Sub-compact tractors are agile, adaptable machines used for lawn and garden, light agriculture, snow removal and landscaping work. Small enough to maneuver tight jobs, they work inside and around sheds, barns and animal enclosures.

Popular for both personal and professional use, sub-compact tractors still have enough power to take on heavy-duty jobs — which is why they've become ideal equipment for hobby farms. Many include operator-friendly controls that make them perfect for beginner operators.

Attachments add year-round versatility. Front-end loaders are the most popular, letting you haul, scoop, grade and more, while options like mid-mount mowers, box blades and backhoes maintain lawns, backfill driveways and dig ditches.

Bobcat's 1000 platform offers two sub-compact models — the CT1021 and CT1025 — each with a convenient 46-inch width, Limited Category 1 three-point hitch and an easy-to-learn hydrostatic transmission.

Whether you're an expert operator or it's your first time on a piece of equipment, Bobcat sub-compact tractors are designed for simplicity.

• Operator-friendly controls make it easy for users of all skill levels to get the job done.
• Hydrostatic models use simple twin-pedal travel control: one pedal moves you forward, the other in reverse — no clutch, no gear shifting.
• Operator stations and cabs are loaded with comfort features that help every operator feel at ease in the seat.

Sub-compact tractors, like the Bobcat CT1021 and CT1025, have operating weights around 1,500 pounds.

Compact tractors range between roughly 2,000 and 4,000 pounds depending on the model, and articulating tractors weigh in around 1,850 pounds.

Bobcat offers a wide variety of sub-compact tractor attachments and implements — with a handful of the right tools you can adapt your machine to all kinds of jobs.

A front-end loader is a must-have for many owners:

• Take on digging, dirt moving, loading and carrying material.
• The included quick-tach system lets you hook up a wide selection of front-mounted attachments.

When you purchase a Bobcat compact tractor, you can get a free front-end loader* in lieu of financing — see our current offer for details.

*Limited-time offer. Financing and the free front-end loader are mutually exclusive. See dealer for complete details and eligibility.

It comes down to your acreage and the jobs you have in mind. Sub-compact tractors — the Bobcat 1000 platform, like the CT1021 and CT1025 — are sized for properties up to a few acres: mowing, light loader work, snow removal and everyday chores around the house, barn or hobby farm.

As your acreage grows or the jobs get heavier (bigger implements, more lifting, faster road speeds), you step up to the compact 2000–5000 platforms, and finally the utility 6000 platform for large-acreage, ground-engaging work. Use the platform comparison chart above to match horsepower, lift capacity and travel speed to your property — and when in doubt, our team can size the right machine for your land.

For most owners, yes — and every Bobcat sub-compact tractor comes with four-wheel drive (4x4) standard. Powering all four wheels gives you the traction to climb hills, push through mud and snow, and dig or push with the loader without spinning out.

It also keeps you working in conditions that would leave a two-wheel-drive machine stuck. On a sub-compact you'll appreciate it most during loader work and winter snow removal.

PTO stands for “power take-off” — a spinning shaft that sends the engine's power straight to an attachment so the implement can do its work, whether that's cutting, tilling or blowing snow.

Sub-compact tractors like the CT1025 have two. The rear PTO (540 rpm) drives three-point implements such as rotary cutters, tillers, post-hole augers and snow blowers, while the mid PTO (2,200 rpm) powers a belly-mounted mid-mount mower for finish mowing. The CT1025's independent PTO puts about 18.8 PTO horsepower to those tools.

The three-point hitch is the three-armed linkage at the back of the tractor that attaches, lifts and lowers rear implements — box blades, rotary cutters, tillers, land graders, snow blowers and more — hydraulically as you work.

“Category 1” refers to the hitch's standardized size and pin dimensions, which is the norm for sub-compact and compact tractors, so it accepts the huge range of Cat 1 implements on the market. The CT1025 uses a Limited Category 1 hitch with a Hydraulic Position Control System that holds your implement at a consistent height, and it lifts up to 700 lbs measured 24 inches behind the lift point.

On the Bobcat CT1025, the front-end loader lifts about 608 lbs to full height for scooping, carrying and loading material, while the rear three-point hitch lifts up to 700 lbs (24 inches behind the lift point) to raise and run ground-engaging implements.

Towing depends on your drawbar setup, the terrain and the load — sub-compacts comfortably pull utility carts, small trailers, yard rollers and similar loads. For a specific towing figure or a heavier job, talk to our team and we'll match the machine and setup to what you're pulling.