Kubota Introduces Next Generation Zero-Tail Swing Compact Excavator to Its Lineup: Meet the U17-5

LAS VEGAS (January 21, 2025) – Kubota Tractor Corporation today announced the launch of the U17-5 zero-tail swing compact excavator from the showroom floor at World of Concrete. Featuring improved stability, enhanced operator comfort and efficiency, the new U17-5 replaces the U17VR1 in Kubota's robust excavator lineup and is among the set of new power-packed construction equipment launched at this year’s show. The new U17-5 will be available at authorized Kubota dealers in the first quarter of this year.

“The U17-5 is the latest evolution of Kubota’s U Series of compact excavators coming in line with our -5 updates and featuring the same reliability customers have come to expect with Kubota equipment,” Bill Holton, Kubota product manager, construction equipment. “As a ROPS-only model, the U17-5 is a light-weight model, making it a great option for the rental market, as well as for light construction, landscape, and utility applications.”

Demanding Tasks Call for Kubota Performance
Equipped with a 16.1-horsepower^* Kubota diesel engine, the U17-5 features a working range that includes a digging depth of 7 feet, 6.2 inches, a dumping height of 8 feet, 1.2 inches and a bucket breakout force of 3,547 pounds. The U17-5 also comes equipped with a factory-installed thumb bracket welded directly onto the dipper to mount an optional hydraulic thumb. An auxiliary control system integrated into the joystick allows operators to control proportional flow with a convenient thumb-operated switch and oil flow can be controlled with a forefinger-operated on/off switch. To reduce transition times between attachments and improve productivity, an auxiliary diverter valve comes standard on the U17-5 allowing the hydraulic thumb attachment to remain connected while diverting oil flow to other attachments when needed.

Weighing in at 3,902 pounds, the U17-5 features a rear-end that has been extended by 1.2 inches and a track gauge that can be expanded to a maximum of 4 feet, 3.2 inches, an increase of 2.4 inches over the previous model, to optimize stability when using heavy attachments, and can be retracted to 3 feet, 3 inches for easier movement through narrow passageways and to allow for working in tight spaces.