Kubota SZ Stand On Mower Review

The Kubota SZ is a solid stand on mower that was first introduced at GIE EXPO in 2018. The level of quality that went into making it is high and is worth the price that you're going to end up paying for it. On top of that, it's actually one of the more affordable options, so you don't have to worry about a big setback if you end up not liking it. Kubota is also a very trusted company in the business of making these mowers.

Overall, the Kubota SZ stand on mowers are a great value in terms of the specs. It has solid Kawasaki engine options and hydro-gear transaxles for a very competitive price. There are a few things I don't like and would like to see upgraded in the future, but I'll jump in to that below. Let's take a look at the details of these mowers!

Kubota SZ Stand on Lineup

Specs	SZ19-36	SZ22-48	SZ26-52	SZ26NC-61-2
Deck Size	36″	48″	52″	61″
Engine	Kawasaki FX600V	Kawasaki FX691V	Kawasaki FT730V EFI	Kawasaki FT730V EFI
Horsepower	19 hp	22 hp	26 hp	26 hp
Transmission	Hydro-Gear ZT3100	Hydro-Gear ZT3600	Hydro-Gear ZT3600	Hydro-Gear ZT3600
Speed	9 mph	10.5 mph	11 mph	11 mph
Rear Tire Size	20 x 8-10	23 x 8.5-12	23 x 10.5-12	23 x 10.5-12
Fuel Capacity	5.1 gal	6.5 gal	6.5 gal	6.5 gal
Warranty
Price	$7,399	$7,999	$8,699	$9,599

Comparison

The Kubota SZ may not have the level of power that many of the top stand on mowers have, but it will get the job done. On some of the bigger mowers that you find on the market, you will see that they often have larger engine and transaxle sizes.

There really isn't much about these mowers that is very flasher. They are pretty well built, a decent design, and pretty good cut quality. It is nothing that will blow you away, but a solid mower for the price.

By this time, you may have already heard about the great conspiracy… it is said that Bobcat is building these stand ons for Kubota. Essentially, these are the exact same mowers except they are obviously branded differently. This isn't confirmed, as I haven't spoken with the manufacturers, but just by looking at the two mowers it is pretty obvious to me.

Power

This mower uses the Kawasaki FT730VEFI, FX691V, and FX600V. Kawasaki is one of the leaders in mower engines. Their FX engines have been a favorite for many years by so many commercial lawn care guys.

The FT series engines is one of the newer models that was introduced a around 2019. Technically speaking, they are a small step down from the FX. I'm assuming Kubota chose this engine option in order to have an EFI option while also staying at a lower price point. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the decision.

For the 52″ and 61″ models I would prefer to have an FX850V-EFI or FX1000V-EFI. Of course, these would raise the price a good amount, but I think it would be worth the investment.

For the people who are going across the different elevations of land while they cut, this mower has a great transmission for you. The mower uses the Hydro Gear ZT-3600. It responds very quickly to changes that you make and is reliable for many uses on the land.

The 48″ and 52″ transaxles fall in line with most other stand ons on the market. For the 61″ model, many manufacturers go to the Hydro Gear ZT-4400 transaxles. There really isn't a ton of different between the two, however it is something to note.

Features

There are a few features on the Kubota SZ that make it stand out a little. The first is the tool-less adjustable front reference bar. The Ferris stand on is one of the first I ever saw this feature on… many manufacturers have implemented this feature in recent years.

The EFI dial-type throttle control, found on the 52″ and 61″ models is a pretty cool feature. I'm not sure if it really matters or provides much value to the user, but it's a unique feature nonetheless.

The great debate of foldable platform vs fixed platform for stand ons is never ending. Kubota has a foldable platform design. I'm not even going to get into each side of the debate. I'll just say this feature can be nice if you're on a very steep hill and need to walk behind the mower while mowing.

The final feature is the simplicity of the design that allows for easy maintenance. There are many entry points to the difference components on this mower and it is fairly open compared to other, more compact, stand ons.

Cut Quality

The cut quality is very good on the Kubota SZ. This may not be the flashiest stand on mower or have the most features, but it does do the job it is intended for pretty well.

The deck on this mower does a great job of dispersing grass clippings and prevents the mower from clumping during wet conditions. Overall, this mower does a really good job of cutting grass and laying down some stripes.

Durability

Thankfully, you won't have to worry about this mower falling apart anytime soon. On a cheap mower that you find on clearance at Home Depot, it may fall apart after a few months. Worse than that, you'll get a product that rusts on you and becomes an expensive process to be able to fix. Most of these problems aren't present with the Kubota SX, but you do have to take care of it for this to work out. The durability is fine as long as you aren't reckless.

Comfort

The pad that you get with this mower is decent at best. It really doesn't have much contour to it or anything that will keep you positioned on the mower. There also aren't any springs, suspension, or dampeners on the platform. It is a pretty rough ride on this mower, but stand ons are much easier to absorb the shock than a traditional zero turn mower.

Overall, the comfort of this mower isn't very great. It isn't the absolute worse I've seen but there are much better designs on the market when it comes to comfort.

Aesthetics

The aesthetics have a great look to them that customers can tell have had a good amount of thought into them. The mower isn't that big compared to others, so it's able to work as a compliment to you as a person. On all of the SZ models, there is a big theme of orange which may or may not be for you but stands out a lot.

Build Quality

The build quality in this mower was made to last for a long time. This mower has been out a few years now and there has been some very good feedback on longevity of these mowers. They a built well and last a long time. Since these are essentially Bobcat mowers, this can add some reassurance that the mower is well built and has a pretty long history of positive reviews.

When driving this mower, nothing feels shaky and everything feels tight. Even mowing rough terrain, it doesn't feel like anything is going to fall apart.

Pros

• A good price that many people can afford
• An orange look that goes well as the grass it's cutting
• A consistent cut across many different mowing applications
• Strong materials that will keep it from falling apart

Cons

• Kawasaki FT engines on 52″ and 61″ models
• Smaller size when compared to other mowers
• Expensive parts if anything needs to be fixed

Our rating

Performance:	(4.0 / 5)
Cut Quality:	(4.0 / 5)
Durability:	(4.0 / 5)
Comfort:	(3.5 / 5)
Price:	(4.0 / 5)
Overall:	(3.9 / 5)

Price

The lower end of the Kubota SZ models cost around $7,500 but some of the higher models go for around $9,500.

Wrapping it up

This mower isn't a big in size as the other mowers, but it's still worth your attention if you're looking for something to buy. A lot of the more expensive motors are ones that you have to finance and could affect your credit if you end up missing a few payments. On top of that, you tell it's built to last even within a few minutes of use. It's worth taking out if you are just starting out owning and land and need it looking consistent.

What do you think?

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For more information on this mower check out Kubota.

Images are from Kubota.