Head to head
Bobcat S450 against Bobcat S70
The Bobcat S70 saves $23,106; the Bobcat S450 carries 610 lb more once both are rated the same way; the Bobcat S450 moves 7.8 GPM more through the auxiliary circuit.
| Spec | Bobcat S450 | Bobcat S70 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $52,618 | $29,512 |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 1,370 lbs | 760 lbs |
| Rated at | 50% of tipping load | 50% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 2,740 lbs | 1,520 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 1,370 lbs | 760 lbs |
| Engine power | 49 hp | 23.5 hp |
| Engine | Bobcat (Doosan) D18 | Bobcat (model not published) |
| Auxiliary flow | 16.7 GPM | 8.9 GPM |
| Lift height | 109.5 in | 94.5 in |
| Operating weight | 5,370 lbs | 2,892 lbs |
| Lift path | Radial Lift | Radial Lift |
| Rubber tracks | No | No |
| High flow available | No | No |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | Yes | No |
| Self-levelling available | No | No |
| A/C and heat available | Yes | No |
| 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 S70
- At $29,512 it is by a wide margin the cheapest machine Bobcat sells, roughly half the price of the next model up, the S450.
- A 2,892 lb operating weight means a half-ton pickup and a light trailer move it, so no second truck is needed to get to the job.
- An enclosed cab is still on the options list at this size, so it is not restricted to fair-weather work the way most mini loaders are.
- It is part of the 2026 Classic line rather than a leftover, so parts, attachments and dealer support come from the same network as the full-size machines.
- 760 lb of rated capacity will not lift a full pallet of pavers or sod - this is a bucket-and-broom machine.
- 8.9 GPM of auxiliary flow with no high-flow option rules out mulchers, planers and most hydraulic attachments outright.
- It is the only Bobcat loader with no two-speed option at all, so moving between work areas is slow.
- The 94.5 in lift height is more than a foot short of the S450's, which puts loading a tall dump truck out of reach.
- 23.5 hp is a fraction of a mid-frame machine's output, so sustained production work belongs on a bigger loader.