LS Tractors: Lineup, Reliability and Who Should Buy One

LS Tractor USA says more than 350 independent dealers carry its tractors in the US and Canada. That is about a third of Kubota’s published count. It is also the one number that decides whether LS tractors make sense for you.

LS Mtron builds them in South Korea, and LS finishes them at its own US plants. They sell on value. You get a loader, hydrostatic drive, strong lift ratings and a 6 year limited powertrain warranty on most models.

You give up dealer density and the easy resale of a Kubota or John Deere. That trade suits a buyer with a good LS dealer within an hour. It suits a buyer who trades every two or three years much less.

We read every figure below on LS Tractor USA’s pages, brochures and manuals on October 15, 2026, unless noted. Where LS’s own documents disagree, we say so.

Are LS tractors good?

Yes, LS tractors are good value, and owners rate them best on what you get for the price. The complaints are mostly about the business around the tractor: dealer coverage, warranty parts and resale. Those are real, but they depend on where you live.

What owners repeatedly praise

Price against the spec sheet comes first. LS packs a loader, hydrostatic drive, an independent PTO and a 3 point hitch into one package. Owners say that package costs less than the Kubota or Deere equivalent.

Loader lift comes second. LS’s published ratings are strong for the horsepower. The sub compact MT125 carries the highest loader rating in its class on our comparison.

The warranty comes third. LS brochures promise a 6 year limited powertrain warranty on most models. Owners in brand comparison threads cite that term when they explain their choice.

MT125 and MT225S owners are mostly upbeat. Long term MT225S owners describe several hundred trouble free hours. MT125 owners call it a workhorse for grading, driveway and septic jobs.

A few MT125 owners call it tippy on slopes with the backhoe mounted. That is true of every sub compact with a backhoe hung off the back.

What owners repeatedly complain about

Dealer density leads the list, because LS has far fewer stores than Kubota or Deere. Several owners also report that a dealer who did not sell the tractor was slow to take warranty work. LS has pointed such owners to another dealer when asked.

Warranty parts timing is the second pattern. Owners describe repairs that stalled for weeks or months while a part came from overseas. Others say their dealer pulled parts from North Carolina within days.

Emissions behavior is the third. MT3 owners report frequent regens, warning codes and reduced power on the diesel particulate filter (DPF) models. One MT357 owner counted twelve regens in twenty five hours, and others blame low engine speed.

Those are owner reports, not failure data. LS publishes no reliability figures, and neither does any other brand. Treat the DPF complaints as a reason to learn how regeneration works before you buy.

The honest verdict

An LS bought from a good dealer is a sound tractor. An LS bought two hours from the nearest service bay is a gamble. The same is true of every smaller brand.

Our brand ranking places LS in the middle of the pack for that reason. Strong on value, weaker on network.

Who makes LS tractors and where are LS tractors made?

LS Mtron makes them in South Korea. LS Tractor USA then finishes them at three assembly plants in North Carolina, Louisiana and California. The Korean plant sits in Wanju county, outside the city of Jeonju.

The company behind the name

LS Tractor USA’s history page dates the tractor line to 1977. That year Korea Heavy Industries and Construction began building tractors at Gunpo with Fiat. In 1983 the company that became LS Mtron bought the tractor division.

LS Mtron is part of the LS Group, which separated from the LG Group in 2003. LS’s history page states that date. One older LS marketing page still calls LS Mtron a member of the LG Group, which reads as copy nobody updated.

LS Tractor USA was founded in 2009. LS says the brand became the best selling tractor in South Korea in 2013.

The Jeonju plant

LS Mtron’s tractor plant is in Wanju county in Jeollabuk province. LS Holdings calls it the Jeonju plant. A December 2014 release said capacity rose from 6,000 tractors a year in 2009 to 16,000 in 2014.

In June 2014 LS Mtron opened an engine plant at the same site. The company said it spent 50 billion won on it and could build 60,000 tractor engines a year. That is why newer LS compacts list LS as the engine maker, while the sub compacts still run Yanmar engines.

We found no newer capacity figures. Treat the 2014 numbers as history, not current output.

US assembly and parts

LS Tractor USA’s headquarters and main assembly plant are in Battleboro, North Carolina. LS says tractors ship from Korea to plants in Brazil, China and the US. It counts three US assembly plants.

LS opened a sales and marketing center in Raleigh in 2021. On May 10, 2024 it opened a parts plant in a building it bought in 2023. That building also houses IT, warranty, in house service and extra assembly.

On March 6, 2024 LS opened a distribution center in Palestine, Texas, to supply dealers farther west. These plant details are LS’s own statements. LS does not say how much of each tractor is US made, so “finished in the US” is the safest wording.

The New Holland connection

LS builds some tractors that other brands sell. LS Tractor USA’s history page says it agreed to supply Case and New Holland with tractors for their lower horsepower lines. An LS Holdings release from November 2023 is more precise: LS Mtron has supplied compact tractors below 60 hp to CNH since 2009.

A November 8, 2023 CNH press release describes an expanded agreement. It covers technical cooperation and plans to build some compact models in India. Neither company names the models.

So we cannot say which New Holland tractor is an LS underneath. Ask a New Holland dealer who builds the one you want.

LS tractor models: the current US lineup by series

LS lists ten series on its US site, from the 21.5 hp MT122 to the 100.6 hp MT7101. The horsepower ranges below come from LS Tractor USA’s series pages. The typical buyer column is our own reading, not an LS category.

That is a wider spread than many buyers expect from a value brand. The next sections give the numbers series by series.

MT1, XJ and MT2S: the 25 hp end

The MT1 series has two models. The MT122 makes 21.5 hp with 15.0 PTO hp. The MT125 makes 24.7 hp with 17.2 PTO hp.

LS’s page rates both loaders at 1,008 pounds, and the brochure says 1,007. The hitch lifts 992 pounds, or 728 pounds at 24 inches behind the pins. Both use a 2 range hydrostatic and weigh about 1,440 pounds without ballast.

The MT1 brochure lists a Yanmar 3TNV76F in the MT122 and a Yanmar 3TNV80F in the MT125. The 3TNV80F is the same engine family the Deere 1M 25 and the TYM T25 list.

The XJ series is one model, the XJ2025H, at 24.4 hp and 18.5 PTO hp. LS lists a 1,091 pound loader and a 1,433 pound hitch. It takes a loader, backhoe, mid mount mower, snow blower or 3 point implements.

The MT2S series is the MT225S at 24.7 hp and 19.3 PTO hp. Its brochure lists a Yanmar 3TNV80F variant and a 3 range two pedal hydrostatic. The loader lifts 1,067 pounds at the pins and the hitch 1,896 pounds, on a 1,764 pound tractor.

Our sub compact tractor comparison puts the MT125 first for loader value. It treats the MT225S as the step up.

MT2 and MT2E: the volume compacts

The MT2 and MT2E series cover 23.9 to 42.5 hp, in ROPS and cab versions. LS launched the redesigned models on January 22, 2024. The MT226 models make 23.9 to 24.6 hp, the MT232 models 31.7 hp and the MT242 models 42.5 hp.

Loader lift is 1,965 pounds on the MT226 and 2,506 pounds on the MT232 and MT242. Hitch lift is 1,808 pounds across the series. The 2024 operator manual for these models lists a DPF, which matters in the maintenance section below.

LS says the new MT2E models lift up to 22 percent more at the loader. It says they dig 30 percent deeper with a backhoe and were tested for more than 1,000 hours. Those are LS’s claims against its own older models, not against another brand.

MT3 and MT3E: the 35 to 57 hp tier

The MT3 series page lists the 35 hp MT335H and 40 hp MT340HC alongside the MT342, MT347, MT352 and MT357. The MT3E adds 45 and 55 hp models. LS’s 2025 MT3 brochure covers only the 42 to 57 hp models, so treat the two smaller ones as earlier generation stock.

All four current MT3 models share the LS L3C19-T engine. It is a 3 cylinder turbocharged common rail diesel of 114.7 cubic inches, rated at 2,600 rpm. Transmission choices are a 16 by 16 synchro shuttle or a 3 range hydrostatic.

Weight runs from 3,869 pounds for a gear ROPS model to 4,446 pounds for a hydrostatic cab. The series page rates the current MT3 loader at 2,396 pounds. The MT335 and MT340 get 2,185 pounds.

LS’s MT342 page lists two hitch ratings. The spec table and the 2025 brochure both say 2,755 pounds at the hitch end. A “key features” line says 1,808 pounds.

The 1,808 figure matches LS’s older MT230E and MT240E. We read it as leftover copy and use 2,755 pounds. Ask the dealer to confirm before you size a heavy implement.

The brochure lists two loaders for the series. The LL4106 lifts 2,680 pounds and the taller LL4001 lifts 2,998 pounds, both at the pivot pin. Ask which loader the quote includes, because the difference is more than a bale.

MT4, MT5 and MT7: the utility tractors

The MT4 series has the 63 hp MT463 and the 73 hp MT473, each in ROPS, cab and power shuttle versions. LS lists the L4C25-T engine at 152.85 cubic inches and a 16 by 16 synchro shuttle. The loader lifts 3,488 pounds and the hitch 3,483 pounds at 24 inches.

LS upgraded the MT4 series on May 6, 2024. The MT5 is the MT573 at 73 hp and 62 PTO hp, cab only, with a power shuttle. It lists a 3,364 pound loader and a 6,614 pound hitch.

The MT7 pairs the MT774CPS at 73.7 hp with the MT7101CPS at 100.6 hp. Both list a 5,139 pound loader and a 24 by 24 power shuttle. Hitch lift is 7,275 pounds on the MT774 and 8,378 pounds on the MT7101.

The MT774 weighs 7,827 pounds without ballast. LS says its 74 hp engine does not need diesel exhaust fluid, which hay buyers will appreciate. If you are choosing between sizes, our tractor sizing guide works from your acreage and jobs.

LS tractor warranty: what is covered and what to confirm

LS brochures promise a 6 year limited powertrain warranty on most models, plus 2 years of bumper to bumper coverage. The written policy adds hour limits and a 5 year tier for some models. Confirm the exact terms for your model and purchase date before you sign.

What LS says in print

The MT1 and MT3 brochures promise a six year limited powertrain warranty on most models. All three brochures we opened, including the MT225S, add the shorter line: six year limited warranty, see dealer for details.

LS’s “The LS Difference” page adds two years of bumper to bumper protection. It says there is no deductible and no extra charge for the long term.

The MT225E operator manual adds one useful detail. The engine maker’s own warranty is attached in the back. The manual says LS’s warranty periods prevail over the engine maker’s.

What the written policy copy says

A copy of the LS Tractor Owner Warranty Policy for tractors retailed after January 1, 2017 splits the coverage. General coverage runs 2 years or 750 hours, whichever comes first. Powertrain coverage runs 6 years or 1,500 hours on the MT1, XJ, XG3025, XG3100, XR3100, XR4100, XU6100 and MT5 series.

The policy lists a 5 year powertrain term for all other models. We could not confirm the hour cap on that tier.

That copy is hosted on a city government document site, not on lstractorusa.com. Its model list predates the current MT2, MT3 and MT4. So it cannot tell you which tier a 2026 MT242 or MT357 gets.

LS publishes no warranty page of its own that we could find.

The policy limits powertrain coverage to housings and the parts enclosed in them. That means the clutch, transmission and final drive housings, and the drive axles.

Owners in several threads report that LS treated a broken front drive shaft as a bolted on part and declined it. In each case the dealer ate the repair.

How to confirm your terms

1. Ask the dealer for the warranty policy that applies to your exact model and delivery date. Keep the copy.
2. Ask for the hour cap and the term in years for both general and powertrain coverage.
3. Ask whether coverage transfers to a second owner. We found no transfer clause in any LS document.
4. Ask the dealer to list what counts as powertrain, with the front drive shaft and water pump named.
5. Keep every service record, because a claim near the hour limit will lean on them.

For comparison, Kubota lists 24 months or 1,500 hours basic on its residential BX, B, LX and L tractors. Its powertrain term is 72 months or 2,000 hours. Kioti lists 24 months plus 48 months on the engine and driveline.

The Kubota tractors guide has the Kubota detail.

LS dealer network and parts

LS says it has over 350 independently owned dealers across the US and Canada, and parts flow through them. That is far fewer than Kubota’s more than 1,100 US dealers. Check your own distance first, because the count matters less than the nearest service bay.

How to find your nearest dealer

The LS dealer locator takes your zip code and a radius from 10 to 500 miles. Start at 50 miles. If nothing shows up, that is your answer.

Then call the dealer and ask four things. How many LS tractors does it service a year? What filters and wear parts does it stock, does it pick up and deliver, and who sets up loaders?

Ask one more question. Will the dealer take warranty work on an LS it did not sell? Owners report both answers, and you want to know before you buy from a dealer two counties away.

Parts and the wait

LS’s parts department sits a few miles from its Battleboro headquarters, in the building it opened in May 2024. The Texas distribution center opened in March 2024 to shorten shipping west of the Mississippi.

Owner reports on waits are mixed. Some say their dealer had filters and small parts within days from North Carolina. Others describe warranty repairs that sat for weeks or months waiting on a part from Korea.

LS claims on its site that dealers rank it first for parts availability. No survey, source or year is given, so treat that as marketing.

Plan for routine items such as filters and belts to come through your dealer. Ask for the part numbers at delivery so you can stock a set. Ask what happens when a part is backordered.

LS tractor fluids and maintenance in brief

LS operator manuals call for API GL4 transmission and hydraulic fluid in ISO VG 32 or 46. LS recommends its own LSTH400G. The engine oil spec depends on the engine.

The Tier 4 DPF engines in the MT2 and MT3 lines require API CJ-4. The MT2 manual also lists CK-4.

The MT122 and MT125 manual lists API CF-4 or CI-4. Match your own manual, because the capacities change with every model.

What the MT122 and MT125 manual specifies

The MT122 and MT125 manual lists 11.5 liters (3.0 gallons) of transmission oil for the hydraulic lift and steering. The fill rises to 13.0 liters (3.4 gallons) when a front loader is first installed. With a loader and a backhoe it is 17.7 liters (4.7 gallons).

The spec is API GL4, ISO VG 32 or 46, with LSTH400G as the LS product. The front axle takes 2.0 liters of API GL4 SAE 80W.

The manual lists engine oil as API CF-4 or CI-4, with SAE 10W-30 or 15W-40 across most temperatures. It has you replace the engine oil and filter at the first 50 hours, then at the 250 hour check.

The schedule has you replace the hydraulic oil filter at 50 hours, then every 250 hours. Transmission oil and front axle oil change at every 500 hour check.

The manual also says to top up the transmission fluid after a loader or backhoe is mounted. That step is easy to skip. It matters because the implement circuits draw from the same sump.

What the MT2 manual specifies (MT226E, MT232 and MT242)

The 2024 MT2 series manual lists these fluids in its lubricants table.

The schedule changes engine oil and filter at the first 50 hours and then every 250 hours. The hydraulic and HST filters follow the same pattern. Transmission oil and front axle oil change every 500 hours, coolant every 2,000 hours or 2 years.

The DPF and its sensors get a check at 3,000 hours, a cleaning at 6,000 hours and replacement at 9,000 hours. The manual says a regeneration lasts about 30 minutes depending on soot load. An inhibit switch lets you delay it near dry grass or a barn.

The manual warns that leaving regeneration inhibited too long overloads the filter and cuts engine power. That matches the limp mode complaints owners describe. Run it through its regen, then get back to work.

Note the oil spec. The MT2 and MT3 manuals require CJ-4 class oil for their DPF engines.

The MT125 manual lists CF-4 or CI-4 instead. Our diesel tractor oil guide explains why the DPF decides that.

What the MT3 manual specifies (MT342 to MT357)

The 2024 MT3 manual uses the same fluid types in bigger amounts. Engine oil is 5.9 liters (1.6 gallons) of API CJ-4 or ACEA E6/E9. The viscosity chart runs SAE 15W-40, 10W-30 or 5W-40 by temperature.

Transmission and hydraulic oil is 43 liters (11.4 gallons) of API GL4 ISO VG 32 or 46, again LSTH400G.

The front axle takes 8.5 liters: 5.5 in the kingpin case and 1.5 in each gear case. Coolant is 8.7 liters. The fuel tank holds 40 liters on a ROPS model and 47 liters on a cab.

The intervals are longer than the MT2’s. Engine oil, oil filter and hydraulic filters change at the first 50 hours, then every 300 hours. Transmission and front axle oil change every 600 hours.

Coolant changes every 1,500 hours or 2 years. The fuel filter and air cleaner change every 500 hours.

The DPF, DOC, injectors and turbocharger get a cleaning at 3,000 hours. Do not carry the MT2 schedule over to an MT3 or the reverse. The numbers above show how much they differ.

Bigger LS models

We did not read the MT4, MT5 or MT7 manuals for this guide. Owners of larger and older LS models report ISO VG 46 or 68 hydrostatic fluids. They quote the LS product LSTH570, which is not in the MT2 or MT3 manuals.

LS hosts every current operator manual as a PDF on its owner manuals page. Download yours before you buy fluid. Read our tractor hydraulic fluid guide if the GL4 and ISO VG labels are new to you.

LS vs Kubota vs Kioti: which one should you buy?

Buy the brand with the strongest dealer within a short drive, then compare equipped quotes. The three brands overlap from 25 to 60 hp. The dealer decides more than the tractor does.

The decision rule is short. If a Kubota dealer and an LS dealer are both close, get quotes on the same loader and package. Let price and dealer reputation decide.

If only an LS dealer is close, buy the LS and ignore the badge. If you plan to sell within five years, lean toward Kubota or Deere because the used market is deeper.

Read our Kioti tractors guide for the closest rival. Our brand ranking has the full order.

Resale value and buying a used LS

In owner accounts, a used LS usually sells for less than a comparable Kubota because fewer buyers know the name. The evidence is thin and splits by region. Nobody publishes brand resale data, so treat this as owner opinion.

What owners say about resale

One group of owners argues that a used LS sells for less than the same tractor wearing a New Holland badge. They suggest Deere or Kubota if resale matters most. Another group says LS values are holding and climbing where the brand has dealers.

Both can be true in different counties. A used tractor sells where there is a dealer to service it and buyers who know the name. Check recent sold listings within 100 miles before you decide.

Buying a used LS: a short checklist

1. Check the model suffix and hours, then compare it to the series table above. H means hydrostatic, C means cab, and E marks the pre 2024 MT2 models.
2. Ask for the warranty status in writing, and do not assume it transfers.
3. Confirm the nearest dealer will service it and stock its filters.
4. On DPF models, ask how often it regenerates. Ask whether it has ever shown reduced power or a warning code.
5. Test the loader at full lift with a load. Cycle the 3 point hitch with an implement on it.
6. Look for leaks at hydraulic lines and the front axle seals. Pull the transmission dipstick to check for milky fluid.

Who should buy an LS, and who should not

Buy an LS if you want plenty of loader and equipment for the money. A good dealer must be close.

Skip it if resale is a priority or you live far from a dealer. The fit is clear in a few common cases.

An LS makes sense if

• You keep a tractor for 8 to 10 years or more, so resale matters little.
• An LS dealer with a good local reputation is within 50 miles.
• Loader lift is your main need, such as moving pallets, logs or hay.
• You are shopping at 25 hp, where the MT125 and MT225S carry strong loader ratings.

Skip an LS if

• You trade tractors every two or three years.
• The nearest dealer is farther than you want to drive for every warranty visit.
• You want the deepest used market and aftermarket support.
• You want to avoid DPF hardware and are shopping above 25 hp.

Bottom line

LS is a value choice backed by a long powertrain warranty and strong loader ratings. Its weaknesses are dealer coverage, resale, warranty parts timing and regen behavior on DPF models.

Buy one if a good dealer is close and you plan to keep it. Skip it if resale or distance rules the decision.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns LS Tractor?

LS Mtron, a South Korean company in the LS Group, owns the LS tractor business. LS Tractor USA, founded in 2009, sells and assembles the tractors in North America from Battleboro, North Carolina.

Is an LS made in the USA?

Partly. LS says the tractors are built in South Korea and finished at three US assembly plants. Those are in North Carolina, Louisiana and California, and LS does not publish how much of each tractor is US made.

Is LS the same as New Holland?

No, but LS Mtron has supplied compact tractors below 60 hp to CNH, New Holland’s parent, since 2009. Neither company names the models. Ask a New Holland dealer who builds the one you want.

What is the best LS tractor for a small property?

The MT125 or the MT225S at 24.7 hp suits most properties under 5 acres. Step up to an MT232 at 31.7 hp or an MT242 at 42.5 hp for a backhoe or heavier implements. That fits 10 or more acres.

How long is the LS warranty?

LS brochures advertise a 6 year limited powertrain warranty on most models and 2 years general. The written policy adds hour caps of 750 hours general and 1,500 hours powertrain on the series it names. Other models get a 5 year tier, so confirm yours in writing.

Where can I find parts for an LS tractor?

Order through your local LS dealer, who draws on LS’s parts plant in North Carolina and its Texas distribution center. Keep your model and serial number handy when you call. The LS brand archive collects every LS page we publish.

Are LS tractors reliable?

Owners generally report them as reliable, with the sub compacts drawing the fewest complaints. The main patterns are regen frequency and warning codes on DPF models, plus slow warranty parts. No brand publishes failure rates, so judge by your dealer’s service record.