Tractor-style UV
Author: Progressive Farmer

Working around the garden, the barn or the back 40, Kubota's new utility vehicle does it all.

Kubota's first entry into the utility vehicle market has features more often found on a tractor than an ATV. These include an HST transmission, a diesel engine and an OSHA-certified ROPS.

By emphasizing the RTV900's tractorlike features, Kubota is sending a message to the 100,000-unit-per-year market that this UV is a vehicle meant for serious work and play.

Key to the RTV900's tractor characteristics is a three-speed hydrostatic transmission. Most utility vehicles rely on a belt-driven transmission like you'd find on an ATV.

But choosing a hydraulic transmission allowed Kubota engineers to include hydraulic power steering, hydraulic front and rear wet disk brakes, and an optional rear pto for hydraulic-powered tools and accessories. Hydraulics also power the dump mechanism on the 1,100-pound-capacity cargo bed.

The 4WD RTV900 boasts a three-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 22-pto-hp Kubota diesel engine like those found on its orange tractors. Top speed is 25 mph. And while most of the UV market is powered by gasoline, Kubota is betting that farmers, ranchers and sportsmen will opt for diesel as a power source they know and like.

The RTV900's ROPS system is a safety feature too rarely found in utility vehicles but common on tractors. Heated cabs are a comfort option.