Bobcat T450 vs Bobcat T650
Quick take: The Bobcat T450 costs $4,000 less; the Bobcat T650 has a higher rated operating capacity (2,570 vs 1,490 lbs); the Bobcat T650 has more engine power (74 vs 55 hp).
| Spec | Bobcat T450 | Bobcat T650 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $58,000 | $62,000 |
| Rating | 4.4★ (260) | 4.6★ (580) |
| Type | Compact Track Loader | Compact Track Loader |
| Lift Path | Radial Lift | Vertical Lift |
| ROC | 1490 lbs | 2570 lbs |
| Engine HP | 55 hp | 74 hp |
| Operating Weight | 6424 lbs | 9113 lbs |
| Tipping Load | 4257 lbs | 7343 lbs |
| Lift Height | 109.5 in | 124 in |
| Hydraulic Flow | 16.7 GPM | 23 GPM |
| Engine | Bobcat (Doosan) D24 | Bobcat (Doosan) D34 |
| Tracks | Yes | Yes |
| Vertical lift | No | Yes |
| High-flow | No | Yes |
| Enclosed cab | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed | Yes | Yes |
| Self-leveling | No | Yes |
| A/C & heat | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2000 hr | 2 yr / 2000 hr |
Pros & cons
Bobcat T450
- ✓At just 55 inches wide it slips through standard gates and side yards that stop every mid-frame CTL cold, which is exactly why fencing and pool contractors gravitate to it.
- ✓The 55 hp Tier 4 engine gets by without a DPF, so owners are spared the regen cycles, limp modes, and emissions headaches that plague bigger diesels.
- ✓At 6,424 lbs it's genuinely towable behind a half-ton pickup with a bucket and trailer, saving small operators from buying a bigger truck just to move the machine.
- ✓Bobcat's dealer network is the deepest in the industry, so parts, tracks, and service are almost always a same-day affair even in rural areas.
- ✓The radius lift path arcs out at mid-range heights, which operators say makes it a natural for backfilling, dumping over walls, and unloading flatbeds.
- ✓The swing-open tailgate and simple engine layout make daily checks and filter changes easy, and mechanics note there's far less to go wrong than on high-spec machines.
- ✓An optional 200 lb counterweight bumps rated capacity to 1,656 lbs, giving it a useful cushion for the occasional heavy pallet.
- ✓Resale demand for small Bobcat CTLs is strong because rental fleets and homeowners compete for used units, so clean T450s hold their value unusually well.
- ✗The 1,490 lb rated capacity means a full pallet of sod or pavers is over the limit, and owners doing material handling quickly wish they'd bought a T64.
- ✗There's no high-flow option, so the 16.7 GPM aux circuit rules out mulchers, cold planers, and other flow-hungry attachments entirely.
- ✗The short, narrow footprint gets tippy on side slopes and bouncy at travel speed, and operators consistently call the ride rougher than mid-frame machines.
- ✗The cab is genuinely cramped - taller or broader operators complain their knees hit the door and shoulder room is minimal on long days.
- ✗Pricing lands uncomfortably close to the larger T64, and plenty of buyers conclude the extra few thousand dollars for the bigger frame is the smarter spend.
- ✗The radius lift path gives up reach at full height, so loading tall dump trucks and stacking pallets high is harder than on vertical-lift rivals.
- ✗No self-leveling option means you're manually feathering the bucket on every lift, a tiring omission when moving palletized material.
- ✗Bobcat parts and dealer labor pricing run high, so ownership costs stay elevated even on this entry-level machine.
Bobcat T650
- ✓Over a decade of production means every quirk is documented, every mechanic knows it, and owners call it one of the most proven CTL platforms ever built - there are no surprises left in a T650.
- ✓Bobcat's 74 hp Tier 4 engine skips the DPF entirely, so owners never deal with regen cycles or clogged filters that sideline competitor machines mid-job.
- ✓The vertical lift path and 124-inch hinge pin height load tri-axle dump trucks and stack pallets high with ease, which is exactly why grading and material-handling crews standardized on it.
- ✓As a Classic-line machine it undercuts the newer T66 on price by thousands while offering more rated capacity (2,570 vs 2,450 lbs), a trade plenty of buyers happily make.
- ✓The used market is enormous - rental fleets turned over thousands of T650s, so parts, tracks, and complete machines are cheap and everywhere, and resale liquidity is excellent.
- ✓Bobcat's dealer network is the deepest in the industry, and owners report same-day parts availability even in rural areas keeps downtime minimal.
- ✓The optional 30.5 GPM high-flow package runs mulchers, cold planers, and stump grinders, giving it attachment range well beyond its frame size.
- ✓The swing-open tailgate and transversely-mounted engine give easy access to filters and daily checks, and forum mechanics consistently rank it among the easiest CTLs to service.
- ✗The M-Series cab is louder and rides rougher than the newer R-Series T66/T76, and operators who demo both say the refinement gap is obvious on long days.
- ✗The solid-mounted undercarriage has no suspension, so the ride across rough ground is punishing at travel speed compared to torsion-suspended rivals like ASV.
- ✗Standard 23 GPM auxiliary flow is only adequate - flow-hungry attachments really need the high-flow option, which adds meaningful cost.
- ✗Bobcat parts and dealer labor pricing run notoriously high, and owners grumble that filters, tracks, and fittings cost far more than aftermarket equivalents.
- ✗The Bob-Tach attachment system and proprietary controls nudge you toward Bobcat-branded attachments, and some third-party tools need adapters.
- ✗As a Classic (outgoing) model it lacks modern touches like the clear-side cab, improved pressurization, and touch display of current-generation machines.
- ✗Cab dust sealing is a long-running M-Series complaint - owners in dry climates report sweeping out the cab daily despite the pressurization system.
- ✗At 9,113 lbs plus a trailer and attachments you're past what a half-ton truck should tow, so budget for a three-quarter-ton or bigger to move it legally.