Small articulated loaders have been popular in Europe and have been making inroads in the U.S. over the past decade.
SALs are still somewhat of a loose machine classification – also known as "subcompact wheel loaders" – with manufacturers doing the naming, for the most part. However, for purposes of this article, we define them as those with less than 6,000 pounds of operating weight, under 75 horsepower – and, of course, they articulate.
Since our 2024 report on SALs, three manufacturers have introduced new models in North America, joining at least six other companies with loaders on the market.
Manufacturers of SALs tout their low center of gravity for increased stability with heavy loads, good visibility to attachments, tight turning radius, low ground pressure, good traction thanks to the articulation joint and fast speed. They can also run a wide variety of attachments, among other benefits. Some have telescopic booms for higher lifting and truck loading. And they are light, for easy transport from job to job.
Many manufacturers view them as a good entry-level compact loader – a step up from stand-on mini skid steers. But they are also growing in size – as are most compact equipment categories – making them viable alternatives for bigger jobs and competitors to skid steers, while blurring the line between larger, compact wheel loaders.
In this report, we look at small articulated loaders from Avant Tecno, Bobcat, Case, Giant, Intrepid, Mecalac, New Holland, Vermeer and Wacker Neuson.
{Related Content: For a more detailed look at what buyers should keep in mind when buying a small articulated loader, see our report What's a Small Articulated Loader and Why are They So Popular?}
Avant Tecno
Finnish company Avant Tecno entered the U.S. market as its own brand in 2012. It had made small loaders for Gehl before breaking out on its own here.
Known for its bright green, the company brought two new models from Europe to the North American market late last year: the 735 and 855i.
Along with articulation, both models have telescopic booms.
The 735 is designed as a basic lifting and material handling machine, featuring a 3,810-pound lift capacity and 10-foot-2 lift height. It runs on a 26-horspower Kubota diesel engine. Along with being able to fit in tight spaces, the 735 weighs less than 4,000 pounds for easy trailering.
The 855i (pictured at the top of this article) is a no-frills, lower-cost version of the company’s largest articulated loader, the 860i. It is a single-speed loader with a 9.3 mph travel speed, about half that of the two-speed 860i. It runs on a 56-horsepower Kohler KDI diesel engine, the same as the 860i, but it gets a new, simpler Poclain MSE05 single-speed drive motor, which the company says reduces its cost.
The 855i has a lift capacity of 4,190 pounds, and its telescopic boom gives it a max lift height of 11 feet 5.8 inches.
Avant also offers a wide variety of SALs, from lift capacities of 772 pounds and 20 horsepower to 4,190 pounds and 57 horsepower. It has an electric model, the e5, primarily geared to indoor work, with a lift capacity of 2,000 pounds.
Bobcat
Bobcat's L28Bobcat
Those two loaders remain the mainstay of the company’s SAL lineup, with Bobcat continuing to add attachments for the loaders for everything from land clearing to snow blowing. Bobcat says they are popular with first-time loader buyers. They also weigh less than 4,000 pounds for easy hauling.
Both models run on a 24.8-horsepower diesel engine. The L23 is a fixed-boom machine with a lift capacity of 1,159 to 1,395 pounds. The telescopic boom for the L28 gives it a height to bucket hinge pin of 104.4 inches, about 19 inches higher than the L23. The L28’s lift capacity ranges from 1,222 to 1,952 pounds with optional counterweight.
Case
Case CE's telescopic SL12 TRCase CE
The new 2.6-metric-ton SL27 TR gets about 45 inches more lift height over the standard model.
The loaders are designed and manufactured by Netherlands-based Tobroco-Giant.
“A big piece of our strategy is further expansion into the subcompact equipment market that allows dealers to provide solutions beyond traditional skid steers and CTLs to meet the needs of their customers,” said North American Head of Product Management Brad Stemper during the loaders’ launch at ConExpo 2023. “We’re working in confined areas to work on jobsites where access is challenging and for contractors who need the ability to transport smaller equipment.”
The Case lineup is as follows:
- SL12 – 25 horsepower and 2,240-pound tipping load. A telescopic reach SL12 TR model adds 2 feet of extension.
- SL15 – 26 horsepower and 3,527-pound tipping load.
- SL22EV (electric) – 24.9 kWh battery capacity and 4,510-pound tipping load.
- SL23 – 26 horsepower and 4,275-pound tipping load.
- SL27 – 50 horsepower and 6,405-pound tipping load. The SL27 TR has a 5,115-pound tipping load.
Case also classifies these two models that have operating weights above 6,000 pounds as small articulated loaders:
- SL35 TR – 65 horsepower and 6,350-pound tipping load.
- SL50 TR – 74 horsepower and 7,605-pound tipping load.
Giant
Giant G2500Tobroco-Giant
In 2016, it opened Tobroco Machinery LLC in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to distribute its products in North America and to capitalize on the market potential for compact articulated wheel loaders, according to its website.
Giant offers fully mechanical models up to 25 horsepower for a simple, lower-cost selection for customers needing that option. Other models range up to 74 horsepower.
All engines are Kubota except for the G5000, which has either Kubota or Deutz power available. The G2200E and G2700E are plug-in, battery electric machines.
Hydraulic flows vary from 7.4 to 35.7 gallons per minute, and travel speeds reach 21.6 mph. Four models have telescopic booms.
Depending on the size of the machine, Giant configures models with either CII or skid-steer plate connectors. Arm options include standard, X-tra and telescopic for optimal balance of reach, lift and bucket and boom forces.
Intrepid
Intrepid KM85Miniloaders.com
The company has three small articulated loader models here:
- KM85 – 23 horsepower and 1,540-pound lift capacity
- KM100 Tele – 25 horsepower and 1,760-pound lift capacity.
- KM130 Tele – 25 horsepower and 2,425-pound lift capacity.
All except the KM85 have telescopic booms.
They run on Kubota diesel engines. The KM85 comes standard with dual wheels (8 total) in all four positions for added stability. The KM100 and KM130 have dual-wheel options.
The KM85 and KM100 Tele are ROPS/FOPS canopy only. The KM130 Tele is canopy or cab. Optional counterweights increase operating weight and lift capacity.
Mecalac
Mecalac MCL4Mecalac
It announced late last years that four of those models now have a foldable canopy option for low-clearance jobsites.
The MCL2, MCL4, MCL6 and MCL8 models equipped with the quick-folding canopy allow operators to temporarily reduce the height of the machine to less than 6.6 feet for navigating under garage doors or into barn stalls. The canopy folds down by removing a pin on each column and pushing the roof back.
Mecalac’s six-model small articulated loader lineup also includes the MCL4+ and MCL6+. The “Plus” models feature a standard short boom for greater lifting capacities, while the other four models have a long boom for increased dumping height.
The MCL2 and 4 models are powered by a 25-horsepower Perkins diesel engine, with tipping loads ranging from 2,557 to 4,101 pounds.
The MCL6, 6+ and 8 have a 49-horsepower Perkins and tipping loads of 4,211 to 5,115 pounds.
All models offer 45 degrees of articulation to keep the front wheels traveling in the same path as the rear wheels while driving. A 10-degree oscillation delivers traction on uneven ground, the company says.
New Holland
New Holland ML27New Holland
The latest additions for New Holland came in October with its ML27 and ML27T loaders, which fit in the mid-range of the lineup. The "T" stands for telescopic.
Both models get a 50-horsepower Kubota diesel engine and can reach a top speed of 18.6 mph. The ML27 has full lift dump height of 5 feet 9 inches, while the ML27T is 9 feet 6 inches.
New Holland lists some of the new SALs’ uses as site preparation, debris removal, material transportation, loading and unloading trucks, landscaping tasks, street and sidewalk maintenance, pothole repair, curb installation, clearing snow, trenching, backfilling and laying pipe.
The loaders come equipped with a hydraulic skid steer coupler and the ability to run more than 50 high-flow attachments, according to New Holland.
Vermeer
Vermeer ATX530Vermeer
The Vermeer brand sells four SAL models:
- ATX530 – 25 horsepower and 1,343-pound lift capacity.
- ATX720 – 25 horsepower and 1,917-pound lift capacity.
- ATX850 – 57 horsepower and 2,517-pound lift capacity.
- ATX960 – 57 horsepower and 3,285-pound lift capacity.
All four models come with telescopic booms, hydraulic quick-connect for attachments, ROPS/FOPS, work lights and an articulation lock for transporting, among other features.
Wacker Neuson
Wacker Neuson WL250Equipment World
It has an overall height of 6.5 feet, allowing it to fit into buildings or under gates for construction or landscaping work, the company says. Its articulated pendulum joint with a 12-degree oscillating angle maintains traction for all four wheels on uneven terrain.
The WL250 runs on a 24.7-horsepower Perkins engine and has a tipping load of 1,631 to 3,726 pounds, depending on configuration and position.
While many SALs have canopies for operators, the new WL250 comes with cabin that includes adjustable seat and climate control. Air-suspended or heated seats are available options.
The WL250 is scheduled to be available in the third quarter of 2025.
Wacker Neuson also offers four larger articulating models: the WL28, WL34, WL38 and WL52, with operating weights from 6,040 to 11,243 pounds.
