.
Telematics, Standard
KubotaNOW telematics ships standard on the SVL65-2, giving owners hours, location, fuel level, and machine health data through the myKubota app at no extra charge. Deere's equivalent is JDLink, generally included as standard hardware on current P-Tier compact track loaders, though the specific subscription tier and what's bundled versus billed can shift by model year — confirm the current JDLink terms on the exact 317 P-Tier unit you're looking at before assuming it matches what you've read elsewhere about a different Deere model.
What Replaced What
Deere's 317 P-Tier succeeds the 317G in its compact track loader lineup, consistent with the broader shift Deere made across its entire compact equipment range when it moved from the G-Series to the P-Tier generation — the headline changes across that transition were the shift to electrohydraulic controls and a cab built around operator comfort and configurability, not a dramatic jump in core lift or horsepower numbers. We don't have a directly comparable G-Series spec sheet pulled for this piece, so rather than guess at exact deltas, the honest summary is this: if you're comparing a used 317G against a new 317 P-Tier, the core lifting and tipping numbers are close, and the real upgrade you're paying for is the control system and cab, not raw capacity. Kubota's SVL65-2, similarly, has since been joined — not fully replaced — by the newer SVL65-2s, which keeps the same core engine and lift numbers but adds Shockless Ride suspension and a more configurable cab, a pattern worth knowing if you're shopping used inventory of either brand and seeing multiple generations on the same dealer lot.
Attachment Ecosystem
Kubota backs the SVL65-2 with a performance-matched attachment lineup through Kubota by Land Pride, including buckets, forks, and grading attachments sized to the machine's hydraulic output and quick-attach hitch. Deere runs the equivalent program under its Worksite Pro name, covering a comparable spread of buckets, forks, and grading tools matched to its compact track loader series. For either brand, ask your dealer specifically which attachments are performance-matched to your exact model versus generic aftermarket fits — on a machine this size, a mismatched attachment shows up quickly in cycle time and wear.
Dealer Network and Service Reality
Both Kubota and John Deere maintain large, established dealer networks nationwide, which is a real advantage over a smaller or newer brand with thinner service coverage. That said, density isn't even everywhere, and the dealer that's fifteen minutes from your yard versus the one that's an hour away matters enormously the day a hose blows or a track needs replacing mid-job. Before deciding between these two machines on spec sheets alone, call the nearest dealer for each brand and ask directly about parts availability, typical service turnaround, and whether a loaner unit is realistically available if yours is down for more than a day.
Which Trades Should Lean Which Way
Landscaping crews, hardscape installers, fencing contractors, and small site-prep subs are the core buyers for both of these machines, and either one is genuinely capable across that whole range of work. A landscaping company doing turf installs and soft-ground material moving will appreciate the SVL65-2's simpler control feel and Kubota's broad dealer footprint in agricultural and rural markets. A contractor already running other Deere compact equipment — a compact tractor, a skid steer, a smaller excavator — gets real value from staying in the JDLink and Worksite Pro ecosystem across the whole fleet. Starting from zero brand loyalty, the deciding factor should be the cab test-sit and which dealer actually answers the phone fast in your area, not a 25 lb gap in rated operating capacity that neither machine will ever feel in daily work.
A Note on Resale
Entry-class compact track loaders in this size and price range move briskly in the used market precisely because they're the first CTL purchase for so many small contractors, which keeps demand steady for well-maintained examples of either brand. Documented service records, undercarriage and track condition, and a clean telematics history all matter more to resale value than which badge is on the hood. If you're buying with resale in mind down the line, prioritize maintenance discipline over brand loyalty — a well-kept SVL65-2 and a well-kept 317 P-Tier will both hold up fine in the used market, while a hard-run example of either one will struggle.
The Rent-Versus-Own Case
This is exactly the size class where the rent-versus-own math tips fastest toward ownership once the work becomes recurring rather than occasional. A landscaping or hardscape crew renting a compact track loader three or four times a month at a daily rate is paying far more over a year than a financed payment on a machine they own between jobs — and a rented unit comes with whatever track width, attachment compatibility, and hour-meter history the rental yard happens to have that week, not the configuration you'd actually choose. Once a CTL this size is doing real, repeat work for your crew, financing either the SVL65-2 or the 317 P-Tier outright almost always beats renting on total cost, and it builds equity a rental payment never does.
Financing Either Machine
Whichever brand fits your existing fleet, dealer relationship, or the feel you preferred in the cab, our equipment financing programs cover both the Kubota SVL65-2 and the John Deere 317 P-Tier, with terms built around your business's actual cash flow rather than a one-size-fits-all schedule — available nationwide to startups and established contracting businesses with any credit background, including small landscaping and hardscape crews buying their first compact track loader.
See our Kubota equipment financing programs and John Deere equipment financing programs pages for brand-specific details, or apply directly below.
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