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At the heart of every livestock farm and arable farming enterprise, our extensive coverage of agricultural tractors includes new models, ranges and technologies from leading manufacturers, user reports and group test comparisons to help you choose the best power unit for your farming business.

Latest tractor articles

TRACTORS

£50k Sabanto Steward kit gets Fendt 700 working autonomously

Long, lonely hours spent cultivating, drilling and mowing could be a thing of the past with the advent of a plug-in kit that can get any autosteer-ready tractor operating autonomously.…

101-200HP

New-look 95-145hp 5M tractors replace Massey’s ageing 5700s

Massey Ferguson has revamped its M-series tractor line-up, adding a broader spread of models that now top out at 145hp. This is up from the 135hp apex of the outgoing…

TRACTORS

Bluewhite driverless retrofit transforms sub-100hp tractors

An Israeli-American start-up has developed a retrofit kit that allows small tractors to work entirely autonomously, principally for spraying permanent crops such as vines and orchards. Given Bluewhite's focus is…

401+HP

First impressions: Claas Xerion 12.650 takes on US artics

To the casual observer, Claas’ Xerion 12.650 looks like any other articulated crawler – just a Quadtrac, 9RX, or Versatile Deltatrack dressed in a different outfit. Yet it’s nothing of…

TRACTORS

Fendt reveals retrofits for 200, 300 and 700 series tractors

Fendt tractor drivers craving a few extra features now have a broader range of retrofit options through the firm’s Smart Ag Engineering division. Among the list of bolt-on bits are…

100HP

More lift and hydraulic flow for simple CNH loader tractors

New Holland and Case IH have overhauled their entry-level, 80-117hp loader tractor ranges, giving them higher lift capacity, greater hydraulic flow and new styling. Blue versions are dubbed T5 Dual…

Tractor reviews and tests

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TRACTORS

High-hour horsepower: Deutz-Fahr 165.7 smashes 21,000 hours

Cornish dairy farmer Paul George’s Deutz-Fahr 165.7 has overcome worn-out clutches, tired gaskets and an overheating engine to battle its way to an impressive 21,000-hour clock read-out. It arrived at…

MACHINERY

Mid-range tractor test: John Deere 6210R

Power Farming Verdict: 3.8/5 The John Deere was the only tractor on test not to use AdBlue, but it still performed well in the DLG tests. We tested a pre-production…

TRACTORS

Driver’s view: Marilyn Jones’ Same Dorado 90 Natural tractor

For the past couple of years, the main workhorse on Marilyn Jones’ hill farm near Brecon, Powys, has been a 2019 Same Dorado 90 Natural. This compact 87hp tractor is…

MACHINERY

Case-IH Farmall 95U Pro on test

Case-IH Farmall 95U Pro Price: £58,800 RANKING: 1st   Cab The Austrian-built Farmall shares the same six-post cab frame as the New Holland. This offers pretty much everything you need…

201-300HP

On test: Fendt 724 Profi Plus

Fendt has long been the brand of choice for those that like to get technical with their tractors. When the last 700-series arrived on the scene in 2011, it brought…

MACHINERY

On test: Valtra T214 Direct

The other tractors on test Fendt 720 Vario New Holland T 7.230 Case IH Puma 175 CVX Massey Ferguson 7720 Dyna From a driver’s point of view, the revamped T-series…

MACHINERY

Mid-range tractor test: Fendt 724 Vario

Power Farming Verdict: 4.2/5 As usual, the Fendt delivered on working and driving comfort as well as performing well at the DLG testing station. This is reflected in its high…

TRACTORS

Driver’s view: Case-IH Quadtrac 600

When Case-IH chose to bolt four track units to one of its articulated prairie monsters it created a new tractor concept that had no direct rivals for more than 15…

MACHINERY

Driven: New Holland T4 and T5

What's new? Engine & gears Cab Loader T5 pics The T4 Verdict Prices With more makes and models on the market than you could shake a stick at, choosing which…

TRACTORS

Video: On test – Fendt’s monster 500hp 1050

Farmers buying a tractor with more than 500hp on tap have traditionally had to settle for a hulking great machine that will have its cylinders firing for only four months of…

101-200HP

Driver’s view: Claas Arion 450 CIS Quadrishift

Packing 130hp and 500Nm of torque, the Arion 450 is the third most powerful model in Claas’ compact four-cylinder tractor range, behind the 140hp 460 and 155hp 470. Since 2014,…

MACHINERY

Top-end tractor test: John Deere 8335R

Power Farming Verdict: 3.5/5 At certain points through the measurement curve for partial engine loading, the engine burnt more diesel than its competitors. But with a DPF the Deere needed…

Tractor buying advice

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Tractor technology

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MACHINERY

Video: Fendt demos driverless tractor

Driverless technology How it works Safety What's next? Several manufacturers are experimenting with driverless tractor technology, but it looks like Fendt will be the first to launch a viable system.…

Knott self-adjusting brake claims to give easier servicing

Burton-on-Trent brake manufacturer Knott-Avonride has launched what it claims is the first automatically adjusting system for auto-reverse brakes for livestock trailers. Its universal brake system differs from other systems on the market…

TRACTORS

Yanmar launches small autonomous tractors

Japanese maker Yanmar has finished the development of its fully autonomous tractor, working together with Hokkaido University. The so-called Robot Tractor is available now and can work alone or as…

Road legal

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ROAD LEGAL

Tracked tractor test mandatory for new operators

Operators of twin-tracked tractors must ensure they have a category H test before getting behind the wheel this harvest, and advanced booking is advised after a testing backlog. The disruption…

Tractor guides

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MACHINERY

Video: Fendt demos driverless tractor

Driverless technology How it works Safety What's next? Several manufacturers are experimenting with driverless tractor technology, but it looks like Fendt will be the first to launch a viable system.…

MACHINERY

110hp tractor test: John Deere 6115M

Power Farming Verdict: 3.3/5 Deere’s build quality and logical arrangement of controls has been the force behind its perennial success. It also had a strong engine, but being the smallest…

TRACTORS

Ultimate guide to buying a tractor 2023

Rationalisation of models and specifications is the name of the game for several manufacturers listed in the 2023 edition of the Ultimate Guide to tractors. Supply chain issues remain problematic…

TRACTORS

Video: John Deere four-track 8RX – an alternative to wheels?

Since its launch at Germany’s Agritechnica show in November, the web has been awash with pictures and videos of John Deere’s shiny new 8RX tracked tractor range. The hype has…

TRACTORS

Video: John Deere 6175R Directdrive tractor on test

The John Deere 6175R’s spacious, quiet cab and well-thought-out controls made it a clear favourite among our test team. We also got on well with the Directdrive transmission, which is…

201-300HP

First impressions: Deutz-Fahr's 287hp 8280 TTV

Deutz-Fahr has pinned its high-horsepower hopes on a new 8-series range that it reckons has the power, speed and hydraulic capacity to compete with the sector’s biggest sellers. There’s currently…

MACHINERY

Video: John Deere e23 tractor v Autopowr

John Deere’s high-horsepower tractors have been hankering after a new powershift transmission for years and at last it’s here. Nick Fone and Oliver Mark find out if it is any…

TRACTORS

On test: John Deere 7R 350 tractor

Not long ago, 350hp was the reserve of tracklayers and equal-wheeled prairie monsters strictly employed on tilling and drilling duties, but a new breed of high-horsepower conventional wheeled tractors is…

TRACTORS

Tips for buying a second-hand Challenger MT765E

Rising input costs, falling subsidy payments and squeezed profit margins mean many farmers are turning to the second-hand machinery market to add extra firepower or replace their ageing prime mover.…

TRACTORS

Tractors: where are they made?

Long gone are the glory days when the vast majority of tractors used on UK farms were built in UK factories. Today, only CNH Industrial’s New Holland plant in Essex…

MACHINERY

Claas Arion 550 on test

Power Farming Verdict: 4/5 Claas’ Arion turned out to be a pretty good all-rounder. The cab was comfortable and well thought out, and the gearbox performed well in tests. We…

Video

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MACHINERY

Video: Fendt demos driverless tractor

Driverless technology How it works Safety What's next? Several manufacturers are experimenting with driverless tractor technology, but it looks like Fendt will be the first to launch a viable system.…

TRACTORS

Video: John Deere four-track 8RX – an alternative to wheels?

Since its launch at Germany’s Agritechnica show in November, the web has been awash with pictures and videos of John Deere’s shiny new 8RX tracked tractor range. The hype has…

TRACTORS

Video: John Deere 6175R Directdrive tractor on test

The John Deere 6175R’s spacious, quiet cab and well-thought-out controls made it a clear favourite among our test team. We also got on well with the Directdrive transmission, which is…

MACHINERY

Video: John Deere e23 tractor v Autopowr

John Deere’s high-horsepower tractors have been hankering after a new powershift transmission for years and at last it’s here. Nick Fone and Oliver Mark find out if it is any…

Tractor insights and practical advice

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TRACTORS

Ultimate guide to buying a tractor 2023

Rationalisation of models and specifications is the name of the game for several manufacturers listed in the 2023 edition of the Ultimate Guide to tractors. Supply chain issues remain problematic…

TRACTORS

Tips for buying a second-hand Challenger MT765E

Rising input costs, falling subsidy payments and squeezed profit margins mean many farmers are turning to the second-hand machinery market to add extra firepower or replace their ageing prime mover.…

TRACTORS

Tractors: where are they made?

Long gone are the glory days when the vast majority of tractors used on UK farms were built in UK factories. Today, only CNH Industrial’s New Holland plant in Essex…

MACHINERY

What to look for when buying a used tractor

Intro 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Purchasing a used tractor can be a pitfall-laden process for even the most seasoned buyer, with a wide range…

MACHINERY

Compare tractors and combines with our buyers guides

Farmers and contractors looking to take several options into consideration when choosing a new tractor will find the new specification and price guide published on FWi this week a useful…

TRACTORS

Farm machinery giants: The Fendt success story

Village blacksmiths started many of the big-name companies in the farm machinery industry, but the family who founded Fendt buck that trend. Sylvester Fendt began his clock-making business in the…

TRACTORS

Buying the right tractor: part 1 - power

Buying a new tractor is potentially one of the most complex decisions a farmer makes; there are so many models, sizes and features – let alone prices – to consider.…

TRACTORS

High-flexion tractor tyres - how they work and what they cost

Slice open one of the latest high-tech tractor tyres to compare it with a “lesser” design and, without the trained eye of a tyre engineer, you would be hard-pressed to…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: The world's first tractors

The history of the tractor began in the late 1880s, when petrol engines provided an alternative to steam, which had driven the power farming revolution for almost 100 years. Britain…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: Wood-fuelled tractors

It might sound a bit wacky, but tractors have the potential to be powered by wood – as proven by several farming inventions over the years. The tractor fuel produced…

Latest tacho, licence and red diesel rules explained

What is legal on the road is not so much a grey area – it’s more like 50 shades of grey, all which have to be interpreted carefully by farmers…