John Deere 1025R: The Most Popular Compact Tractor for Homeowners and Small Farms
3/12/2026
Everyone knows that John Deere makes the most reliable and durable compact tractors on the market, but many might not know the most popular model of compact tractor for homeowners and small farms. That title belongs to the John Deere 1025R, an extremely versatile, powerful, and affordable small tractor that’s perfect for home hobbyists and small farms.
What makes the 1025R so popular, especially for California homeowners? Let’s look at this great machine and what small 1 Series models you can expect from John Deere in the future as the 1025R nears the end of its lifecycle.
The John Deere 1025R has been a reliable workhorse for homeowners, farmers, and more since 2013, and for good reason! The 1025R is an affordable option for owners who want power and versatility in a compact package.
The 1025R features a 23.9-horsepower engine with a power takeoff horsepower of 17.2. That means the 1025R has plenty of power to get around your property and over small obstacles. It also has plenty of PTO to power attachments like front-end loaders, rotary cutters, rotary tillers, and more. The hydrostatic two-range transmission on the 1025R gives you a smooth shift between low and high gears. Combined with the Twin Touch pedals, the 1025R is a breeze to operate, whether you’re a seasoned vet or new to compact tractors. Standard 4WD on the 1025R makes sure no hill or rut is too difficult for this tractor to get over. The three-point hitch and iMatch Quick-Hitch make it easy to swap in and out attachments.
The biggest advantage of the 1025R is its versatility. This tractor is a year-round workhorse, excelling in both the hot summer months and the milder winter months. Homeowners in the Central Valley, Sierra foothills, wine country, or Southern California can use this tractor across all four seasons for property maintenance. Need to mow down overgrown fields or brush? Use the 1025R with an AutoConnect mid-mower deck or rotary cutter to manage tall grass or pesky weeds. If you need some extra hands and power to move around building materials, combine the 1025R with the compatible 120R front-end loader for easy lifting power. The 120R loader has an 803-pound lift capacity, making it perfect for hauling dirt, gravel, large rock, sand, and more. Attach a box blade to the back of your 1025R, and you have the perfect tool for grading gravel driveways or preparing garden beds for easy planting.
If you’re building fence lines on your property, the 1025R can be a big help, too. With an auger attachment, you can easily dig holes deep enough for fence posts in a fraction of the time it would take you by hand.
Don’t think that the 1025R is just good for homeowners; it can also be a big help on small farming operations that are 2 acres or less. For small farming operations focused on direct-to-consumer or farm-to-table type operations, the 1025R can be a huge advantage. With a rotary tiller attachment, tilling the ground to prepare for planting season no longer takes hours and hours of manual labor. The Limited Category 1 hitch on the 1025R handles most compact implements and attachments designed for small-scale work, like tillers, box blades, and small rotary cutters.
For livestock farmers, most of your work involves moving heavy objects like food and hay around your land, and the 1025R can do all of the heavy lifting for you. Moving small square or round bales becomes simple with a bale spear attachment. The 120R loader can also be beneficial for moving heavy feed bags around the farm. Whether you’re handling cattle, goats, sheep, or horses, the 1025R is an indispensable tool on a small livestock farm.
Orchard and vineyard work, which are particularly popular in California’s Central Valley, can also benefit from a 1025R. The compact size of the 1025R can navigate between narrow rows easily, and the 3-point hitch can run flail mowers, sprayer attachments for managing pests and disease, and run an auger for planting new stock.
The 1025R is a tried and true John Deere sub-compact model, and there are still plenty of reasons to purchase either a new or used 1025R. However, John Deere has recently introduced three new successors to the 1025R that improve on the tractor's well-known qualities while maintaining the ease of use that operators expect.
The three new models are the 1E 23, 1M 25, and the 1R 25. Each model is made for a specific purpose, rather than the all-in-one capabilities of the 1025R.
The 1E 23 is the most affordable new model, and features a 21.5-horsepower Yanmar engine with 16.2 PTO horsepower capabilities. It’s great for budget-conscious homeowners on 1 to 3 acres who need basic mowing and light loader work.
The 1M 25 is built for tight spaces and is a mid-tier replacement to the 1025R. It features a 23.2-horsepower engine and 17.8 PTO horsepower. The wheelbase is 57.1 inches rather than 63 found on the 1025R, making it easier to fit into small spaces or store in a garage or outdoor shed. The biggest upgrade on the 1M 25 is the HVAC cab option with heat and A/C, making it perfect for year-round use.
Finally, the 1R 25 is the premium option of the new models. It features much of the same power and sizing as the 1025R, but comes with much-needed comfort and technology upgrades. The optional heated and cooled cabin is great for hot summers or mild winters, and additional technology like cruise control, USB-C outlets, tilt steering, and a deluxe suspension only adds to the fully-loaded, premium feel of this model.
The John Deere 1025R is a fantastic sub-compact tractor that can help California homeowners and small-acreage farmers accomplish all of their projects during every season. Belkorp Ag would love to help you find the perfect 1025R for you, and stay tuned for the arrival of the new 1E 23, 1M 25, and 1R 25. Visit one of our 8 locations across the Central Valley, or browse our inventory online to get started.
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