Head to head
Cat 265 against Cat 270 XE
The Cat 265 saves $9,779; only the Cat 265 runs tracks, so their advertised capacities are not measured the same way; only the Cat 265 runs rubber tracks.
These two are rated differently on purpose. A wheeled skid steer is rated at half its tipping load and a track loader at 35 per cent, because the track machine holds back more reserve. So the capacity rows below are not a like-for-like contest, and the tipping load row is the closer thing to one.
| Spec | Cat 265 | Cat 270 XE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $95,000 | $104,779 |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 2,823 lbs | 4,015 lbs |
| Rated at | 35% of tipping load | 50% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 8,066 lbs | 8,029 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 2,823 lbs | 4,015 lbs |
| Engine power | 74 hp | 121 hp |
| Engine | Cat C2.8TA | Cat C3.6TA |
| Auxiliary flow | 23 GPM | 23 GPM |
| Lift height | 132 in | 135.4 in |
| Operating weight | 10,492 lbs | 10,847 lbs |
| Lift path | Vertical Lift | Vertical Lift |
| Rubber tracks | Yes | No |
| High flow available | Yes | Yes |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | Yes | Yes |
| Self-levelling available | Yes | Yes |
| A/C and heat available | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
Cat 265
- The 43% torque increase over the 289D3 is the headline upgrade, and operators report the 265 pushes through heavy grading and cold-planing work that used to bog the old 74 hp machines down.
- The High Flow XPS option delivers 34 GPM at 3,500 psi, letting the 265 run mulchers and planers that previously required stepping up to a 299D3-class machine.
- The sealed, pressurized one-piece cab is dramatically quieter and cleaner than the D3 generation, and the optional heated/ventilated air-ride seat draws consistent praise for all-day comfort.
- The C2.8TA stays under 75 hp so there's no DEF system to maintain - owners doing forestry and brush work especially value one less fluid and one less failure point.
- Stability is noticeably improved over the 289D3 thanks to the longer track frame and 10,492 lb operating weight, and operators say side-slope mowing feels far more planted.
- List pricing starts around $95k and well-optioned units push past $105k, a jump that has plenty of loyal Cat owners cross-shopping the Kubota SVL97-2 on price alone.
- At 10,492 lbs before attachments it demands a heavy-duty trailer and a properly rated tow rig, and more than one owner has been surprised at the scales.
- It keeps the 74 hp rating for emissions reasons, so despite the torque gains, buyers who want raw horsepower for high-production mulching still need the 111 hp 275/285.
- Early-build machines saw touchscreen and sensor software glitches that required dealer flash updates, a sore spot for buyers who expected day-one Cat reliability.
- The electronics-dense platform is harder to self-service than the D3s, effectively tying owners to Cat dealer diagnostics for anything beyond routine maintenance.
- Undercarriage and track replacement costs on a machine this heavy are substantial, and owners note the wider tracks that improve flotation also wear faster on pavement.
Cat 270 XE
- The 40 GPM XE circuit at 4,496 psi is the largest auxiliary package Cat offers in a wheeled skid steer, beyond even High Flow XPS on the standard 270.
- Its 4,015 lb rated capacity is the highest in Cat's wheeled line, 458 lb above the standard 270 on the same frame.
- The step up from the standard 270 is hydraulic, not just incremental: 40 GPM at 4,496 psi against the standard circuit's 23 GPM, which is the difference between running a large cold planer and struggling with one.
- Cat publishes $104,779 as the starting MSRP, so the premium over a standard 270 at $88,201 is a known number rather than a negotiation.
- On pavement a wheeled carrier still beats a track loader for milling and sweeping, with tyre costs in place of undercarriage costs.
- $104,779 before options is track-loader money for a wheeled machine, and it only pays back if the attachment runs most of the day.
- 121 hp means the full Tier 4 Final aftertreatment package - DEF, DPF and regens - that the 74 hp machines below it avoid.
- At 10,847 lb it is heavier than several compact track loaders, so the wheeled machine's towing advantage is largely gone.
- Some dealer pages quote 134 hp for it; that is the ISO figure with a high-flow attachment connected, not the SAE J1995 gross rating of 121 hp, so expect to have that conversation at the counter.
- Wheels still cannot follow a track loader onto soft ground, however good the hydraulics are.