Head to head
Bobcat S70 against Cat 246D3
The Cat 246D3 carries 1,440 lb more once both are rated the same way; the Cat 246D3 moves 14.1 GPM more through the auxiliary circuit.
| Spec | Bobcat S70 | Cat 246D3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29,512 | Dealer quote only |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 760 lbs | 2,200 lbs |
| Rated at | 50% of tipping load | 50% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 1,520 lbs | 4,400 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 760 lbs | 2,200 lbs |
| Engine power | 23.5 hp | 74 hp |
| Engine | Bobcat (model not published) | Cat C3.3B DIT |
| Auxiliary flow | 8.9 GPM | 23 GPM |
| Lift height | 94.5 in | 124.2 in |
| Operating weight | 2,892 lbs | 7,478 lbs |
| Lift path | Radial Lift | Radial Lift |
| Rubber tracks | No | No |
| High flow available | No | Yes |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | No | Yes |
| Self-levelling available | No | Yes |
| A/C and heat available | No | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
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.
Cat 246D3
- Radial geometry pries hardest at mid-height, which is where dozing, digging and backfilling happen.
- 23 GPM standard flow is three more than the 242D3 beside it, and High Flow XPS takes it to 32 at higher pressure.
- 124.2 inches to the hinge pin is taller than the vertical-lift 242D3, which is not what most buyers expect from the two lift paths.
- An outgoing generation on a dealer lot is the cheapest route to a Cat of this size.
- No published MSRP, so the price is whatever the dealer needs it to be that month.
- Radial lift gives up reach and dump height at the top of the stroke, so truck loading over high sides is awkward.
- It weighs 340 lb more than the 242D3 for the same rated capacity.
- Superseded by the 260, which limits how long it stays a current machine at a dealer.