Machine Heads Video: Kioti Is Coming for the Compact Excavator Market — And They’re Doing It Their Way

Welcome back to the Machine Heads video series! In this video, we take a closer look at Kioti’s entry into the mini excavator market with its MX Series. This new family of excavators targets the 3.5- to 6-ton range and in this video we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the MX350A, MX350AE and MX570A. We’ll also discuss Kioti’s choice to expand into mini excavators, the company’s philosophy behind construction equipment and the long list of standard features these machines boast. Let’s dig in…

(Note: this is a brief summary, check out the video for all the best info.)

Breaking Into the Construction Market

In 2020, Kioti made its first real move into construction. The company announced the SL750 skid steer and TL750 compact track loader, and it put the industry on notice that they were serious about expanding beyond tractors. These machines launched in 2023 and Kioti focused on the 74-hp range, a practical size for their core customer, hit the middle of the road on specs and kept things competitive on price. And it worked. Today, compact construction equipment is in roughly 40 percent of Kioti’s dealer network across North America. And once those dealers had a taste of it, they wanted more.

Why Excavators? Why Now?

Mini excavators are the second-largest selling product category in all of compact construction. So, the market opportunity is obvious. But the main reason the company decided to expand and specifically expand by adding excavators to the mix rather than expanding the compact loader lineup is that it’s what dealers wanted and it’s the machine that made the most sense for the customers that had already invested in a Kioti loader.

Plus, Kioti had the pieces in place necessary for expansion. The dealer network and construction equipment support was firmly in place, relationships with construction customers had been forged and the dealers wanted excavators.

When Kioti went to their dealer network for input on what these excavators should look like, the feedback was blunt and consistent: Don’t give me a 50-page price sheet with hundreds of options. Just give me a machine that’s already got what I need on it. And that feedback landed because it matched exactly what Kioti was already thinking.

The MX Series

All three of the new MX Series machines ship from the factory with an angle blade, a hydraulic thumb, auxiliary hydraulics, a mechanical quick coupler, a 24-in. bucket, work lights and cylinder guards. Everything a contractor needs to put the machine to work on Day 1 is already on it. The price you see is the machine you get, fully equipped.

Let’s take a closer look at each model…

MX350A

This is the standard model: 23-hp Yanmar engine, operating weight of 8,510 lbs and it features a true zero-tailswing design. Max dig depth on this one is 10.1 ft, arm digging force is 4,946 lbs. Solid, capable machine for what it is.

MX350AE

The AE has the same Yanmar engine, same horsepower, but with a 15-in. longer arm and some additional counterweight to balance it out. That extended reach takes you to 11.3 ft of digging depth and means you can place spoil further from the trench without repositioning as often. The tradeoff is that arm digging force drops to around 4,000 lbs, and operating weight comes up to about 9,100 lbs. It’s also a reduced tailswing rather than true zero tailswing, so it’s not quite as well-suited to the tightest job environments.

MX570A

The third model is the MX570A, and this is a meaningful step up in every way from the 350 models. The 570A boasts a 34.5-hp Yanmar engine, and an operating weight of just over 13,000 lbs. Arm digging force is 6,744 lbs. Max dig depth is 11.5 ft.

The cab on the 570A is also a notch above the 350 class. You get a touchscreen monitor that runs everything, a backlit shortcut pad on the right side so you can adjust the radio or HVAC without going deep into menus while you’re working and a pneumatic suspension seat with heat and lumbar support. If you’re putting a full day on this machine, that seat and the overall increase in comfort from the 570’s larger cab is going to make a big difference.

Hydraulics, Tool Support and Undercarriage

Every MX Series machine runs load-sensing variable piston pumps, and for contractors who are using these as tool carriers, that’s a going to make a huge difference in performance and efficiency.

The simple way to explain it: a standard gear pump is basically always pushing full flow, regardless of what you’re actually demanding. A variable piston pump reads the load on the system and adjusts output to match. When you’re doing light work the system stays relaxed and burns less fuel. When you hit resistance, it ramps up to match the demand. It’s more efficient in day-to-day use, and over the long run, these systems are proven to be extremely reliable as long as you keep up with maintenance.

For attachments, the standard mechanical quick coupler makes swapping buckets and other tools practical without the expense of a hydraulic coupler. As for the broader attachment lineup, Kioti is starting focused: buckets, thumbs, and a few additional options. The company says it’s going to let dealer and customer feedback drive where the catalog grows from there.

As for the undercarriage, all three machines sit atop rubber tracks with no additional options when it comes to track material or widths. Rubber is easier to get on and off trailers, friendlier on asphalt and much more forgiving on grass and finished surfaces, so Kioti opted to stick with a solid all-around choice.

What’s Next?

So where does all of this go from here? Kioti isn’t talking specifics on future products yet, but everything about how this company has built its construction lineup suggests the excavator launch is part of a foundation, not a finish line. Stay tuned.