Head to head
Bobcat S450 against Bobcat S590
The Bobcat S450 saves $1,316; the Bobcat S590 carries 630 lb more once both are rated the same way; the Bobcat S590 moves 0.4 GPM more through the auxiliary circuit.
| Spec | Bobcat S450 | Bobcat S590 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $52,618 | $53,934 |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 1,370 lbs | 2,000 lbs |
| Rated at | 50% of tipping load | 50% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 2,740 lbs | 4,000 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 1,370 lbs | 2,000 lbs |
| Engine power | 49 hp | 68 hp |
| Engine | Bobcat (Doosan) D18 | Bobcat (model not published) |
| Auxiliary flow | 16.7 GPM | 17.1 GPM |
| Lift height | 109.5 in | 119 in |
| Operating weight | 5,370 lbs | 6,649 lbs |
| Lift path | Radial Lift | Vertical Lift |
| Rubber tracks | No | No |
| High flow available | No | Yes |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | Yes | Yes |
| Self-levelling available | No | No |
| A/C and heat available | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
Bobcat S450
- At roughly 5,000 lbs it's one of the few real skid steers a half-ton pickup can legally tow with a bucket on the trailer, which owners cite as the deciding factor over mid-frame machines.
- The 49 hp Tier 4 engine needs no DPF and no regen cycles, so there's none of the aftertreatment drama that plagues short-run, low-load machines in this class.
- The radius lift path gives good reach at mid-range heights for dumping over walls and backfilling, which suits the grading and loading work small frames actually do.
- The 58.7-inch width slips through gates and between houses where mid-frame machines can't go, making it popular for backyard and fenced-property jobs.
- The cab-forward design gives surprisingly good visibility to the bucket edge, and operators moving from older Bobcats note the improved sightlines to the tires.
- Resale is strong because the entry-level Bobcat name is in constant demand from homeowners and landscapers, so used S450s sell fast at solid prices.
- The 1,370 lb rated capacity runs out fast with wet material or pallets, and owners doing regular truck-loading almost universally wish they'd bought an S550 or larger.
- There is no high-flow option, so the 16.7 GPM standard flow rules out mulchers, cold planers, and most serious hydraulic attachments.
- The 2-micron fuel filters on these Doosan-engined machines plug quickly on marginal fuel, and forum owners stress religious filter changes and clean fuel to avoid derates.
- Doosan injectors have a reputation for failing, and out-of-warranty injector jobs on an entry-level machine sting owners who bought it to save money.
- Cold-weather owners report intake sensor faults and limp-mode episodes until the engine fully warms, a known annoyance in northern climates.
- The 49 hp engine works hard pushing a full bucket in clay or on grades, and operators say it feels underpowered next to the 60+ hp small frames from Kubota and Deere.
- Two-speed travel and the enclosed cab with A/C are extra-cost options, and a comfortably equipped S450 lands close enough to S64 money that many buyers step up.
Bobcat S590
- Vertical lift with a 119 in hinge-pin height loads dump trailers and stacks pallets that radial-lift machines of the same weight cannot reach.
- The 26.7 GPM high-flow option opens up mulching heads and cold planers, which the smaller S450 cannot run at any price.
- At $53,934 published it undercuts the 74 hp S650 by more than $7,000 while keeping the same lift path.
- 6,649 lb keeps it inside the towing range of a three-quarter-ton pickup with a 10k trailer.
- Two-speed travel is included, cutting the time lost driving between work areas on larger sites.
- 2,000 lb of rated capacity is modest for a 68 hp machine; the S650 lifts 690 lb more for a fifth more money.
- 17.1 GPM standard flow is on the low side, so anything demanding really wants the high-flow build and its extra cost.
- Bobcat does not publish the engine model for this machine - only a horsepower figure - so the engine spec cannot be verified from the maker.
- It is a Classic machine, so it misses the drive modes, 8-inch touchscreen and operator profiles that come on the Pro -2 models.