Kubota has led compact excavator sales in this class for two decades, and the U Series is where most contractors start. Built for access: zero tail swing on the smaller machines so you can dig flush against a wall, light enough to haul on a standard trailer, and small enough to clear a residential side gate. Backyards, fence lines, pools and tight neighborhoods. If you have been searching for a mini excavator for sale, this is where to look first.
U17
Clears a side gate. Where most crews start.
The entry point and the gate machine. Zero tail swing keeps the counterweight inside the tracks, so you dig flush along a wall or fence without repositioning every swing. Trailers behind a three quarter ton.
1.7 ton class · 7' 7" dig depth · zero tail swing
U27
The balanced pick. Still fits, digs deeper.
Nearly two more feet of dig depth than the U17 with enough weight to stay planted when you are pulling hard, and it still holds zero tail swing. The versatile middle of the lineup for crews running mixed work.
2.7 ton class · 9' 5" dig depth · zero tail swing
U35
Top of the U Series. Pulls through hardpan.
Where the work stops feeling residential. 7,924 lb of bucket breakout pulls through hardpan and old concrete instead of skating off it, with tight tail swing so it still works inside property lines.
3.5 ton class · 9' 9" dig depth · 7,924 lb breakout
The step up when the work gets heavier and the days get longer. More weight, more reach and more breakout force, with an angle blade on the larger models so backfill and cleanup happen in one pass. Built for footings, utility trenching, production digging and running breakers, augers and thumbs on auxiliary hydraulics. Same $0 down and 0% APR for 60 months to qualified commercial buyers.
KX040-4
The everyday workhorse. Over eleven feet of dig depth and an angle blade, without jumping into full size iron.
Deeper digging and real lifting power in a machine you are still hauling yourself. 9,535 lb of breakout with an angle blade that turns backfill and site cleanup into one pass. If you keep running out of machine on a U35, this is the step.
4.0 ton class · 11' 2" dig depth · 9,535 lb breakout
KX033-4
Where compact meets commercial.
The natural step up from the U35 when you want more blade, more reach and a cab you can sit in for ten hours. Same ton class, a full foot more dig depth, and it trailers exactly the way the U35 does.
3.5 ton class · 10' 6" dig depth · 8,138 lb breakout
KX057-5
Heavy production work, all day.
Utility trenching, footings and grading without stopping. Nearly thirteen feet of dig depth and 10,172 lb of breakout, which is the difference between a service line in one pass and fighting it all afternoon.
5.5 ton class · 12' 9" dig depth · 10,172 lb breakout
On all commercial Kubota equipment, including every excavator on this page, through Kubota Credit Corporation and subject to credit approval. Trade value applies straight to the financed amount and lowers the payment. Programs change at the end of every month, so call for the offer running right now.
Excavator with attachments
Auxiliary hydraulics are not an upsell here, they are how these machines are configured and sold. What changes between models is how deep you can dig and how hard you can pull.
A hydraulic thumb turns the bucket into a grapple, so you are picking up rock, root balls and demo debris instead of chasing them around the site. A breaker handles old slab and footings. An auger sets fence posts and footings without a second crew. A compaction plate backfills the trench you just dug. All of it runs off the auxiliary circuit that is already on the machine.
Quick couplers let you swap between bucket sizes and attachments in a couple of minutes, which matters because an attachment you can change fast is an attachment you will actually use. Tell us what you own already and we will tell you what will run properly on which machine.
| Model | Dig depth | Class |
|---|---|---|
| KX057-5 | 12' 9" | Compact, 5.5 ton |
| KX040-4 | 11' 2" | Compact, 4.0 ton |
| KX033-4 | 10' 6" | Compact, 3.5 ton |
| U35 | 9' 9" | Mini, 3.5 ton |
| U27 | 9' 5" | Mini, 2.7 ton |
| U17 | 7' 7" | Mini, 1.7 ton |
Excavator dealer near you
All three carry excavators, stock parts and run full service departments with Kubota certified technicians. Yards open from 6:30am in Sun Valley and 7am in Temecula and Escondido, Monday through Friday. Sales team is in from 8am. Call ahead and we will have the machine pulled out and ready when you get here.
Three ways to buy
The honest breakdown. Most residential contractors land on a U Series. Most crews doing footings and utilities end up on a KX. The middle is where people get it wrong in both directions.
Financing
Zero down, zero percent, sixty months. Financing runs direct through Kubota Credit Corporation, so there is no third party lender and no markup. We submit it, they decide, and we tell you either way. Most commercial buyers finance through an LLC, S corp, sole proprietorship or DBA.
Step one
Tell us the model and the attachments you need, or describe the access and the digging and we will pick it with you.
Step two
A single credit application through Kubota Credit Corporation. No shopping it to five lenders, no stack of paperwork. We send it and we follow it, and most decisions land inside 24 to 48 hours.
Step three
Sign, schedule and we deliver. Free inside 70 miles of your branch. We walk you through the machine before we leave.
Soft conversation first. We will not run credit without your say so.
Or send it by email instead
Why Kubota
Kubota has led the compact excavator market for two decades on durability and owner experience. Here is what actually drives that.
Kubota builds their own engines and builds the hydraulics around them. Proven reliability and all day run time.
The counterweight stays inside the tracks through a full rotation. Dig flush to a wall without repositioning.
Thumbs, breakers, augers, compaction plates, grading buckets and quick couplers. One machine, the whole job.
Kubota certified technicians at all three branches. Warranty work handled in house, rubber tracks and filters stocked on site.
Since 1952
PDQ has been selling and servicing equipment in Southern California since 1952. The people who answer the phone are the people who will deliver your machine.
Family owned. Three generations. No corporate script.
"They walked me through every option instead of pushing the biggest machine on the lot. That is why I came back."
4.9 stars across more than 1,000 Google reviews
"First machine I ever bought instead of rented. PDQ walked me through the sizes and talked me out of the bigger one because it would not have cleared the gates on half my jobs. The U27 has paid for itself in rental savings and I am back for a KX040-4 this fall."
Marcus R.
Grading and excavation contractor, Riverside County
Before you buy
Straight answers to what contractors actually ask on the phone.
Not sure which one
Tap the access you deal with, then tap the work you do most. We will name the excavator that fits and tell you why.
Your best fit
No spam. No bots. Just real people who know equipment.
PDQ is a full line Kubota dealer. If an excavator is not what you came for, start here.
Pricing shown is approximate and provided as a general guideline only. Actual pricing varies by model year, configuration, optional equipment, dealer installed accessories, availability and other factors. Nothing on this page constitutes a quote, an offer or a guarantee of a final sale price. Final pricing is determined at the time of purchase and may be higher or lower than shown.
Machine class figures, dig depths and breakout forces shown are approximate manufacturer figures for base configurations and vary by undercarriage, boom, blade, cab and attachment configuration.
Financing offers and promotional programs are available on select new Kubota equipment through Kubota Credit Corporation USA and are subject to credit approval. Not all applicants will qualify, and some may receive a higher rate depending on credit profile. $0 down and 0% APR for 60 months are promotional programs available to well qualified commercial buyers. Offers apply to eligible new equipment purchased from authorized Kubota dealers and depend on dealer participation. Taxes, fees, insurance, documentation charges, optional equipment, attachments and delivery fees may be additional. Not valid on prior purchases. Inventory availability differs by location.
All financing terms, conditions and program requirements are set by Kubota Credit Corporation USA and are subject to change without notice. Promotional programs change periodically. Contact PDQ Equipment for the offer currently in effect and for complete equipment eligibility. Offers available only at participating dealers within the United States.
Free local delivery applies to jobsites within 70 miles of the purchasing branch and is based on customer location and dealer service area. Additional restrictions may apply.
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